A decision by the Federal Government has paved the way for pubs to sell draught beer for takeaway, to provide some much-needed revenue during the closure.
A Government ruling to not apply the usual double excise facilitates pubs selling beer in their taps via resealable bottles, typically known as ‘growlers’.
Carlton & United Breweries almost immediately announced it would provide containers to help the cause.
“The pub industry is reeling from the recent shutdowns,” says CUB CEO Peter Filipovic.
“So to help pubs take advantage of the Federal and State Government concessions, we’re donating 20,000 resealable bottles to more than 100 pubs in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
“What makes tap beer so great is its freshness, which is also why it has a relatively short best before date and why publicans would otherwise soon be disposing of it.”
The announcement follows the launch earlier this month of For the Love of Your Local, encouraging people to get back into pubs when they reopen, with the enticement of 2-for-1 pints subsidised by CUB.
Simultaneously, Lion announced a partnership with the AHA NSW, offering its own growlers and caps, and dispensers to be affixed to the tap to fill the bottles.
The containers and equipment will be provided to pubs across NSW free of charge, and are another example of the brewers working with government for a better outcome.
“Hotels are the hearts of their communities – especially in regional and suburban areas – and the truth is many are struggling to survive with take-away sales the only form of income,” offers AHA NSW CEO John Whelan, who praises the initiative and prudent flexibility by government.
“Not only does [this] provide an immediate boost to venues, it prevents millions of litres of draught beer literally going down the drain.”
Lion Managing Director James Brindley says the brewer is committed to continuing to help licensed venues during the pandemic.
“We have also supported pubs with cleaning procedures for their draught beer systems to keep them in working order, ready and able to open up quickly again when the time comes. Our draught quality team has now cleaned 10,000 couplers and taps for our on-premise customers, and this number will keep growing. So committed to the cause, our team has been doing all this vital work from home.”
The CUB containers are available as 2-litre (“squealers”) or 3-litre (“growlers”), with no deposit.
Lion is providing 1.25-litre bottles and caps.
