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16-11-2011, 11:23
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My word we're a bunch of moaning good-for-nothing sometimes. Publicans I mean. Obviously not all of us, but I really do despair of our public image.


I don't often read the Morning Advertiser website as every article lists the first line of comments made beneath it, and nearly every one is negative. I strongly believe in looking for the opportunity in everything, rather than the easy 'slag off and give up' approach that some appear to have.


http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSbFMMvwpViIsAZyzaXLRWcGtTdYF13D 1Y3kg-aFhNzsy9lHe50 (http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSbFMMvwpViIsAZyzaXLRWcGtTdYF13D 1Y3kg-aFhNzsy9lHe50)


Don't you just hate brands that produce elegant glassware





They recently ran an article about the now-legal 'schooner', or 2/3 pint measure, being shunned by 'pubs and pub-goers' (http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/General-News/Two-thirds-pints-are-being-shunned). I could go on about how this would appear to be a non-story, given the data comes from an online survey of 300 CAMRA members. This isn't meant to be taken as against CAMRA, except for one thing, which is 300 is 0.00227272727% of CAMRA's membership. Just over a fifth of 1%.*


No, what really grabs my goat is the response from publicans on the forum.


'Whats wrong with a half pint glass'


'Who would want to drink any beer in less than a pint quantity'


'No surprise here, as no-one wanted them'


Come on chaps, lets look for the positive eh? For a start-off, lets give them a chance to get out there. Heineken are seemingly the first to get them out, and they've only just become available. I got my mitts on them yesterday, and they fit nicely in the hand, well weighted - exactly the same as the pint glasses, just slightly smaller.


Secondly, nobody is forcing you to stock them. I don't see what the fuss was about with the wine measures coming in. You don't need 3 different sized glasses for wine, you need one, unmarked, and 3 thimbles.


For the lagers, I'll probably keep half a dozen of each behind the bar (they don't take up much space as they're tall and slim). Where I really see the opportunity is with the ales.


As the majority of our ales are guest ales on rotation, we bought an amount of pint glasses branded with the pub - kindly sponsored by a couple of breweries who gave us a free firkin of ale in return for their name being on the back. We got the glasses lined at a third and a half, using them for our beer festivals as well.


http://www.genx40.com/images/2005/ozbeersize.jpg (http://www.genx40.com/images/2005/ozbeersize.jpg)


Shamelessly stolen from A Good Beer Blog (http://beerblog.genx40.com/archive/2005/january/aussieglass)



What we haven't got yet are branded half pint glasses. What we'll do now is get some branded 2/3 pint glasses, lined at a half. Elegant, table glasses that bottled beers would also look good in. If I can get them nucleated then they'll do for the lagers as well.


It's so easy to be dismissive of something without trying it first - lets see if CAMRA festivals add another line at the 2/3 mark on their pint glasses and see how it goes. For stronger ales it's another selling point - for no extra work or expense.


Remember, it's not a problem, it's an opportunity. And it's not going to replace pints - pints will never disappear, ever. Having the leader of the free world enjoy a pint helps:


http://images.politico.com/global/news/090406_obama_beer_reuters_297.jpg (http://images.politico.com/global/news/090406_obama_beer_reuters_297.jpg)


The guy in the background either really likes beer or really like the president







I would like to find a better name for them though...


Cheers


*This is an issue I have with many surveys and, more importantly, how their results are reported. Like I say, not CAMRA per se
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5810592934633194812-5613284715268181655?l=studentbrewer.blogspot.com


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