Subject:
[USMA:44200] Re: the pub--ground zero for the metric system?
From:
"Carleton MacDonald" <[email protected]>
Date:
Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:13:18 -0400
To:
U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]>
Near the Washington National Cathedral are several restaurants. Among them,
one is Mexican, another serves brick-oven pizza. Both are excellent.
The draft beer at the Mexican restaurant comes in a larger glass than the pizza
place, and the price is lower.
Of course, XX and Tecate cost less than some yupscale German draft.
Carleton
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
John M. Steele
Sent: Sunday, March 29, 2009 07:01
To: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:44179] Re: the pub--ground zero for the metric system?
I don't think Americans have nearly the attachment to the pint that Brits do.
Many bars only serve bottled beer, not draft. It is served from a bottle or
can which by law must be marked in fluid ounces (usually 12) with optional,
supplemental metric permitted; this is unlike every other bottled beverage
where the net contents must be dual marked.
When draft beer is served, the serving size is not as standardized as in the
UK. Each bar appears to set their own based on their glassware. If you ask,
you may be given an answer in fluid ounces, but there is no particular
dedication to the number 16. Some places serve draft in the same size glass
they give you with your bottle of beer; the full bottle usually does NOT fit.
--- On Sat, 3/28/09, Paul Trusten <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Paul Trusten <[email protected]>
Subject: [USMA:44169] the pub--ground zero for the metric system?
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
Date: Saturday, March 28, 2009, 9:50 PM
Pubs and taverns are bastions of freedom. The American Revolution was hatched in the
Buckman and Monroe Taverns of Lexington, Massachusetts, scarcely 3 kilometers from where
I grew up. So, I guess you could say that the pint is symbol of freedom's ferment (grin).
But, I fear that this same obsession with the standard serving size of a brewsky will
also befall us Yanks, as it has in other countries. That won't be the end of it on this
side of the pond, though. In the U.S., there will be all kinds of requests for exemptions
from metrication and all kinds of fears that metrication will take over in areas in which
it may not belong. Upon the announcement of the EU decision on supplemental indications,
we saw headlines about "British can keep their pints (of alcoholic beverage poured
in pubs)," as if this measure was the shibboleth of metrication in Europe.
During the deliberations of a future U.S. Metric Board, these very
psychological issues have got to be talked out. The measurement of goods
served has to be clarified, so we won't have more customary-unit martyrdom.
However, the U.S. pint is smaller than a half liter, and, as Pat suggests,
there could be lobbying by the American brewing industry to keep it as a
serving size. Does metrication belong in the pub, though? Can't bar patrons
request a size that it outside of legal metrology but agreed upon in the
drinkers' world? I would hate to see a Liliput-Blefuscu war break out over
quaffing a few.
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
Public Relations Director
U.S. Metric Association, Inc.
www.metric.org
3609 Caldera Blvd. Apt. 122
Midland, Texas 79707-2872 US
+1(432)528-7724
[email protected]
