The British imperial ounce measurement actually refers to both dry and wet ingredients. On the other hand, in the United States, the fluid ounces measurement refers directly to wet ingredients (while ounces covers dry products). So, yes this means that an American shaker pint glass is smaller than a British pint.
UK pint is 0.568 litres (20 UK fluid ounces), while US pint is 0.476 litres (16 US fluid ounces). The difference comes from the size of gallon: the US gallon is 231 cubic inches (a neat product of 3*7*11 - Queen Anne certainly had a sense of humour!) while the UK gallon is the volume of 10 lb of water in 62 deg F.
The U.S. customary pint is defined as 16 fluid ounces, while the Imperial pint used in the UK is 20 fluid ounces. This distinction originated from the adoption of different measurement standards and systems during the development of each country's customary units of measurement.
However, an American fluid ounce was defined originally as the volume occupied by an ounce of wine, while the Imperial fluid ounce was defined as the volume occupied by an ounce of water. This made the US Customary fluid ounce a little larger, since alcohol is less dense than water.
In the 17th century, King Charles II of England intervened and established a standard ratio for tankards, called the “imperial pint,” which measured 568 milliliters. Henceforth, all pubs had to use this standard measurement when serving beer to their customers.
The British imperial pint is about 20% larger than the American pint because the two systems are defined differently. Almost all other countries have standardized on the metric system, so although some of them still also have traditional units called pints (such as for beverages), the volume varies by regional custom.
What is the difference between American pint and English pint?
The Imperial pint contains 20 British fluid oz equal to 28.413 ml each. The American pint, by contrast, contains 16 US fluid oz equal to 29.574 ml each. This makes the US fluid ounce 4% larger than the Imperial one. The Imperial pint is approximately 20% larger than the US pint.
So, yes this means that an American shaker pint glass is smaller than a British pint. Here are a few common measurements for reference: 1 pint = 473 mLs. 1 American pint = 16 fl oz.
In 1824 the British adapted the Imperial measure in which the gallon is based on 10 pounds or 277.42 cubic inches of water. The Americans had adopted a system where a gallon was comprised of 231 cubic inches of water.
An American pint is 16 American ounces, whereas a British pint is 20 Imperial ounces, approximately 19 American ounces. The systems weren't standardized throughout the British Empire until after American Independence, therefore the Americans earlier standardized on slightly different measurements for each unit.
In the United States, a pint is 16 US fluid ounces (473 ml). However, the typical conical "pint" glass holds 16 US fl oz only when filled to its rim with liquid. With a half-inch of foam, the actual liquid fill is roughly 14 US fl oz (410 ml), missing one eighth of its volume.
The simple bulge around the circumference of the glass has several functions. First, it makes it easier for bar patrons to hold on to, even when the glass is slick with condensation. Second, it makes the glasses easy to stack and un-stack, which is important to bartenders at a busy establishment.
People had been brought up on imperial units and preferred them. There is also a hint of xenophobia as the metric system is seen as French. So the UK has a hybrid system where certain measurements are in metric and certain measurements are in imperial. Metric units are the units primarily taught in school.
What is the difference between a wet pint and a dry pint?
In the United States the unit for dry measure is slightly different from that for liquid measure; a U.S. dry pint is 33.6 cubic inches (550.6 cubic cm), while a U.S. liquid pint is 28.9 cubic inches (473.2 cubic cm). In each system, two cups make a pint, and two pints equal a quart.
As a result of the EU directive Ireland and the United Kingdom passed legislation to replace the gallon with the litre as a primary unit of measure in trade and in the conduct of public business, effective from 31 December 1993, and 30 September 1995 respectively.
While we buy petrol and diesel in the UK in litres, a metric (see: logical) unit, we measure its efficiency in miles per gallon, an imperial (see: irritatingly British) unit.
So whilst the imperial gallon, quart, pint and gill are about 20% larger than are their US fluid measure counterparts, the fluid ounce is about 4% smaller.
In the USA, the beer is poured to minimize the foam, largely because most Americans are drinking beer for the buzz and not for the pure aesthetics of it.
When it comes to enjoying a cold beer in Australia, the size of the glass matters. The two most common sizes are the pint and the schooner, but how do they differ? A pint glass typically holds around 570 ml of beer, while a schooner holds approximately 425 ml.
Before you start pouring, make sure the pint glass is held at a 45-degree angle and not touching the faucet. Quickly open the tap and allow the glass to fill down the inside of the glass. Gradually tilt the glass back upright from the angle, so you finish pouring the beer directly into the centre of the pint glass.
According to Diageo, the global drinks company that owns Guinness, the black stuff is now the UK's most popular pint, recently overtaking Carling, that insipid juggernaut of bad lager and worse hangovers. Guinness now accounts for one in every nine pints served in British pubs.
