Food & Drink

Amount of beer in a pint in Canada

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  • Sep 24th, 2014 9:04 pm
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Deal Fanatic
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Sep 1, 2013
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Amount of beer in a pint in Canada

I saw an article in the Toronto Star yesterday:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/09 ... e_law.html

[QUOTE]The federal government is cracking down on bars that advertise a pint of beer but fail to pour a full 20 ounces of suds — and most of those tested by the Star are coming up short.

Of the 15 downtown Toronto establishments the Star visited, only three poured a full 20 ounces (the official size of an imperial pint) of draught beer. Several came close, at around 18 ounces, while others were as much as six ounces off. [/QUOTE]

And there was a similar article a couple of months ago in the National Post:

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/18 ... obe-finds/

[QUOTE]A pint-sized ripoff is costing thirsty B.C. beer drinkers tens of millions of dollars annually.

A Vancouver Sun investigation of 15 pubs and bars in the city claiming to be selling “pints” of beer found that nine of the establishments — or 60 per cent — failed to pour at or near the legal requirement of 20 Imperial ounces.

The average pint purchased by The Sun cost $6.19 and the average serving size was just 17.5 ounces, equal to an overcharging of 77 cents.[/QUOTE]

I rarely order beer at restaurants, but sometimes buy the 500 ml cans to drink at home. I pour the cans into "pint glasses" I have bought over the years. I have found that these glasses hold roughly 1.5 bottles of beer; since a beer bottle holds 12 oz., I always assumed a pint was 18 oz. I also assumed the pint glasses in my home are the same as I see in restaurant - i.e. they are all made to hold the same volume, even if the shape may vary.

Again, this does not affect me much since I rarely order a pint in a restaurant, but would be interested to hear what people have to say about this "scandal" which the news media has unearthed. If you ordered a pint and got 14 oz. of beer, would you file a complaint?
19 replies
Deal Addict
Nov 11, 2009
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18 ounces is only 60ml off... That's two sips of beer. I think the Star is running out of things to talk about ever since Rob Ford got sick.
Deal Expert
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May 14, 2008
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Canada
CheapScotch wrote: If you ordered a pint and got 14 oz. of beer, would you file a complaint?
I would vocally complain, probably, if I was aware of being shortchanged like that. Wouldn't you if you ordered a pizza and received one missing a couple of slices? It's only common sense.
Deal Expert
Feb 9, 2012
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Toronto
Tornado F2 wrote: I would vocally complain, probably, if I was aware of being shortchanged like that. Wouldn't you if you ordered a pizza and received one missing a couple of slices? It's only common sense.
Missing a couple of slices is too obvious. Missing a few inches and less toppings is the evil sneaky thing...
Deal Expert
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Mar 7, 2005
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Elmira
walker2238 wrote: 18 ounces is only 60ml off... That's two sips of beer. I think the Star is running out of things to talk about ever since Rob Ford got sick.
Most pathetic newspaper in the world, as far as I'm concerned
Deal Fanatic
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Sep 1, 2013
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colgem wrote: you might get a kick out of this, the tilted kilt offering "small pints" at 14 oz. I wasn't aware of the imperial "small pint":

check out every thursday special:

http://www.tiltedkilt.com/locations/she ... -calendar/
The first thing that popped in my head is that the customer is paying for the view at the tilted kilt, not the food/beverage.

But as long as they are upfront about the number of oz. in the pint and charging accordingly, I don't think anyone should have a problem with it.
Deal Addict
Nov 11, 2009
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duckdown wrote: Most pathetic newspaper in the world, as far as I'm concerned
I'm guessing you've never read the Daily Mail. Just in the past 10 years alone they've been successfully sued for false accusations six times.
Deal Addict
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Jul 9, 2012
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Pluto
I am sure if you said you would only pay for the 14 oz you were given there would be an issue. So it is only right they give you what you are charged for.
Deal Fanatic
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Sep 1, 2013
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george__ wrote: Nickle and Dime
Perhaps for the individual drinker, but for an establishment which serves a lot of draft beer, they are saving 30% of the cost of sales for each pint sold - that will add up to rather a lot of nickels and dimes over time.
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Jul 22, 2006
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CheapScotch wrote: Perhaps for the individual drinker, but for an establishment which serves a lot of draft beer, they are saving 30% of the cost of sales for each pint sold - that will add up to rather a lot of nickels and dimes over time.
yup my point
Deal Fanatic
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Sep 1, 2013
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george__ wrote: yup my point
Sorry, my bad - misunderstood your post. I thought you meant that the loss to an individual customer was inconsequential (nickels and dimes only) so it was not worth complaining about.
Deal Fanatic
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Oct 26, 2002
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I look at the measurements of jars for canning... a pint is 2 cups. double that and you have a quart which is 4 cups. So really a pint is 16oz
That's my 2cents worth
Deal Addict
Mar 4, 2011
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Vancouver
Keelie wrote: I look at the measurements of jars for canning... a pint is 2 cups. double that and you have a quart which is 4 cups. So really a pint is 16oz
Isn't a pint of beer an imperial (UK) pint which is 20oz while we use a US liquid pint 16oz for cooking/canning.
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Oct 26, 2002
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mslolo wrote: Isn't a pint of beer an imperial (UK) pint which is 20oz while we use a US liquid pint 16oz for cooking/canning.
This I don't know, I just think of a pint as 2 cups. :D
That's my 2cents worth
Deal Fanatic
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May 9, 2009
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Montreal
I think a lot of bars treat "pint" as a generic term for a large glass of beer.

A couple of months ago, it was revealed that a chain of bars in Montreal was advertising 20 oz beers and only providing an average of 15 oz. The glasses themselves couldn't even hold 20 oz. Measurement Canada got involved and now all of their menus advertise the size as "large" instead of specifying the volume.
Deal Expert
Aug 2, 2004
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East Gwillimbury
Flux wrote: A pint is a legal measurement in Canada, 20 imperial ounces (568 milliliters), with the limit of error being 0.5 ounces above or below, not counting the head

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts ... lText.html

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/18 ... obe-finds/
http://camravancouver.ca/2014/08/02/fai ... -campaign/
250 ml = 8 oz

Therefore 20 oz = 625 ml

I guess that is US vs Imperial oz
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Mar 7, 2004
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Mississauga
Back in the UK many, many years ago all pint glasses had to be changed. When a pint was poured the glass was filled to the brim. This included the froth. Thus not being a true pint. Now all glass have a line where the beer must be poured. Froth had to be above the line, now equalling a full pint.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/imag ... VCIgT6mEDg

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