Forget shaking up and spraying your champagne, these days it’s all about the “shoey”. Whether you’ve won a sporting event or simply showing off, whip off your shoe, fill it with beer, and promptly chug it back.
While F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo can certainly be credited with thrusting this relatively new craze into the spotlight, he’s far from the first to perform a shoey on the national – or even international – stage.
That honour goes to MotoGP rider Jack Miller, who performed the drinking ritual after his maiden win in the Netherlands.
It was that moment when Ricciardo made a promise to himself that he, too, would one day drink from his shoe while on a podium.
Valentino Rossi also got in on the action, as did North Queensland NRL player Matt Scott. The Swiss Bachelor also got one of his contestants to partake. And here’s pop star Rihanna swilling from a stilletto.
But it’s not just sportsmen: even local businesses are getting in on the action, like these ones from St Mary’s Kookaburra Plumbing.
Musicians Group Love recently sunk a shoey while on Triple J’s Like A Version segment.
It’s also typically performed at birthdays, parties, or any other social gathering.
The shoey is now becoming something of a cultural phenomenon, spreading across social media like wildfire. So where did this madness begin?
Like any good Aussie urban legend, there are many origin stories behind the shoey. Ricciardo credited it to surfing/fishing/comedy group The Mad Hueys (NSFW link – language warning), though others point to V8 Ute driver Ryal Harris.
You can also trace back its roots to the German Bierstiefeln, or boot glass, used since the 1800s.
How to perform a shoey:
- Remove footwear
- Fill footwear with beer or other alcoholic beverage
- Drink it all in one go!
Fairfax Media encourages the responsible consumption of alcohol.
