Is serving a Snakebite (Lager and Cider) illegal in the UK a) in Public Houses b) in a canned or bottled form?

Question

Just a debate that is raging amongst my friends and even Wiki is disputing this area of folklore/law.

Thanks in Advance

Answer 1

It is not illegal to mix drinks tho sum pubs ban it due to how it makes people act. There is no canned or bottled version of snake bite i know of it is usually drunk by childish students who have been swots all there lives and suddenly try to act all big and clever because mummy isn`t there. Students are the most boring people ever the rumors of them having wild times is crap and thats why they drink this vile drink invented by mixing slops

Answer 2

IF it was served in a canned or bottled form it would be legal as it would have to declare the total ABV and would be regulated so that it doesn't have the same over the top effect as mixing it in the pub. It is illegal in the pub because of the weights and measures act, pubs have to serve lager and cider in measured pint or half pint glasses, unless a glass has a line on it you can't measure that you have poured exactly half a pint of each and therefore can't know the exact ABV which is illegal. Many customers suggest that the barman put both of the halves in different glasses, this is not illegal but they must prove that they are offering responsible service, knowing the effect that snakebites have (most people get more drunk on them than the individual drinks) makes them irresponsible service and once again illegal

Answer 3

I'm not sure about it being illegal because there are many more potent drinks being served over the bar but there is a problem with mixing the two draught products together.

Next time you buy it, pour some into a glass and leave it an hour or so, you will notice it clots and starts to solidify, if long enough it turns into a lumpy jelly.
There would need to be a litle playing with the mix around to stop this happening.
I seem to remember something like a bottled snakebite years ago but nobody else here does.

Answer 4

I worked in bars for years before the kids were born and we always sold it
But where ever i worked the managers always said to do it on the sly as it was illegal you were supposed to sell a half of lager, a half of cider and a shot blackcurrant in separate glasses then if the customer wanted to mix them you could give them a separate glass.

It was supposed to come under the responsible drinking act as you can totally trashed from just a small amount. I speak from personal experience here, i used to be able to drink A LOT in those days but a pint of that junk would put me on my back lol!!

But it is the landlords/lady's responsibility to make sure people don't get drunk and that they don't serve people that are already intoxicated. That is actually LAW by the way (i know, it's a pub! what you gonna do? pmsl)

Anyway that's the truth as i know it. Hope it helps.

Answer 5

No it's not illegal. Why would it be? If serving both is legal, how is it illegal to mix them? You & your friends are getting confused because some pubs refused to serve it. But barmen & publicans do not make the law!

My opinion is (tested!) is that the whole thing is a fallacy. You have a pint of cider; you have a pint of lager. So what? The problem is the usual one with drink, you have too much, fall **** over head, & say in the morning "I didn't have much, I must have mixed my drinks".

I haven't checked Wiki cos I was there!

Answer 6

Of course not! It is a drink that has been drunk in pubs around where I am in Devon for many years.
Let's face it it's as silly as not allowing a lager and a cider in the same round!
As for mixing in cans there is no reason why it could be illegal but it would need to say what it is and I don't think there would be a great market for it.

Answer 7

It is not illegal, however the sale of mixed drinks is at the licensee's discresion. As a personal licence holder I would refuse to serve it and any one working under my license would not be able to serve it. Under the 2003 Licensing Act we have a duty to promote sensible drinking, and snakebite as far as I am concearned is not sensible drinking! Also anothe reason why people dont serve it is that larger and cider mixed looks cloudy, and people think that the larger is cloudy! I have never seen a canned or bottle form of the stuff!

Answer 8

Is Snakebite Illegal

Answer 9

A lethal brew drunk in the UK combine lager and cider / scrumpy in equal amounts. Although it is not illegal to sell the drink most UK pubs will either refuse to serve the concoction, or only sell it to people who have proven their ability to handle it. For hardcore drinkers only.

a snakebite made with a can of Special Brew (9% ABV) and a can of White Lightning (7.2% ABV IIRC) tastes surprisingly harmless but will happily screw you up in no time.

Answer 10

Good question, I've wondered this myself, when I was in Glasgow 2 years ago they would not serve me Chinese (Lager & Bitter) they said they could not serve me a mixed drink but would sell me 2 1/2 and I could mix it myself.
Same thing in a pub in Telford last year. I think it might be a local council ruling. Because in Chester where I live there's no such ruling I can drink Chinese in any pub.

It wil be interesting to hear other peoples take on this subject.

Answer 11

It,s not illegal , but most places will not sell it mixed because it,s such a potent drink ,people got into all kinds of trouble from drinking it. Two pints of the stuff is rocket fuel. Now with all this binge drinking nonsense it,s even more less likely to be served . You may be lucky in your local to get it, as long as the landlord knows you.