Alco Tax Rip-off

The Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia, a spirit industry lobby group, have launched a new website called Alco Tax Rip Off to show how much tax is being collected by the recent increases in pre-mixed drink tax and protest the "unfair 70% tax increase" on pre-mixed drinks. It follows on from growing criticism of the tax, and the website highlights dissenting media articles, a current estimate of tax raised and links to supporting statistics.

Sources: Alco Tax Rip Off, News.com.au & ABC

New bar & restaurant: Little Creatures Dining Hall

You've been waiting for it, and now it's here! 222 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy is where you'll find the much-awaited official venue for drinking one of Western Australia's favourite microbrews - Little Creatures. Open seven days from 10am, this new beer hall is ready and waiting! Click here to see the first picture on the official Little Creatures website. Thanks to MelbournePubs.com for the tip-off, click here to see their venue page.

Nintendo game gets media bashing for encouraging teen drinking

America is the inventor of "beer pong" and has now also created a Nintendo Wii game matching much of the drinking game's ping pong tossing action. Beer pong, according to Wikipedia, is a "drinking game in which players throw a table tennis ball across a table with the intent of landing the ball in one of several cups of beer on the other end". A similar objective is the goal in the JV Games Nintendo Wii game Pong Toss, which has pulled much of the alcohol content, but with a teen-friendly rating experts are worried about the potential link.

"When a behavior is modeled or practiced in any form, it becomes more likely to be practiced in the future," said New York psychologist Eva Levine. "Kids are very susceptible to this type of media. I see it all the time with young kids and adolescents. It's definitely true that children that are exposed to alcohol use are much more likely to engage in alcohol behavior."

While Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal worried that games like Pong Toss might have more dangerous consequences than other types of violent games - saying binge drinking was a much more realistic outcome from playing Pong Toss than driving dangerously would be after playing Grand Theft Auto.

Source: ABC News & Wired

UK doctors want cigarette-style warning pictures on alcohol

A meeting of the British Medical Association (BMA) in Edinburgh saw a "substantial majority" of the attending 400 doctors voting in favour of a motion by Dr Raj Nirula, a urologist at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, to try and combat binge drinking in the UK. He said doctors had taken the lead on highlighting dangers of smoking and should do the same with excessive alcohol consumption. "There is an epidemic of binge drinking the UK. We have to start from an early age with the teenagers. Binge drinking is becoming the norm culture."

What the doctors want:

Graphic images of diseased livers and mouth cancer displayed on alcohol products and in pubs and bars - warning about the heath risks of drinking too much.

The price of soft drinks lowered in bars and pubs (as they are often more expensive than alcohol meaning drinkers have little incentive to choose a non-alcoholic drink).

Mandatory labels showing alcohol units per drink on bottles and bar taps.

Source: Telegraph & Independent

New Review: Sahara

Clem Bastow reviews Sahara on Swanston Street, Melbourne for Epicure and writes; "Functioning as a cafe during the day and a snacky watering hole at night, Sahara has a drinks list that remains as cheap as ever, with what has to be my favourite genre heading of all Melbourne's drinks menus: "Nice Drinks"." If you'd like to hear a little bit more about this student favourite bar, click here to read the full review.

New Bar: Bosito's

From the Spirit Fingers team, who brought you Double Happiness and New Gold Mountain, comes a new bar outside of Liverpool Street. Mr. Bosito's Liquor Bar is described by Deck of Secrets as "Melbourne's new Euro-style breakfast bar" on Bridge Road, Richmond. "Prosciutto, pancetta and breasola hang over the counter deli-style, while buffalo mozzarella and pan-fried haloumi beckon from the menu." Click here to read the full description at Deck of Secrets or visit the official website for a peek at their menu.

New Bar: Destino Latin Bar

Deck of Secrets has found an "authentic dash of Mexico for Melbourne" in the new Destino Latin Bar on Chapel Street, Windsor. Click here to read their update.

New Bar: Silk Pagoda Rooftop at Red Hummingbird

Despite the winter chills, the rooftop bars keep opening. Deck of Secrets has just recorded that The Red Hummingbird on Russell Street now have a new top-level temptation. "Take cover beneath the blushing red shelter, curl up up in a hanging-basket chair and peek through shimmering silk lanterns for a view of the city skyline." Click here to read their full report.

New Review: Atticus Finch

Michael Harden has reviewed the new Atticus Finch (Lygon St, Brunswick East) for Epicure, which was also just recently posted by Deck of Secrets. He concludes "Atticus Finch is one of those carefully realised bars that reward repeated viewings. Playing to character type, it appears quiet, unassuming and pleasant enough at first meeting, and then gradually wins you over with its solidity, generosity and good-heartedness." Click here to read the full review.

Sydney's Melbourne-inspired bars to start opening today

"Smallbar" is expected to be the first bar to open in Sydney on the 1st of July under the new Small Bar legislation. "It seemed the most logical thing to call it," co-owner Luke Heard said, according to the Daily Telegraph. "Our aim is to be the first small bar to open... and hopefully not the first to close."

Source: Daily Telegraph