Chicago Malört World Record Attempt Sells Out as Hundreds Prepare to Take a Bitter Shot Sunday, With Livestream Viewers and Neighborhood Bars Still Joining the Stunt
CHICAGO, IL — Hundreds of people are set to gather in Chicago on Sunday for a bid to set a new world record for the most people taking shots of Malört at the same time. The bitter liqueur has long been the kind of drink people joke about, grimace over and then post about online, which has helped turn this stunt into a fast-moving draw.
Organizers said the ticketed event at Recess sold out quickly. When 500 more tickets were released after the forecast called for pleasant weather, those were gone in minutes too.
Even people who missed out on seats can still follow along, since organizers are offering a free livestream and have lined up participation at bars across the Chicago area.
Why the Malört shot is drawing a crowd
The appeal here is part spectacle, part local pride and part dare. Malört has a reputation for an intensely bitter taste, and viral videos have made the reaction to the first sip almost as famous as the liquor itself.
That notoriety is now being turned into a live event, with participants expected to receive mini bottles for the record attempt. The group shot is scheduled for about 7:30 p.m., and organizers say the evening will also include prize giveaways, live entertainment and special celebrity appearances.
Food and Malört-themed cocktails will also be on offer, giving attendees more than one way to participate in the celebration of a drink that many people love to hate.
How the event is helping Ravenswood Community Services
Beyond the novelty, the record attempt is designed to support Ravenswood Community Services, which provides meals and groceries to residents in the Uptown and Ravenswood neighborhoods. Organizers said the event will raise funds for the nonprofit, connecting the bar-centric gathering to a neighborhood-focused cause.
The combination of a record chase and a charitable tie-in has helped drive interest. The Sunday weather forecast also appears to have played a role, since organizers said the additional tickets were released after conditions looked favorable and disappeared almost immediately.
For many people, the fundraising angle adds another reason to show up, even if the bigger draw is simply being part of a Chicago oddity with a very specific, very bitter identity.
Where fans can still take part without a ticket
People who do not have admission to Recess can still join in from home or from participating bars. The livestream begins at 5 p.m., and organizers said the stream is free to watch.
Dozens of bars are joining the effort across Chicago and nearby suburbs, and a full list is posted on the world record website. Among the locations named are Cobra, Rabbit Hole Wrigley, Ramova and Electric Funeral in Chicago, along with spots in Aurora, Bolingbrook, Downers Grove, Elgin, Lockport, Princeton, Rockford, Wheaton and Antioch.
Organizers say the shot itself will be taken right on schedule at 7:30 p.m., giving fans at the venue, on the stream and at partner bars a single moment to raise a glass together.
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