A Cambridge University research group published a study Tuesday revealing the impact of decreasing the serving size of beer in pubs, bars, and restaurants in England.
The U.K., known for its prolific pub culture, has historically served its brews in a standard-sized pint glass, which is objectively large compared to stateside pours. Though the U.K. has also embraced half-pints, the conventional pint of beer in a British pub comes in at 20 imperial fluid ounces (568 milliliters), as opposed to the 16 U.S. fluid ounces (473 milliliters) typical at an average American bar. In light of this centuries-old tradition of heavy pouring, the research group set out to see if serving beer in smaller vessels could reduce alcohol consumption at bars and restaurants, in turn improving patrons’ health.
The study conducted trials at 13 different establishments: 61.5 percent of which in London, and the rest in more rural areas. In these trials, the researchers would either remove the largest serving size of beer from the menu or introduce a two-thirds-size pint if it wasn’t already available. The results show that these methods reduced beer consumption by 10 percent, a meaningful reduction.
Since the pint has been Britain’s drinking vessel of choice since the 17th century, this study was bound to stir up some controversy. Two clear sides are forming in response to the research paper; according to The Times, there are avid “pro-pint” fanatics as well as an “anti-pint” team that has grown weary of its oversized nature.
Should the U.K. reconsider its glass size in response to this data, locals and visitors alike could come across slightly smaller pours on their next trip to the pub.
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