Well, it is good to see the media handling the news responsibly, without excessive emotion: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/01/04/pints_out_for_schooners/ Gov gone wild: Mad new pub glasses, bread freedom introduced Oz style 'schooners', tiny thimbles of wine on offer By John Oates •
Science minister David Willetts has launched a vicious January attack on the honest British pint in favour of Australian "schooners" and Continental micro-measures of wine. Under cover of claims to reduce red tape, Willetts will end rules restricting pubs to selling beer in pints and half pints to allow them to sell "schooners" – a devilish Antipodean glass containing two thirds of a pint of cold but flavourless lager. Pubs will also be able to sell wine in thimbles of of 75ml. Fortified wines will be available in 50ml and 70ml tots. The Guardian alleges the new schooner is 400 mL, but I can't believe that. I get about 378.8 mL. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/04/pubs-serve-alcohol-smaller-glasses Drinking two schooners (400ml) of 4% lager would leave a male safely within the unit guidelines, but consuming two pints (568ml) of 4% lager would tip him over the recommended limit. ________________________________ From: John Frewen-Lord <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, January 4, 2011 1:52:08 PM Subject: [USMA:49419] UK drink sizes The BBC reports on the proposals that will now be permitted to sell drinks in UK pubs in smaller sizes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12113880 It seems that beer and cider will still be imperial based sizes, but the BBC article references everything back to metric mL units, which is encouraging. Especially the sentence saying : Current regulations mean draught beer must be sold in pints (equivalent to 568ml), halves (284ml) or the little-known "thirds", and wine in measures of 250ml, 175ml or 125ml. Here's one for Pat N: Pints and halves will still be sold, but beer and cider will be available for the first time in schooners - an Australian two-third pint measure. Is this true? John F-L
