Punters queue for free beer at Adelaide pub as temp hits 47C

An Adelaide pub has been giving away free beer following the temperature hitting 47C.

The Red Lion Hotel, in Elizabeth North, started its “beer-o-meter” last March: if the temperature goes above 40C beer prices drop to $3; above 42C is $1; and over 45C is free.

Publican Stephen Firth told News Corp: “The phones have been going mad with people ringing to verify it’s true. They can’t believe we are doing it.”

And it's available on all beers on tap, aside from Stella Artois.

“If it goes over 45C for 10 minutes, then it’s free beer for 10 minutes,” Firth said.

The temperature is measured by the Bureau of Meteorology reading at Edinburgh — the closest gauge to the pub.
“If it gets over 42C, it’s $1 a pint. That’s still a good deal. I don’t know of any other pubs that are doing $1 pints,” Firth said.

“Thursday is going to be a horror day,” John Nairn from the Bureau of Meteorology told Nine News. “We will see records broken today.”

Temperatures across Adelaide have toppled a heat record from 1939. The hottest temperatures were expected to be recorded at Port Augusta, 300km north of Adelaide, where it was predicted to get as hot as 49C.

The pub warned its Facebook followers: "Expect entry delays ... Thank you for your understanding."

The temperature in Elizabeth North had already hit 41C by 11am, so beer prices dropped to $3. By 2pm it was a sweltering 44.5C and prices slid to $1. By 3pm the heat had surged to 47C ... the beer was free and the queue to drink it was out the door and down the street!

Some people in the line reported waiting 40 minutes to get into the pub. In a show of community spirit, a local shop owner was handing out free bottles of water to the sweaty patrons in the queue.

All up, publican Stephen Firth estimated almost 200 customers came through the door and drained about 15 kegs of beer throughout the day.