6 ms·

Reads like a joke, but is actually the bloody truth. In the last 6 months, ordering my favourite mix drink resulted in either: - Getting the drink, but had to

Reads like a joke, but is actually the bloody truth. In the last 6 months, ordering my favourite mix drink resulted in either: - Getting the drink, but had to drink it at the bar were they could "supervise" me! (no joke!) - Getting the drink, only when ordered seperately and "promise" to not mix it in the same glass - Get the first one, second one denied - Direct rejection, because "too late already/wrong day of the week" - Direct rejection, because "generally illegal" When I arrived in 2014, Sydney already suffered from a nightlife scene that was nowhere comparable with the ones in any other country I've visited so far. They at least flew in DJs from all over the world to keep people attracted. Now, "In late 2015, they banned parties on boats with more than one DJ." I refused (read postponed) an offer to go to California last year. Maybe it's time to reconsider.

pedalpete 11y ago
What is your favorite drink? I live in Sydney too (Bondi), and agree the new rules are ridiculous, but what's this about 'not mix it in the same glass'?
- jclulow 11y ago
  This is nonsense they trialled first in Newcastle. Prohibiting the sale of a double shot of spirits in one glass; eventually forbidding the sale of any neat spirits at all. Want a nip of expensive scotch? Hope it's still good drowned in soft drink.
  - rbritton 11y ago
    In the US, Utah is very similar. Some places will sell you a "sidecar" shot with a mixed drink, but a lot won't. Hard alcohol is measured electronically to ensure it is exactly one ounce.
    - bigtones 11y ago
      And to the article authors point, that is because of religious reasons - in this case the Mormons.
  - EdwardDiego 11y ago
    Oh God. I travelled to Newcastle to meet friends and went out on the town on a Friday night. My big mistake was waiting until 10:30pm to depart, because nearly everything was closed or getting ready to close at midnight - Newcastle's "favourite cocktail bar" was unable to make any cocktails. I'm from Christchurch, and we have a better nightlife than Newcastle, and our CBD got smooshed by an earthquake.
    - chris_wot 11y ago
      Your chances of being assaulted in Newcastle before the lockout laws were very high. I doubt you would be having much fun in the Emergency Department, getting stitched up.
      - tankenmate 11y ago
        Of course the heavy handedness of the Star Hotel has been long forgotten; now of course they boil the frog slower, so instead of riots we now have malaise and the brain drain. In the end there will still be loss, but this time it won't be accompanied regeneration. In time Sydney will become a financial / service sector equivalent of Port Kembla unless the ship is turned around.
      - girvo 11y ago
        Other countries, who drink more than us Aussies do and have zero lockout laws don't have the problems we apparently do with violence.
        chris_wot 11y ago
        Which countries are you referring to?
      - madaxe_again 11y ago
        I have no info on what effect the licensing changes had, but I can vouch that Newcastle could be genuinely scary on a Saturday night. You haven't lived until you've hidden under a table while pint glass missiles hurtle overhead around a revolving dance floor on a boat on the Tyne.
  - EdwardDiego 11y ago
    Oh God. I travelled to Newcastle to meet friends and went out on the town on a Friday night. My big mistake was waiting until 10:30pm to depart, because nearly everything was closed or getting ready to close at midnight - Newcastle's "favourite cocktail bar" was unable to make any cocktails. I'm from Christchurch, and we have a better nightlife than Newcastle, and our CBD got smooshed by an earthquake.
- cheerioty 11y ago
  Jägermeister+RedBull ... Don't judge me ;)
  - danieltillett 11y ago
    Maybe the bar staff are just trying to save you from yourself ;) Redbull and its siblings do contain a lot of caffeine which allows people to get drunker and still be physically active. One of my colleagues was convinced that all the caffeine drunk with alcohol these days is the cause of the rise in drunken violence.
  - nness 11y ago
    "Jägerbombs"
  - hanoz 11y ago
    Have you considered the UK, where on occasions one can easily feel like the only one in the pub not drinking Jägerbombs, and drinking to massive excess generally is a proud national pastime.
    - madaxe_again 11y ago
      Actually, in the UK, it is illegal to serve pre-mixed caffeine and alcohol, but it's rarely enforced. This is why many bars will pour the shot in a highball, and hand you a can of red bull, so what you then do is your responsibility, not theirs.
      - Symbiote 11y ago
        Are you sure? I can't find anything online that supports that. Many bars serve other drinks (vodka and orange, gin and tonic, etc) unmixed, so you can mix it to taste. Buckfast is still sold, and that contains caffeine. Kahlúa too.
        madaxe_again 11y ago
        Ah, think you're right - this might just be Scotland where it's actually the law, but was certainly the common practice when I was working bars up north.
vacri 11y ago
You could come down to Melbourne, it's got a very healthy nightlife and music scene. It has a little bit of wowserism happening at the moment (no new licenses for bars open past 1am anymore, for example, and some more restrictions on 'music pubs'), but as far as I'm aware, no legislation about timing requirements on mixed drinks (which sounds truly crazy). The main article reads like a horror story for nightlife. It's a problem in Australian politics in general at the moment - there's a lot of conservative christian politicians in power at the federal level, and at some state levels, and they don't reflect modern australian values. One clear example is around gay marriage, which poll after poll shows the people overwhelmingly want (usually 70-80% support by respondents), but both major parties have too many conservative christians for that argument to fly. Same thing with late-night clubbing, methinks. Still, it's better than it was 50 years ago when bars had to close at 6pm :)
- varjag 11y ago
  > ..there's a lot of conservative christian politicians in power at the federal level, and at some state levels, and they don't reflect modern australian values. How come they don't, if they consistently keep getting elected?
  - johnchristopher 11y ago
    A wild guess: The most influential backers are Christians. They have the money to lend to the party so it can build effective marketing and political campaign to go after the rest of the voters.
    - varjag 11y ago
      Given that the majority of Australians are Christian it would indeed make sense that the most influential backers are Christians too. Probably been like that for a long time? Still there might be something in their campaigns that resonates with the views of the majority. One wouldn't imagine them consistently winning fair elections in predominantly Hindu or Muslim country, no matter the campaign spending.
awl130 11y ago
this sounds like salt lake city

pedalpete 11y ago

What is your favorite drink? I live in Sydney too (Bondi), and agree the new rules are ridiculous, but what's this about 'not mix it in the same glass'?

