Believe it or not, you can actually have a drink at home from the age of five. Yes, five! A responsible adult can give you alcohol on private premises, but please—this isn’t a free-for-all. It’s about family celebrations, a tiny sip of champagne at a wedding, or a supervised taste of dad’s beer.
Once you hit 16 or 17, the law gets a little more generous in restaurants. You can have beer, wine, or cider with a meal, as long as an adult buys it for you. No spirits, though—sorry, no sneaky vodka shots with your Sunday roast. And the adult has to be with you, not just waving from the car park.
