The Added Cost of Drinking a Half

[midlife crisis]

That is common in the UK as many BTers know. There is no need for separate "half pint" glasses per se if you have a lined pint glass or experienced bar staff who know where the 10 oz. mark falls.

Also, perhaps slightly off-topic but suggested by this thread: why do so many bars insist on giving me a fresh glass every time I order a new pint? I am perfectly happy with the glass I've just used, particularly if (like at Volo) there is that little water-fount gizmo on the bar to give it a quick rinse. It bugs me when I'm given a new glass because it's unnecessary and environmentally unfriendly.

[tuqueboy]

why do so many bars insist on giving me a fresh glass every time I order a new pint? I am perfectly happy with the glass I've just used, particularly if (like at Volo) there is that little water-fount gizmo on the bar to give it a quick rinse. It bugs me when I'm given a new glass because it's unnecessary and environmentally unfriendly.

i'd assume it's probably some kind of health regulation. take the following scenario as an example:
--crowded bar on a saturday night.
--someone who's got a cold (or god forbid, worse), orders a second pint.
--bartender is overworked and the ``old'' pint glass brushes up against the tap while he's refilling it.
--the rest of the 500 or so people in the pub who order that kind of beer are now facing potential infection.

Not saying this is likely to happen (i'm no infectious disease expert), just that the health folks are more likely to err on the side of caution. just a guess, though.
--tuqueboy

[Derek]

Aren't most 'half' pints actually 12 oz here? (using the same glassware as a bottle).

If so, for the current example, $4/12=33.3 cents/ounce and $6/20=30 cents/ounce.

So the volume discount really isn't that big when you consider the added expense to pub. They're probably making less money with the smaller sample, which is why some places are reluctant to offer it.

I'm generally just happy to see half-pints even offered. I hate it when you have no choice except a full pint (which is more common in the US where a pint is 16 oz).

Now if the small glass is actually 10 oz, I agree that the price is a little steep for the consumer. But then again, the pub would have a whole separate set of glassware... which I why I think some places just have the 12 oz 'half'.

[icemachine]

Was at Volo yesterday, and although they were using the same size glasses for pints/half pints, the half pint measure was quite generous. I also doubt I would have been able to to try all the offerings if I'd been limited to full pints.

[Magni]

I was also at Volo yesterday and they were very generous half-pints, unfortunately I was clever enough to not eat breakfast/lunch and drink 5 3/4 pints of beer.