The Bar Towel

Well I'm not going to stop going because of that. What I will do is ask them why they've made this decision and let them know that we disagree with it. Perhaps if enough people do then they will change it back to how it was. If they stop serving Craft Beer at great prices, then I will stop going.

Malcolm wrote: Seriously? Because they don't serve half-pints?? Like Blankboy said, no one is forcing you to buy the extra pint. And if you do and don't finish it, who cares? Leaving beer on the bar isn't the crime it used to be.

There are a few reasons for only wanting a half-pint. Some of you are reviewers, I'm not, as stated already order half-pints when reviewing a number of beers. I myself sometimes order half-pints of beers I don't want a pint of either because I don't normally drink a particular beer by itself but rather with a meal and a half-pint works well for how I eat. Sometimes I just don't want a full pint of a particular beer due to not being enamoured with the style but want to try it anyways, to wanting less of a higher ABV beer, to wanting/having to try a plethora of beers in one sitting but can't do so if they're all full pints and as mentioned I just don't have room for a full pint.

Why waste the beer and money?

And besides, what business is it of yours how, where and why I consume my beer?

I'm sure it's a 'real estate' issue. Two guys taking up space at the bar drinking 1/2 pints vs two guys drinking pints, I know which pair of customers I'd prefer to be taking up space in my bar.

lister wrote:

Malcolm wrote: Seriously? Because they don't serve half-pints?? Like Blankboy said, no one is forcing you to buy the extra pint. And if you do and don't finish it, who cares? Leaving beer on the bar isn't the crime it used to be.

There are a few reasons for only wanting a half-pint. Some of you are reviewers, I'm not, as stated already order half-pints when reviewing a number of beers. I myself sometimes order half-pints of beers I don't want a pint of either because I don't normally drink a particular beer by itself but rather with a meal and a half-pint works well for how I eat. Sometimes I just don't want a full pint of a particular beer due to not being enamoured with the style but want to try it anyways, to wanting less of a higher ABV beer, to wanting/having to try a plethora of beers in one sitting but can't do so if they're all full pints and as mentioned I just don't have room for a full pint.

Why waste the beer and money?

And besides, what business is it of yours how, where and why I consume my beer?

Wow. Not that your reasons aren't valid, I've just never seen such a spirited defense of half pints.
And you made it my business, and everyone else's, when you posted on this topic.

I agree that I care a lot more about the continued quality of the beer, food and general enjoyment of the space at the Victory (or any other bar for that matter).

I do wonder what people would say if Tim Horton's decides it will only sell them a large coffee? Its only like a quarter more...

JerCraigs wrote:I do wonder what people would say if Tim Horton's decides it will only sell them a large coffee? Its only like a quarter more...

Well if we want to compare Craft Beer to fast food I guess... To me a closer analogy would be when you go to a restaurant and order a coffee, it only comes in one size -- there's no half-cups.

This shouldn't stop anyone from going to the bar.

Yeah, I don't like spending hard earned money that I'll leave in the glass, but the beer rarely goes over 6%ABV so if I couldn't have another full pint I probably shouldn't have had a half either.

It's still my watering hole for good reason.

At least here you are not being over-charged for a full pint.

Blankboy wrote:

JerCraigs wrote:I do wonder what people would say if Tim Horton's decides it will only sell them a large coffee? Its only like a quarter more...

Well if we want to compare Craft Beer to fast food I guess... To me a closer analogy would be when you go to a restaurant and order a coffee, it only comes in one size -- there's no half-cups.

Really? I would think most "craft coffee" places probably have different sizes available (I wouldn't really know since I don't drink it). If memory serves there are the customary three sizes - wee, not so wee, and frickin huge, yes?

For the sake of argument though, at restaurants there are generally no pints of coffee either... and sometimes free refills depending where you are (though probably not at the better places).

Anyways, I'm nitpicking a bit and it's not going to stop me from going and enjoying the place but I honestly think its silly to have only one size of draft beer available.

