Many years ago I was sitting with a friend at a pub in Ireland when an American tourist came in and began studying the menu. He approached the bar and asked the barmaid for "a quicky".

As you may have noticed, the daylight hours are lengthening and there are rumours spring is upon us.

It's a bitter blow as Cantabrians toiling to clean up after Saturday's quake now face a potential shortage of Canterbury Draught beer.

Auckland mayor John Banks' son was among a group of young people who "egged on" schoolmate James Webster to keep drinking.

China is now our wine industry's fastest-growing export market.

A raft of proposed changes to liquor laws are aiming to reduce harm to young people while leaving "responsible NZers" free to make their own decisions about the way they drink.

An alcohol watchdog says a raft of liquor law changes don't go far enough in curbing NZ's crisis with alcohol.

People will not be allowed to supply other people's kids with alcohol in a private home without consent under liquor law changes to be announced today.

A raise in the drinking age would be ineffective and counterproductive, and discriminate unfairly against young people.

Local communities will set the trading hours for liquor outlets in their areas under plans expected to be announced today.

Few spirits have the romance, the history and the sheer brilliance of whisky.