Beer Cask Sizes

Steve SPF

Steve SPF

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Just working on some new graphics for the bar and thought that one or two might find the archaic and quirky old English units of measurement interesting. We will get this printed on some sort of rigid material and it will become part of a brewing collage that will cover a wall.

When I first started in the industry our weekly delivery was 20 Hogsheads of Boddingtons. They were pretty hairy days those, they weighed something like 500lb and were fearsome when they came down the slope into the cellar. Moving them around and putting them onto the stillage was an art form, those old timey draymen were amazing.



BarrelSizesCROP.jpg
 
Very interesting. In my neck of the woods, folks call anything with a bung and a spigot a "firkin"... nowhere close to 9 gallons. Of course, we ain't that sophisticated 'round here :p
 
Steve SPF said:
The heroic Grampa saying what we're all thinking again :)
Click to expand...
You might be. Thankfully we went metric in the 60s and I've never had to deal with anything but people's height in the weird systems.
 
But where would we be without a pint? Going for a litre just doesn't have the same ring to it. Last time I was in Oz we could have a 'pint' or a 'pot' and pots were a particularly pleasing 2/3 of a pint I think (except in one state where a pot is a pint?) but 2/3 of a pint is a 'Schooner' which is about as archaic as it gets.

We, here in the UK, have a weird mix ourselves of imperial and metric. Most weights are KG but the mile is here to stay. Seafarers still use the nautical mile. We still buy eggs in dozens which sounds very archaic itself but the dozen shouldn't be ignored.

Apart from some really old stuff - 12 apostles, 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 dirties in the Dirty Dozen etc. - it's often defended as being mathematically superior to 10 as it's better for division.

Also, beer slabs are still very widely delivered in a 2 dozen pack. That 2x1 size ratio (same as housebricks) is perfect for stacking.

Personally, I still use dozens every day in my working life. I think that's archaic as well but I'm in too deep to change now, and it cost me far too much to persuade my database that 1.11 = 23, there's zero chance of me abandoning that :)
 
I'm seeing the 'craft' slab happening more often down here - 10 cans. Very decimal and lets people think they're getting a slab cheaper than the macro lagers. Assuming they can lie to themselves about the missing 14 cans. Weird idea to me.

The pot is 285 mL and I didn't think it was used much outside Victoria. The Schooner seems to have won the war and is now used virtually nationally. Though, of course, it's slightly different sizes in each region. And it's often on sale with a pint, which makes even less sense. When do you want to choose between ordering a pint and 90% of a pint? Pint and pot make more sense, giving you that choice of a pint or a bit more than half a pint.

I'm also seeing a return of the 7oz size in South Autralian pubs (a butcher). That was the only size for my parents generation when drinking their pale lagers. A sensible choice when refrigeration technology wasn't as reliable and air conditioning was hardly ever available.

I don't think the dozen units will ever go, but thankfully we don't have to convert between the various units very often.

Also read a weird little article on anti-metric 'terrorism' in the UK. In this person's mind the metric system is the work of the devil - https://www.activeresistance.org.uk
 
Pretty sure we have a Flat Earth Society here as well, we do embrace our weirdos :)

As a non-meat eater I'm not certain, but I think we still have the Quarter Pounder too; none of that Royale With Cheese continental nonsense just yet :)
 
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