How do you order a beer in Australia?

How do you order a beer in Australia, beer glass sizes Australia

Bloody good question! Having lived in more cities than I have handbags, I’ve learnt first-hand that every Australian state has their own rules when it comes to ordering a vessel of beer. Each size of beer glass goes by a different name in each state. And some have weird names: Shetland, Pony, Butcher, etc.

Next thing you know, I’ll be ordering a camel of Super Dry.

And sometimes, the same name in one state can mean a very different thing in another state. Like when I first moved from South Australia to New South Wales and kept ordering a pint of Coopers, wondering why I was getting funny looks and a beer the size of the Oasis of the Seas. I’ve since learnt that a pint in South Australia is a totally different size to a pint in every other part of Australia.

I’ve also learnt that if you ask for a pot of Tooheys Extra Dry in Sydney, you’re likely to be met with a blank stare. Right, a pot of beer is a Victorian thing.

How do you order a beer in Australia, beer glass sizes Australia, Forest Brewing Company, Otway Ranges

Image credit: Visit Victoria

Here’s the beer sizes in Australia you need to know

Despite now being all too aware of the dangers of a pint glass, I still start to sweat when I have to order a beer. So I’ve created this chart of beer sizes in Australia for the back of the toilet door, so I can learn my beer ordering timetables. I hope this helps.

New South Wales Victoria Queensland
1140ml Jug Jug Jug
575ml
568ml Pint Pint
425ml *popular size* Schooner Schooner Schooner
285ml Middy Pot Middy / Ten / Pot
225ml
200ml Seven Glass Beer / Seven
170ml Small Glass
140ml Pony Pony Five
115ml
South Australia Western Australia Tasmania
1140ml Jug Jug Jug
575ml Pot
568ml Imperial Pint Pint
425ml *popular size* Pint Schooner Fifteen / Schooner
285ml Schooner Middy Pot / Handle / Ten
225ml Eight
200ml Butcher Glass Seven
170ml Bobbie Six
140ml Pony Pony
115ml Shetland Small Beer
Australian Capital Territory Northern Territory
1140ml Jug Jug
575ml
568ml Pint Pint
425ml *popular size* Schooner Schooner
285ml Middy Middy / Pot
225ml
200ml Seven Seven
170ml
140ml
115ml

Warning: this isn’t an exact science. If it wasn’t confusing enough, some sizes are more popular than others, so won’t be found in some pubs, and some age groups use different names altogether. I’m also no beer expert – I just have access to Google. I wish you luck, because you’ll likely need it.

If all else fails, just order a jug of beer – there’s no conjecture there.

Share your experiences of beer ordering around Australia, comment below.

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