I think we are just accustomed to having the option in some of the better beer bars. I know growing up in Ottawa and Gatineau, there's no chance in a million years that you could have ordered a half-pint, there's was no such thing. I think it's more of a recent development in Ontario. And there are still tons of places that don't give you that option. I also never assume a place will have them, juts like not every place offers pitchers.

My wife is a wine drinker and if we go somewhere that doesn't offer wine in the format she desires at that moment (by the glass, half-liter, etc.) she doesn't say "I'm never coming here again!".

But hey, to each his own, the Victory is always too packed anyway, I could do with less of you fuckers in there!

Blankboy wrote: My wife is a wine drinker and if we go somewhere that doesn't offer wine in the format she desires at that moment (by the glass, half-liter, etc.) she doesn't say "I'm never coming here again!".

Ha! We're also wine drinkers. We have an overlap of wine that we both agree on (certain whites) and wines that neither likes. I'm the big culprit with that as I have a hard time with reds. (They're a very slow work in progress.) We frequently order bottles of wine when we're out when we agree on something but sometimes we don't and glasses have to be ordered. It sucks when some places have extensive wine lists but only a couple by the glass and none that you want. I understand not doing by-the-glass for the expensive stuff but the rest... It's really galling when this happens at places with the words "Wine Bar" in the name.

Okay... So we're high maintenance drinkers...

1. Take pint glass. 2. Fill up halfway. 3. Charge appropriate amount. How hard can it be?

midlife crisis wrote:1. Take pint glass. 2. Fill up halfway. 3. Charge appropriate amount. How hard can it be?

Now you're getting into lined glass territory What if it's a glass with a real narrow bottom that blooms out near the top; half way isn't half the liquid, is it?

Garthicus wrote:I'm sure it's a 'real estate' issue. Two guys taking up space at the bar drinking 1/2 pints vs two guys drinking pints, I know which pair of customers I'd prefer to be taking up space in my bar.

But presumably that's the reason why those drinking halfs are paying more per volume. Also they will be finished sooner than those drinking pints so they shouldn't be taking up the real estate for long. If they decide to stay for another half they'll have spent more than if they'd just ordered a pint to begin with.

I would've thought it would make sense from a business perspective to at least offer half pints to encourage lunch time visits which would usually also involve paying for a full meal. Encouraging staff to offer halfs late at night when a customer looks like he/she is trying to decide whether to stay would also make sense.

I don't see why lister taking his business elsewhere over lack of choice strikes some posters as extreme. It's not as if he's asking the government to get involved and mandate half pint availability.

Philip1 wrote:I don't see why lister taking his business elsewhere over lack of choice strikes some posters as extreme. It's not as if he's asking the government to get involved and mandate half pint availability.

I see what you did there..

Philip1 wrote:

Garthicus wrote:I'm sure it's a 'real estate' issue. Two guys taking up space at the bar drinking 1/2 pints vs two guys drinking pints, I know which pair of customers I'd prefer to be taking up space in my bar.

But presumably that's the reason why those drinking halfs are paying more per volume. Also they will be finished sooner than those drinking pints so they shouldn't be taking up the real estate for long. If they decide to stay for another half they'll have spent more than if they'd just ordered a pint to begin with.

I would've thought it would make sense from a business perspective to at least offer half pints to encourage lunch time visits which would usually also involve paying for a full meal. Encouraging staff to offer halfs late at night when a customer looks like he/she is trying to decide whether to stay would also make sense.

I don't see why lister taking his business elsewhere over lack of choice strikes some posters as extreme. It's not as if he's asking the government to get involved and mandate half pint availability.

No, I 'd bet the house that over the course of a certain amount of time, two lads drinking pints vs two lads drinking half pints that the pint lads will a) stay longer and b) spend more. 1/2 pints almost guarantees that they are not in it for the long run...

Also, half pint drinkers are boring feckers...