Beware the possible shenanigans of publicans and barkeeps. A good 16-ounce pint pour is being shafted. The horror!!! For a $5 pint, make sure you get a PINT.
A Wall Street Journal article points out the problem pours at some establishments. The prices of raw materials to produce your favorite beverage have been skyrocketing. Barley fields are being turned into corn for the ethanol craze. Hops have taken a downturn with the combo of bad weather and a frankly devastating fire at a northwest U.S. hop storage facility. To maximize profits, some bars are producing short pours in altered glassware or just shortchanging the consumer with less beer than ordered. Chicanery. 14-ounces instead of 16? "We can get 20 more beers out of a keg that way," says Archie Gleason, director of marketing for the [Hooters] franchisee, RMD Corp.
The British organisation (UK spelling) CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, is fighting to keep proper pours proper. "Take it to the Top" is one of their current campaigns. Sadly, an organized campaign like that in the U.S. would surely not have a legislator to take up the issue as their own. So it's up to the consumer to demand proper and full pours. According to CAMRA:
Pints of beer are regularly served up to 10% short because the Government will not legislate to give beer drinkers the same rights as other consumers. If you buy a litre of petrol you can expect receive a full litre of petrol. If you buy a pint of milk you can expect to receive a full pint of milk. Beer drinkers are denied their basic consumer rights and as a result are frequently served short measures.
Full Pints Key Facts:
- 1 in 4 pints are more than 5% short measure
- Short measure costs consumers £481 million a year, or over £1.3 million a day
- Pubs serve customers 208 million more pints than they buy in
CAMRA needs your help to ensure you receive a full pint of beer every time. Please sign CAMRA's National Full Pints Petition calling on the Government to keep its promise by putting an end to short beer measures.
Watch your glasses, and send 'em back if they're wrong. At the very least, ask for a "top off" once the initial head whittles away. Demand to receive what you pay for!!!
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