Beer glass

This glass was manufactured for the Hotel Association of New Zealand (HANZ) by New Zealand's major national glass manufacturing company, Crown Crystal Glass. It was one of a range of industry standard drinking glasses introduced by HANZ in 1963. Its 8 ounce size was favoured by male drinkers.

'The 6 o'clock swill'

Until 1967, six o'clock closing dominated men's social life in New Zealand and became known as the 'six o'clock swill'. After work on week days or rugby on Saturdays, patrons (mostly men) downed as much alcohol as they could before closing time. Beer was the favoured drink. To speed up the drinking process, beer was dispensed from plastic hoses connected to a tank in the cellar. Patrons could either drink at the bar or get jugs filled and retreat to standing tables for a slightly more leisurely intake, by filling their glasses. Six o'clock closing lasted for 50 years until 1967, when the closing time was moved to 10 o'clock by public vote.

HANZ

HANZ regulated New Zealand's hospitality industry from 1958 until 1995 (when it became the Hospitality Association of New Zealand), including issuing licences to run public hotels (whose bars were called 'pubs' for short). In the 1960s, alcohol could only be sold and consumed publicly in licensed places that provided accommodation.