The tradition began in 1936, when Louis Meyer celebrated his third Indy 500 victory by drinking a bottle of buttermilk. According to Meyer, “It was a hot day…and all I could think of was some nice, cold buttermilk.” A cameraman captured the moment, and the footage was later seen by a dairy industry executive, who began providing milk to the winners. The tradition was paused in 1947–55, when the victorious drivers were given silver chalices of cold water. Milk made a comeback in 1956, and since then the winners of the Indy 500 have celebrated by drinking the beverage.
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