Man Fined $500 For Drinking A Severed Human Toe In A Shot

You read that headline right — a man was served a human toe in a shot, and instead of suing everyone in a 10-block radius, he is being fined $500. That’s what happens when you botch Dawson City’s famous Sourtoe Shot — a shot of Yukon Jack served with a preserved human toe in it. But your not supposed to drink the toe! Come on, that’s just silly.

The unnamed man ordered the famous drink, which it bears recalling, is served with a severed human toe preserved in salt inside of it. Presumably on purpose. In fact, totally on purpose. The tradition goes back to 1973, which seems a little late for traditions involving cocktails served with human body parts inside them to begin, even for the Yukon. According to the website of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club:

Established in 1973, the Sourtoe Cocktail has become a Dawson City tradition. The original rules were that the toe must be placed in a beer glass full of champagne, and that the toe must touch the drinker’s lips during the consumtion [sic] of the alcohol before he or she can claim to be a true Sourtoer. The rules have changed in the past twenty-seven years. The Sourtoe can be had with any drink now (even ones that aren’t alcoholic), but one rule remains the same. The drinker’s lips must touch the toe. ” You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow– But the lips have gotta touch the toe.”

Touch the toe, but not let it pass. One rule that hasn’t changed in the 40 year tradition of the Sourtoe is that you’re not supposed to drink the toe, as did one unlucky tippler recently. The FAQ makes this out to be a pretty lenient policy:

The Sourtoes are actual human toes that have been dehydrated and preserved in salt. Swallowing one is not suggested.

Turns out, it’s a little more serious than that. Not only is drinking the toe not suggested, it carries a hefty fine with it, plus you had better tip the hell out of your bartender, who has to go find another human toe now. Then again, how much trouble can that really be? Hell, I can get you a toe by three o’clock this afternoon, with nail polish.

(via Metro, image via flickr)

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