jclulow 11y ago
This is nonsense they trialled first in Newcastle. Prohibiting the sale of a double shot of spirits in one glass; eventually forbidding the sale of any neat spirits at all. Want a nip of expensive scotch? Hope it's still good drowned in soft drink.
- rbritton 11y ago
  In the US, Utah is very similar. Some places will sell you a "sidecar" shot with a mixed drink, but a lot won't. Hard alcohol is measured electronically to ensure it is exactly one ounce.
  - bigtones 11y ago
    And to the article authors point, that is because of religious reasons - in this case the Mormons.
- EdwardDiego 11y ago
  Oh God. I travelled to Newcastle to meet friends and went out on the town on a Friday night. My big mistake was waiting until 10:30pm to depart, because nearly everything was closed or getting ready to close at midnight - Newcastle's "favourite cocktail bar" was unable to make any cocktails. I'm from Christchurch, and we have a better nightlife than Newcastle, and our CBD got smooshed by an earthquake.
  - chris_wot 11y ago
    Your chances of being assaulted in Newcastle before the lockout laws were very high. I doubt you would be having much fun in the Emergency Department, getting stitched up.
    - tankenmate 11y ago
      Of course the heavy handedness of the Star Hotel has been long forgotten; now of course they boil the frog slower, so instead of riots we now have malaise and the brain drain. In the end there will still be loss, but this time it won't be accompanied regeneration. In time Sydney will become a financial / service sector equivalent of Port Kembla unless the ship is turned around.
    - girvo 11y ago
      Other countries, who drink more than us Aussies do and have zero lockout laws don't have the problems we apparently do with violence.
      - chris_wot 11y ago
        Which countries are you referring to?
    - madaxe_again 11y ago
      I have no info on what effect the licensing changes had, but I can vouch that Newcastle could be genuinely scary on a Saturday night. You haven't lived until you've hidden under a table while pint glass missiles hurtle overhead around a revolving dance floor on a boat on the Tyne.
- EdwardDiego 11y ago
  Oh God. I travelled to Newcastle to meet friends and went out on the town on a Friday night. My big mistake was waiting until 10:30pm to depart, because nearly everything was closed or getting ready to close at midnight - Newcastle's "favourite cocktail bar" was unable to make any cocktails. I'm from Christchurch, and we have a better nightlife than Newcastle, and our CBD got smooshed by an earthquake.
cheerioty 11y ago
Jägermeister+RedBull ... Don't judge me ;)
- danieltillett 11y ago
  Maybe the bar staff are just trying to save you from yourself ;) Redbull and its siblings do contain a lot of caffeine which allows people to get drunker and still be physically active. One of my colleagues was convinced that all the caffeine drunk with alcohol these days is the cause of the rise in drunken violence.
- nness 11y ago
  "Jägerbombs"
- hanoz 11y ago
  Have you considered the UK, where on occasions one can easily feel like the only one in the pub not drinking Jägerbombs, and drinking to massive excess generally is a proud national pastime.
  - madaxe_again 11y ago
    Actually, in the UK, it is illegal to serve pre-mixed caffeine and alcohol, but it's rarely enforced. This is why many bars will pour the shot in a highball, and hand you a can of red bull, so what you then do is your responsibility, not theirs.
    - Symbiote 11y ago
      Are you sure? I can't find anything online that supports that. Many bars serve other drinks (vodka and orange, gin and tonic, etc) unmixed, so you can mix it to taste. Buckfast is still sold, and that contains caffeine. Kahlúa too.
      - madaxe_again 11y ago
        Ah, think you're right - this might just be Scotland where it's actually the law, but was certainly the common practice when I was working bars up north.

vacri 11y ago

You could come down to Melbourne, it's got a very healthy nightlife and music scene. It has a little bit of wowserism happening at the moment (no new licenses for bars open past 1am anymore, for example, and some more restrictions on 'music pubs'), but as far as I'm aware, no legislation about timing requirements on mixed drinks (which sounds truly crazy). The main article reads like a horror story for nightlife. It's a problem in Australian politics in general at the moment - there's a lot of conservative christian politicians in power at the federal level, and at some state levels, and they don't reflect modern australian values. One clear example is around gay marriage, which poll after poll shows the people overwhelmingly want (usually 70-80% support by respondents), but both major parties have too many conservative christians for that argument to fly. Same thing with late-night clubbing, methinks. Still, it's better than it was 50 years ago when bars had to close at 6pm :)

varjag 11y ago
> ..there's a lot of conservative christian politicians in power at the federal level, and at some state levels, and they don't reflect modern australian values. How come they don't, if they consistently keep getting elected?
- johnchristopher 11y ago
  A wild guess: The most influential backers are Christians. They have the money to lend to the party so it can build effective marketing and political campaign to go after the rest of the voters.
  - varjag 11y ago
    Given that the majority of Australians are Christian it would indeed make sense that the most influential backers are Christians too. Probably been like that for a long time? Still there might be something in their campaigns that resonates with the views of the majority. One wouldn't imagine them consistently winning fair elections in predominantly Hindu or Muslim country, no matter the campaign spending.

awl130 11y ago

this sounds like salt lake city