What's A 'Goon Sack'? An Aussie Drinking Staple, Explained
When it comes to drinking cultures, few are as enthusiastic – or as colourful – as Australia’s. There’s a longstanding relationship between Aussies and their alcohol, and you’re unlikely to see any social gatherings or celebrations that are short of a drink or two. But although you’ll probably see many people heading to the pub for a pint after a long day, there’s also a strong culture around wine and one of the fascinating inventions to cater to that market is the Goon Sack.
What Is A Goon Sack?
Now anyone who hasn’t lived or visited Australia is probably at a loss as to what a Goon Sack even is. The term comes from the alcohol it contains, ‘Goon’ being Australian slang for cheap and cheerful cask wine (or boxed wine), and ‘sack’ refers to the disposable silver bags it comes in.
While most wines come in bottles of around 750 ml, Goon Sacks start at a litre and get bigger depending on how ambitious you’re feeling. This is thought to mirror the flagons of the 15th century which would typically come in half-gallons (1.9 litres). It might even be the source for the term Goon as a derivative of the word ‘flagon’. After all the flagon was also the inspiration for South Australian winemaker Thomas Angove who patented the world’s first boxed wine back in 1965.
History Of The Goon Sack
Thomas Angove's original design for a one-gallon polyethylene bag encased in a cardboard box drew inspiration from the age-old practice of storing wine in goat skins. Initially, people would need to cut off the corner of the plastic bag and reseal it with a special peg. But after the introduction of a specialised tap by the 1970s, it skyrocketed in popularity for its budget-friendly pricing, larger quantity and convenient portability.
Since then, boxed wines (with a bag inside to contain the liquid) have become a staple the world over as an affordable and convenient way to drink wine.
Goon Sack Traditions
Wine isn’t known to age gracefully, especially when it's stored in a bag, and as such as lot of Australians employ fun drinking games to ensure that the Goon Sack is empty by the end of the night.
In a game known as "goon of fortune," players clip a full Goon Sack to a revolving clothesline and give it a spin. Everyone then picks a spot underneath it as it rotates and waits for the line to stop spinning. Whoever’s under the sack when it stops, has to take a drink.
Another favourite Goon Sack game which is especially popular among college students is the ‘Goon Layback’. All participants lie on the floor with their feet against the wall and another person pours out wine into the mouth of the first player until they tap out at which point they move on to the next person. The first person then gets up and joins the end of the line, and the process continues until either you’re out of wine, out of space or out of players who can still have the ability to stand up.
While the more discerning wine drinker may not opt for the enjoyment of a Goon Sack, they might just be missing out on the fun and its many benefits. Portable enough to take on a picnic and big enough to fuel a thirsty dorm room, the Goon Sack can do it all. It’s even more sustainable overall because the ratio of product to packaging is much higher than the traditional bottle. There’s no denying that this tradition is one designed for optimal convenience, optimum price and maximum enjoyment.
