near-beer

Near beer. Defn: Any of various malt liquors (see Citation). Near beer is a term of common currency used to designate all that class of malt liquors which contain so little alcohol that they will not produce intoxication, though drunk to excess, and includes in its meaning all malt liquors which are not within the purview of the general prohibition law. Cambell v. City of Thomasville, Georgia Appeal Records, 6 212.

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