Weights and Measures

I've said this to quite a few people so my apologies if you have heard me say it before: I drink a lot of beer now that I've moved to the UK (as opposed to wine or spirits. Not that I've increased my drinking. Oh no. That would be wrong). I've increased my consumption for many reasons, but mainly because when you go to the local pub, it's pretty fun to try the different beers on tap. I'm always ordering a pint and often I'll even order a bitter. (pronounced Bit-tah)

What I find so intriguing about ordering in the UK is I'm often asked the question 'a pint or a half pint?' Huh? What the heck is a half pint? It's almost as confusing as when you order wine, they ask 'small or large?' Huh again? You definitely don't get that in the United States. We've got a one size fits all motto there. I have to say, I really like it though. Sometimes, you just want just a taste of beer without the volume so you order a half pint. Even more fun, when you order a beer, it is usually served in the glass of the vendor. You buy a pint of Stella Artois, it comes in a glass shaped and labeled for Stella. Order a pint of Kroeneburg and you get a tall pint of 1667. I once had a guy limp all the way down and back behind a bar on his broken leg just to make sure I had an Amstel glass for my beer (and no, there is NO SUCH thing as light beer in this country)

So the measures are cool, the weight --- not so much. Even though I might appear skinny, I've gained my fair share of weight with my expanded consumption of hoppy beverages. And as mentioned before, light beers? Never heard of 'em......