Your pint of beer may not be a pint

by Shayna Glick, Posted Jun 18th 2008 @ 6:30PM

Up close image of the bottom of a glass of amber colored beer.

Have you heard of "falsies"? They're the latest news in the beer drinking world. Falsies are pint glasses that have an extra thick bottom, so they look like a pint but actually only hold about 14 ounces (rather than the 16 ounces that a pint should have).

The Wall Street Journal did a piece on deceptive beer pours last week about this issue, and a lot of people are up in arms about it. I can't say that I blame them. If a restaurant or bar needs to raise prices, that's fair: most of us know by now about the hops shortage and fuel prices that are driving up the cost of beer. However, I draw the line at trying to cheat people out of beer.

Some establishments have unapologetically switched to 14 ounce glasses. That's also fine, as long as you inform your customers of that practice. I'm all for turning a profit, but businesses that cheat their customers are the lowest of the low in my book. Next time you're ordering a pint, make sure you're getting what you paid for.

How do you feel about this trend towards pint glasses that don't hold a full pint?
Shrinking portions for the same price is just one of the things we have to deal with these days	1261 (26.9%)
I am outraged, but will don't see much that I can do	1716 (36.7%)
I plan on traveling to my local bar with a measuring cup, to ensure I'm getting the amount I paid for	1704 (36.4%)

Filed Under: Business, Newspapers, Drink Recipes
Tags: beer, falsies, pint, pours, WallStreetJournal

Chew on This

Royal Wedding Cake Details Revealed! - YumSugar

Make Your Own Pop Tarts - CHOW
Denny's Introduces a Maple Bacon Sundae - Eater
Whole Foods Opening Bars in Stores - USA Today
Rules Of Bar Etiquette -- For The Bartender - HuffPost Food

Reader comments (Page 2 of 2)

6-25-2008 @12:53PM stella said... ya mon, red stripe...then no worries my friend. always a bottle.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

6-25-2008 @1:20PM sandra said... Or you can quit your bitching and just get a bottle at 12 oz. you can still get your buzz just the same. Bars that are struggling to make ends meet in this economy, is not going to buy a whole 10 cases of glasswear at an expensive rate just cause your complaining about 2 oz. Most bars have something called "happy hour", where you can get your beer on draft or in bottle for half the price or less anyway.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

6-25-2008 @1:29PM Jim Morrison said... For several years now some bars have been using a deceptive shot glass. It's heavy and has a thick rim and a smaller diameter barrel. Inside only hold about 7/8 of an ounce. Once this trick was played on me. The bar owner recieved tweleve stiches and had to replace his "screw you shot" glass. This tavern has since ceased using this type of vessle. The Bible says that when selling by the measure, it's a sin to use a false scale. Praise G-d and genuine Kentucky Bourbon, the only indiginious liquor to America. If you get screwed by an Imperial Pint, you should beat the limey bastard that served it to you, while praying he changes his ways.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

6-25-2008 @1:36PM larry said... if you are worried about a couple of ounces of beer you probably drink to much anyway
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

6-25-2008 @2:15PM bkassociates said... Actually, this practice of de-pinting has been prevelent for about 3 years. The beer companies suggested the mini-pint 14 oz deception vessel with the v-shaped, thick glass that looks like it should hold a pint, but sure doesn't. Then add a 2 oz head, and guess what? you're back to a 12 oz good ole longneck or can can. The key is to speak up. Ask if that's a pint or a piddence of of pint. Then, when they serve you a 2oz head, ask them to refill the glass. If they call you cheapo, find a new hang-out, or reflect your "appreciation" for their insult, in the tip you leave them. These are harsh days and a guy or gal looks forward to a true measure after a hard day. We deserve a 16 oz pint, after all, we're America's best! Speak up, or the next stop in this magic show may be the sub-stein 11 oz flim-flam.
Interestingly enough, I have found that the larger approximately 18-20 oz british pint to be true to its measure. Size matters.
Reply