There are many facets that the modern ale connoisseur must consider when enjoying beer. One perplexing aspect of beer drinking is the number of different receptacles that beer can come in.

When moving around Australia it can become quite confusing as to how to get the size of beer you want. Ordering a pot of beer in one state can mean a totally different thing in another. Thus it is wise to take note of the state you are drinking in and study the terminology.

For example, if a bloke is behind the bar you order a beer in Queensland if you are buying for yourself as follows:

Barman: Mate, are you right?
Queenslander: Pot a XXXX thanks mate
Barman (after getting money): Thanks mate
Queenslander (after getting beer): Thanks mate

or alternatively, if you are shouting:

Queenslander: G'day mate, a jug a XXXX thanks
Barman (after getting money): Thanks mate
Queenslander (after getting beer): Thanks mate

Note that all words are typically slurred together regardless of whether or not you are sober. Note also, that if you were lucky enough to be served by a barmaid, then you would typically, but not necessarily, drop the use of the word mate. If are really on the ball, you will observe the placement of mate at the end of the sentence in the first order but not in the second order (due to the use in G'day mate). Further, G'day mate is not used in the first order as the Barman enquired as to whether or not the Queenslander was 'right'. That's just the way it is.

However, this same ritual observed in New South Wales would result in a very dry evening. Observe:

Barman: Mate, are you right?
Queenslander: Pot a XXXX thanks mate
Barman (looking confused?): Sorry?
Queenslander (thinking very hard & speaking slowly): Sorry, a schooner a New thanks
Barman: Are you from Queensland are you?
Barman (after receipt of money): Cheers
Queenslander (after receipt of beer & trying to fit in linguistically): Cheers

However, this won't get you very far if you wander up and west a little to the famous Northern Territory (which has the highest per capita beer consumption in the world). How would you cope, for example, if you heard this little exchange?

Barman: Mate, are you right?
NT'er: Green can thanks bloke
Barman (after receipt of money): Thanks bloke
NT'er: Thanks bloke

You see, in order to speed up and simplify the process of ordering the nectar of the gods, the NT'ers have invented their own little code for fast and accurate delivery. It is based on the colours of the desired beer can (or tinnie):

can (or tinnie):

Code & Translations
Red Can: Can of Melbourne Bitter
Green Can: Can of Victoria Bitter
Blue Can: Can of Fosters
White Can: Can of Swan Light
Yellow Can: Can of Fourex

You will also note the use of 'bloke' instead of mate. This is, as far as we know, unique to the Territory. Bloke is used by Aussies all over Australia, but normally used in the same way as the american guy eg He's a good bloke; It's a bloke thing. Anyway, you now know the lingo. Give it a burl.

Hahn Premium is one of Australia's most exciting beers.

Tooheys New Draught is a full strength beer that is typical of the the main stream popular lagers available in Australia. The beer available on-tap in NSW & Victoria travels well in the bottle to produce a nice full aromatic head to begin well. Tooheys New is lightly hopped together with a balanced malt recipe resulting in a great dichotomy between bitter taste & sweet flavour.

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I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow. (Woodrow Wilson)

We value excellence as well as fairness, independence as dearly as mateship.
- Draft Constitutional Preamble, John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia, 1999

It would take an awful lot of courage to jump on the back of a crocodile, but I suppose that's what you do for a mate.
- Thursday Island Police Sergeant Graham Burridge, The Courier Mail, August 20, 1999.

Now that I have said that, on to the important matters THE BATHROOMS!!!

Men's Bathroom sign will say: Blokes Dunny

Women's Bathroom sign will say: Shelia's Dunny

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Sandalwood's Cosmic Creations: Working with the magic of love....

fjohn, I can remember the late 60s with all the US ships coming to Sydney for R&R, a good time was had by all, they were incredibly popular with the ladies!

I found your post when saying a big "g'day" to quintrex in the front bar!

BTW, here are a few more twist tops on how to order a beer in the Land Down Under.

Now, in New South Wales (my State) (oh, and a suburb called Wyoming is only 10 minutes from home here on the Central Coast ) ... getting back to the beer ordering, if you order a schooner in NSW, don't expect a Queenslander or a Victorian to understand you .. they only have "pots" which is the equivalent of a middie in NSW ...

So, there you go mate, have to get your terminology right even in each State! (No matter what state you may be in ... hic!) I'd like a bottle of Hahn Ice please .. thanks mate .. no thanks, I don't need a glass, afterall, good things come in glass, don't they? Thanks mate, that's fine. Cheers!

Fjohn, Wyoming sounds a lot like Australia. Our population is predominatley around the coast line especcially here on the east coast. There is practically nothing in the centre except desert, a few little isolated towns each with a pub of course. You can drive for hours and not see anything.

quote:

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A Pub Shout
You need not raise your voice to shout in an Aussie Pub, only your money. To be in a 'shout', you have been lucky enough, or perhaps unlucky enough, to be included in the custom of drinking in groups, where each person takes a turn in buying the group a 'shout' of beer.
If you are drinking with 7 or 8 'blokes' or 'sheilas', and the 'shout' goes a second round, you may have to pull out or fall over before it's your buy. You will then be called a 'bludger' and perhaps end up in a pub 'brawl'.

To earn respect, try and use the correct terminology when ordering a beer. The emphasis is on 'try', as this is harder than learning Japanese and goes something like this:-

The smallest beer you can order is a 'Pony' or '5' meaning 5 ounce or 140 ml. Order this and you may be asked to 'ride a real horse, you sissy!'. A real horse is usually a 10 ounce or 285 ml beer. In New South Wales it's called a 'Middy', because bigger ones are called 'Schooners' (15 ounce or 425 ml).

In South Australia a 'Schooner' is the same size as a 'Middy' with a 7 ounce or 200 ml beer called a 'Butcher' (it's all a butcher has time for during a 'smoko' or break without risking cutting his fingers off- true story that). South Australian's call a 15 ounce or 425 ml beer a 'Pint'. This confuses the English, because it's only 75% of their pint or 'Real Pint'. No…you're not getting done, it's just how we do things this side of the pond.

In Queensland and Victoria a 10 ounce is a 'Pot' and a 7 ounce a 'Beer' or 'Glass'.

Some states use numbers to order beers. In Tasmania, it's '6', '8', 'l0' or '20' for 6, 8, 10 ounce or a "real pint". Towns close to borders, such as Broken Hill, get so confused by different terms, that they sometimes also use the number system. But just to confuse everybody even more, the number system on the mainland is different, being '5', '7', '10'or'15'.

A "handle" is a 10 ounce glass with a handle (logically).

If in confusion, you simply ask for a beer, do bear in mind you will get a "7" in Victoria and Queensland, a "l5" in New South Wales and a "10" everywhere else.

A 375 ml can of beer is called a 'tinny' (also logical), while the bottle of the same size is a 'stubbie' (not to be confused with a brand of shorts). A 750 ml bottle is a "long neck" and in the Northern Territory there is a 'Darwin Stubbie', which is a massive 1.25 litre bottle. You become an instant legend if you skull a Darwin Stubbie (then you fall over…then you get messy)

To top it all off, the Northern Territorians order beer by colour. At this point, we will leave it to you to work out the difference between a red, blue, white, green and yellow can.

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(from http://www.nomads-backpackers.com/Info/ozinfo.html)
Enjoy your research!

Dreamweave, what cool info!! I want to be an instant legend and skull a Darwin Stubbie!

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If we dont change the world... then who will save it???

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"With sword of truth, I turn to fight, the satanic powers of the night." -Jon Pertwee