Sri Lanka’s heat means that refreshing beverages are an important and crucial part of the day’s consumption.
- Tea with spoon fuls of sugar is the locally preferred way to drink the homegrown hot drink. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, be very self-assured about lowering the sugar dose.
- Coffee, while not traditionally favoured, is now literally a hot commodity in Colombo and some other large towns. Cafes with full-on express machines are popular. Elsewhere, be prepared for instant, or something fresh that tastes like instant.
- Lime juice is excellent. Have it with soda water, but ask for the salt or sugar to be separate. If not, you could be in for another serious sugar hit.
- Indian restaurants and sweet shops are a good spot for a lassi (yoghurt drink).
- Ginger beer is old school, very British and offers refreshment with a punch.
- Thambili (king coconut) juice still in the husk is on sale at roadside stalls everywhere.
Alcoholic Drinks - Locally brewed Lion Lager is a crisp and refreshing brew that is widely sold.
- Three Coins and Anchor are less delicious local lagers. The licensed versions of international brands like Carlsberg, Heineken and Corona offer no surprise at all.
- Lion sells a very good stout, with coffee and chocolate flavours and a hearty 8% alcohol content.
- Toddy, a drink made from the sap of palm trees, has a sharp taste, a bit like cider. There are three types: toddy made from coconut palms, toddy from kitul palms and toddy from palmyras.
- Arrack is fermented and (somewhat) refined toddy. It can have a powerful kick and give you a worse hangover. The best mixer for arrack is the local ginger ale.
