You Can Actually Get A Drink With A Dehydrated Toe In It In This Canadian City

Pardon?

 

There are a lot of weird food trends in the world these days. Unicorn everything, sushi burgers, spaghetti donuts, etc. But those are all edible. I'm sure you read this title and thought... uhm? What? Well so did I. And it's not a joke at all. 

Out of all the weird food trends in the world, I think this may be the weirdest one. While it's definitely not becoming popular in other cities, it's certainly popular in Dawson City, Yukon. Have you ever even heard of a dehydrated toe before? Let alone drank from a glass that it was in? I hope your answer is no, but it is a little bit intriguing. 

While the toe itself looks like something else (don't lie, you thought so too), the drink it's served in is super simple. All it is is a Yukon Jack, which is pretty much whiskey and honey. But don't forget the added taste of a frozen toe... 

So what's the deal with this drink, you're probably asking. It's pretty boring in Dawson City, Yukon, so the Downtown Hotel decided to up it's game with a drink called Sourtoe Cocktail. Also, people near the Yukon get frostbite very regularly due to their cold winters. Which, you guessed it, means an abundance of toes. Ew. 

This tradition started when miner brothers were smuggling rum on the side, and one of them got frostbite in their toe. The other brother chopped it off, and kept it as a souvenir in a jar of alcohol until it was discovered by someone else. The entrepreneur decided to use it as a drink, essentially to prove that you're a true Yukoner. 

The ritual has stuck since 1973, and now people who aren't from the Yukon travel to visit The Downtown Hotel, specifically the Sourdough Saloon, to try it out. There are just five steps that you must do to become a true Yukoner: 

• Go to the Sourdough Saloon
• Purchase a Yukon Jack
• Take the 'Sourtoe Oath' pledge
• Watch a dehydrated toe get dropped into your drink
• Drink up!

Apparently the only rules is that you can't swallow the toe (this has happened before), and that it must touch your lips. If you dare complete it, you get a certificate. 

 

 

There is an actual table where you drink this toe cocktail, and someone called the 'Toe Captain' who makes sure you follow all the rules. This drink is only available from 9-11 pm and it costs $5. Oh, and if you swallow the toe, you have to pay $2500. 

So, are you brave enough?! The Downtown Hotel is located at 1026 Second Ave in Dawson City, Yukon. This is definitely a once in a lifetime experience. For more information, check out their website here.