Happy hour in court as Swiss judges test cocktails

[July 21, 2011]  GENEVA (AP) -- It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.

Swiss daily Tages-Anzeiger reports that judges at one of the country's highest courts held a midmorning cocktail event to determine whether a drinks company's canned beverages are sweet enough to be taxed as alcopops.

The paper says two judges and a court clerk convened the 10 a.m. tipple at the Federal Administrative Court in Bern on April 14.

They tested each of the company's five drinks twice -- with and without ice.

Representatives of the Swiss Alcohol Board and Zurich drinks importer Bevis joined in too.

The court confirmed Wednesday that the judges' verdict was that the drinks tasted like alcopops, as sweetened alcoholic beverages are known.

[Associated Press]

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