CANBERRA could say ‘‘auf wiedersehn’’ to the stein under a proposed change to the territory’s liquor laws. Among a s l e w o f recommendations handed down in the review of the Liquor Licensing Act, made public last month, was a upper limit on the size of beer glasses.
The review recommended beer glasses be capped as ‘ ‘ excessively large containers would promote excessive alcohol consumption’’. But the review suggests a limit of 560ml. The proposal left some in the industry scratching their heads, with 568ml the standard pint size at many establishments. A spokesman for Attorney-General Simon Corbell said the 560ml figure was merely an example, and the intention was to cap the size at a regular pint. But the change would effectively ban the sale of traditional German beer steins. The recommendation was made after the Office of Regulatory Services raised concerns there was no limit on the size of beer glasses so long as the glass met national standards. Australian Hotels’ Association general manager Stephen Fanner said the group supported the suggestion so long as the 560ml example fell by the wayside. ‘‘
The idea behind what they’re trying to do, as I understand it, is that you can serve a pint of beer but a pint glass is the biggest you can allow,’’ he said. ‘‘We don’t argue with the principle of what they’re trying to do, but we think they should revise that, and that 560 is probably an error.’’ For Zeirholtz at the Brewery in Fyshwick, currently in the midst of Oktoberfest celebrations, such a change would force them to replace their pint glasses and shelve the steins.
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