Tej, a honey wine. Friends and I went out for tej so often we turned the word into a verb, as in, “Were you out tejjing again last night?”  Btw, that’s an Ethiopian pour, right to the rim.  To do otherwise is considered bad luck.  I won’t argue.

You either love her or hate her, but many women find Angelina Jolie to be awesome. Today is Angie’s birthday, and since it’s her last in her 30s (seriously, how is this woman 39?), we wanted to pay tribute to her somehow. Since she is well known for her international travels and her forever growing brood of children, we wanted to do a round-up of liquors that are popular in the countries that three of her six kids were born in. You’ll never be a Jolie-Pitt, but you can drink like one (well, when they’re 21+).

Cambodia
12-year-old Maddox is the oldest Jolie-Pitt kid; heck, he was with Angelina before Brad was even in the picture. Maddox was born in Cambodia where a little thing called Special Muscle Wine has been the best-selling Cambodian-made liquor in the country. Made from deer antlers and assorted herbs, Special Muscle Wine is supposed to have health-promoting properties and be especially effective in helping with rheumatism and fatigue. Booze with health benefits? We’re in.

Vietnam
In Vietnam where Angie’s second son Pax was born, variations of ruou – a distilled rice liquor – are popular. It used to be illegal and though it’s found commercially, people still make it in household distilleries, so it’s sort of like our version of moonshine.

Ethiopia
Daughter Zahara was adopted from Ethiopia where tej is the drink of choice. Tej is a honey wine, similar to mead, and it’s known for being smooth and slightly sweet. It will usually come in mild, medium, and strong strengths, so there’s definitely a variation for everyone.

Brad and Angelina’s biological children, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox, were born out of the country as well, but we were more impressed with the liquor in the countries where her adopted children are from. Don’t like any of those choices? Celebrate Angie’s 39th birthday by buying a bottle of Miravel, her rose wine created with fiance Brad Pitt.

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