Commonwealth legislation

Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 2.7.2 - Beer

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Collection

legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

1/10 complexity

This Standard provides the legal definition of beer for Australia and New Zealand.

What legally counts as beer? To be sold as 'beer' (or as ale, lager, pilsener, porter, or stout), a drink must be:

Made by fermenting cereals (malted or unmalted) with yeast
Made with hops or hop preparations (this is the key ingredient that distinguishes beer from other alcoholic drinks)

What ingredients can brewers add? During production, manufacturers may add:

Cereal products or other carbohydrate sources
Sugar
Salt
Herbs and spices

Note: Rules about food additives, processing aids, and labelling for alcoholic beverages are covered in separate standards referenced in the notes.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 2.7.2 - Beer.

Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 2.7.2 - Beer

Standard 2.7.2

Beer

Purpose

This Standard defines the term ‘beer’ and permits the addition of specified foods during its manufacture.

Table of Provisions

1 Interpretation

2 Addition of other foods during production

Clauses

1 Interpretation

In this Standard –

beer means the product, characterised by the presence of hops or preparations of hops, prepared by the yeast fermentation of an aqueous extract of malted or unmalted cereals, or both.

a reference to beer includes a reference to ‘ale’, ‘lager’, ‘pilsener’, ‘porter’ and ‘stout’.

2 Addition of other foods during production

The following foods may be added to beer during production -

(a) cereal products or other sources of carbohydrate; and
(b) sugar; and
(c) salt; and
(d) herbs and spices.

Note: Editorial note:

Note: See Standard 1.3.1 – Food Additives and Standard 1.3.3 – Processing Aids for the respective requirements for additives and processing aids. See Standard 2.7.1 – Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages and Food containing Alcohol for specific labelling requirements for alcoholic beverages.

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Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 2.7.2 - Beer

Standard 2.7.2

Beer

Purpose

This Standard defines the term ‘beer’ and permits the addition of specified foods during its manufacture.

Table of Provisions

1 Interpretation

2 Addition of other foods during production

Clauses

1 Interpretation

In this Standard –

beer means the product, characterised by the presence of hops or preparations of hops, prepared by the yeast fermentation of an aqueous extract of malted or unmalted cereals, or both.

a reference to beer includes a reference to ‘ale’, ‘lager’, ‘pilsener’, ‘porter’ and ‘stout’.

2 Addition of other foods during production

The following foods may be added to beer during production -

(a) cereal products or other sources of carbohydrate; and
(b) sugar; and
(c) salt; and
(d) herbs and spices.

Note: Editorial note:

Note: See Standard 1.3.1 – Food Additives and Standard 1.3.3 – Processing Aids for the respective requirements for additives and processing aids. See Standard 2.7.1 – Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages and Food containing Alcohol for specific labelling requirements for alcoholic beverages.

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