Where "Lolly water" Comes From
"Lolly water" emerged in early 20th-century Australian bush and pub lore. Because Australians call confectionery and sweets "lollies," calling a drink "lolly water" was the front bar's supreme insult, implying that a beverage belonged in a children's sweet shop rather than in an adult's glass.
Outback shearers used it against non-alcoholic temperance cordials. Later in the 1980s and 1990s, the term enjoyed a massive resurgence among traditional Aussie beer drinkers to mock the arrival of sweet wine coolers, premixed alcopops, and low-carb beers.
Source:
"I'm not drinking that lolly water — go grab us a couple of proper cold beers from the esky."
How Aussies Actually Use It
Said dismissively when turning down a sweet soda or fruity pre-mixed beverage in favour of tea or beer.
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