When did 12 ounces become a pint?

[andyt11]

A "proper pint" is 568ml, which is 20 uk fluid ounces. (Or just over 19 US fluid ounces).

Your US pint is only 473ml, or 16 US ounces.

A pint that is only 12 fluid ounces is nothing but a disappointment and a rip off at 355ml. It's almost only a half really. Good for you for calling them on it.

[john70t]

Enforcement of California weights and measures laws:CDFA - Division of Measurement Standards, with a class action. Isn't that how it's done?

[vash]

I would byo-graduated cylinder. Tell them you only drink out of a beaker.

[cashflyer]

As already mentioned, it is a pretty standard practice in American pubs - but it is deceptive and arguably it is against the Truth in Advertising law.

In the pub that my wife and I owned, we had half-pint, 3/4 pint, and full (US) pint glasses. We had our beer prices clearly advertised based on the amount you wanted. My wife is Irish and she just would not stand for us to cheat our customers on the beer.

Trivia:
A US pint is 3.18 US fluid ounces less than an Imperial pint.

[Zeke]

Chuck, you've voted with your wallet. That's all that needs to be done. Oh, and posting here helps the cause; now go to Yelp and do the same.

I support small local business when I can. At one time, the Yard House sort of fit that category. I remember reading about the founders in the L.A. Times some time back. Instead of focusing on making their store better, they clearly were focused on expansion and wealth.

To paraphrase POP, the business is old/skunked.

[Chuck Moreland]

It's like ordering a 20 oz steak. Then they serve you a 15 oz steak.

But the restaurant explains the plate can hold a 20 oz steak. Therefore it is a 20 oz steak.

[Superman]

We love our beer, here in the pacific northwest. I can tell the REALLY good brew pubs from the 'decent' ones by the glass size. Decent ones use pint glasses (that hold a pint). REALLY good brew pubs use what's called an "imperial pint" glass. 20 fluid ounces.

BTW, in England (and many other european countries) there are regulations related to beer pours. After the head has disappeared, the beer must come within 10mm (one centimeter) of the top rim of the glass.

[Evans, Marv]

What do you expect in today's world? It's not just beer. Just go out and try to find a half gallon carton of ice cream, or buy supposedly "large" eggs, or any other countless things we get ripped off for now days. I think companies count on the generally uneducated population not knowiing the difference or the younger generation not ever having seen anything else.

[Scooter]

The 12-16 oz glass issue is very common. Go to a more authentic German beer house and their glasses should have a line on the glass that indicates a full pint. I've been told that in Germany, the law requires the listing of the volume on the glass.

[aigel]

In Germany every glass has a calibration mark etched or printed on the side. If you under-fill, rest assured the customers will complain. Sometimes there are stand-offs where the waiter claims that once the head settles, the beer will reach the calibration mark.

One place these calibration marks go completely unnoticed is Oktoberfest in Munich. Those glasses are only about 3/4 full. People apparently don't care. It may work in their favor for bragging rights ("I had 7 liters!").

G

[gtc]

honestpintproject.org

Although perfectly legal, 12 ounces is pretty short. There's really no good excuse for that. I'd write a simple Yelp review that calls attention to it. Yelpers love to hate places for stuff like that.

[SeanR]

First World Problems

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by jyl

Rip off. Contact the local muckraker TV reporter. This is the sort of thing they'd like.

your state has some agency that can get involved too

this is called "fraud"

[rusnak]

uh.. in California? How do you find a consumer protection agency in California....oh hmm...

[andyt11]

Originally Posted by Superman

We love our beer, here in the pacific northwest. I can tell the REALLY good brew pubs from the 'decent' ones by the glass size. Decent ones use pint glasses (that hold a pint). REALLY good brew pubs use what's called an "imperial pint" glass. 20 fluid ounces.

BTW, in England (and many other european countries) there are regulations related to beer pours. After the head has disappeared, the beer must come within 10mm (one centimeter) of the top rim of the glass.

Weights and Measures Act in the UK is very strict regarding beer and spirits. Rightly so. Nothing worse than shorting a man's beer. Every glass has the royal crest on it too and a line showing a pint. And you are correct, the head is limited to a small height!

We used to frequent an awful pub in England years ago that always short poured. One day my friend leaned over the bar and asked if there would be any way the bar tender could squeeze a vodka in there too. The bar tender replied that he could, to which my mate replied aggressively "well then top it up". People voted with their wallets though and the place changed hands.

I love beer. It's my favorite kind of water.

[widebody911]

Baskin Robbins got busted for this

Baskin-Robbins Fined $500,000 For Shorting "Pints" Of Ice Cream - The Consumerist

[cashflyer]

The cheating is worse than you might think.

Since the widest part of the glass is at the top — nearly twice as wide as the bottom — leaving just the top half-inch of the glass unfilled costs the customer nearly 15% of the pint he’s paying for.

Also, the thick bottom glass trick:



And while you're at it, check the specialty beers and ciders at your local market. Many are no longer 12 ounce bottles - they are 11.5 ounce. That was standard for LaBatts but others have jumped on this sneaky way to shore up their profits.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by rusnak

uh.. in California? How do you find a consumer protection agency in California....oh hmm...

he's in California, not Cowifornia

[widebody911]

Should gas stations be allow to sell you 'gallons' of fuel that are only 96 oz? Why should beer be any different?

[Moses]

You should have paid with a one dollar bill. Tell the bartender if he can pretend he poured you a pint, you can pretend you gave him a 10.