Why the half pint is getting full marks from me

Does size really matter?

I'm talking about beer glasses.

CAMRA this week commissioned some YouGuv research and posed the question: "Is this the death of the pint glass?" Their research showed that 34 per cent of drinkers opt for a half pint glass when trying a new beer, as opposed to the 26 per cent who choose either a full pint or third of a pint.

This is interesting for two reasons:

1. It suggests the stigma typically associated with ordering a half pint (i.e. being mocked for either being a 'lightweight' or, if a man, being a 'woman') may be fading.

2. The classic pint glass is now just as popular with punters as the much less traditional third pint size.

According to the release: "CAMRA say this shows people are opting to drink less but be more adventurous in their choices."

I want to relay my recent experiences to argue in favour of the second part of CAMRA's conclusion.

This week, I attended CAMRA's Great British Beer Festival - twice (it's a hard job, I know). Once my interviews were wrapped up, I headed down to the festival to sample some beers myself and I chose to use a half pint glass.

Before I go on to say why this turned out to be a great choice for me, let me just quickly mention what happened as I got my glass. I was kindly allowed to take one for free with my press pass (once again, proving how tough this research has been) and the man behind the desk automatically reached to hand me a pint. I asked if I may take a half instead and he looked terribly embarrassed that he had assumed the pint size for me. Of course, I wasn't bothered - I actually quite liked that he did as it highlighted a pleasant absence of the gendered 'men drink pints, ladies drink halves' ideology.

Now, on to the benefits of opting for a half pint glass:

1. I would definitely say it encouraged me to be more risky in my sampling, as I swapped from smokey stouts to elderflower ales. In my mind, I knew that if the taste wasn't for me I wouldn't be faced with a daunting pint of liquid that would probably take me ages to sip through.

2. It was 'just enough' - I didn't get filled up on one type of beer this way, leaving me with room to carry on experimenting.

3. I had the flexibility to order a third pint of something if that's all I fancied trying.

4. Ordering in half pints is also, of course, cheaper - at GBBF, it was always £2 or less for my beer which made being adventurous more affordable. Anything with alcohol content for £2 in London is already cause to be celebrated.

For me, I think I've always found the pint glass a little bit *much*. By that, I mean I sometimes find that volume of liquid offputting and I think it discourages slow consumption. I can also find the large conical shape a little awkward and uneasy to hold - the half pint is also conical but relative to its size, making it smaller, easier and I'd say nicer to hold.

Looks-wise, I think the third-pint knocks the others out the park. The delicate tulip glass and the slim stem to me sends off the vibe that this drink is to be savoured. Also - and I'm using some of my newly aquired knowledge from beer experts here - it's easier to stick your nose in and actually smell some of the aromas of the beer. But for a festival - as I said in point 3 - the half gives you that bit more flexibility.

So does size really matter? I think it does because I think it affects your experience with the beer and your experience of the festival. GBBF's theme this year was discovery but if I'd been drinking by the pint full, I would've found it impossible to discover - or remember - anything.

#GBBF #festivals #pintglass #CAMRA