More than 1,000 Malört enthusiasts gathered in Chicago to simultaneously down a shot of the city’s famous bitter liqueur, creating an unusual world record attempt while raising money for a local charity. The record attempt took place at approximately 7:50 p.m. on Sunday at Recess bar in Chicago’s West Loop, where more than 1,000 people had purchased tickets to participate. Bars across the United States also joined the simultaneous toast.
The event aimed to establish the record for the largest number of people taking a shot of Malört at the same time. Participants at Recess were given individual Malört shooters marked to be saved specifically for the coordinated record attempt. At the designated time, attendees raised their glasses and took their shots together, while participating venues in states from California to Maryland were also encouraged to join.
Organizers are seeking recognition for the achievement in the World Records. The event, called “Bad Decision for a Good Cause,” was organized in collaboration with Everleigh Entertainment and Jeppson’s Malört. Beyond the record attempt, the gathering also served a charitable purpose, with $10 from every ticket sold designated for Ravenswood Community Services. Tickets for the Chicago event sold out, while a free livestream allowed Malört fans unable to attend in person to follow the celebration.
Franky Everleigh, director of Everleigh Entertainment, said the idea developed about a year earlier during a gathering involving approximately 100 people. After lining up around 100 Malört shots for the group, participants began discussing how entertaining it would be to turn the concept into a world record attempt.
That idea eventually grew into an event attracting more than 1,000 ticket holders and participation from bars across the country. Attendees embraced the occasion by wearing Malört-themed clothing and costumes, including bottle-shaped hats, branded shirts and other creative outfits. The event also featured entertainment and Malört-themed challenges, while Illinois Governor JB Pritzker made a special appearance and stepped behind the bar to serve shots to participants. The gathering combined Chicago culture, community participation and charity in an ambitious attempt to establish a new world record for the largest simultaneous Malört shot.
