Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

pour one out

Quiz: How much do you know about pints?

A pint’s a pound, the world around.

2020 HASN’T BEEN a great year for pints in Ireland.

The pubs were shut, and stayed shut, and then stayed shut even more – before opening again, but not everywhere, before closing again, but not completely. Then, completely.

Do you follow so far? No? That’s fine.

Takeaway pints also appeared during this saga, and were supped away until some people lost the run of themselves. There was outrage, they were almost banned, then not banned, then there was talk of fines, until eventually they were just left alone – for now.

Didn’t catch that either? Forget it, let’s just get on with this quiz.

How many millilitres are in a pint?
Shutterstock
568
586

559
Just the one
Where does the word pint come from?
Shutterstock
Old Irish (páintéh)
Old Norse (pjantha)

Old French (pinte)
It comes from pint as in "pint of beer", like it's not that complicated really
What type of measurement is a "pint"?
Shutterstock
British Imperial
Metric (Original)

International System of Units
A wet one
How many (imperial) fluid ounces is one pint equal to?
Shutterstock
16
20

25
One big one
All pints are not made equal. You might find "pints" and "imperial pints" in Australia. The latter is close to our pint, at 570ml, but how much is their standard pint?
Shutterstock
It's 425ml, mate.
It's 400ml, mate.

It's twice as big as your pint, mate, 1,136ml.
It's equivalent to six koalas.
And what would happen if you asked for a "pinte de bière" in Canada?
You would just get a 576ml pint, eh.
You could get served a 100ml glass of cheap beer, eh (this dates back to the Seven Days War - the French hated people ordering in the new British measurements, and we would intentionally underserve them, but it's still popular as a shot chaser).

You could get served a big 1,136ml pint, eh.
They would say sorry and give you a free beer.
The European Commission hate pints and wanted us to stop using the term, but they were eventually convinced to let us away with it. When did they want us to phase out the use of the measurement by?
Shutterstock
2030
2009

1999
1989
While it's not 568ml, how much would a 500ml bottle of milk cost you? We're basing this on a simple carton of Avonmore from Tesco, priced on 20/11/20.
Shutterstock
Free
€0.26

€0.71
€1.19

€1.52
Why might you be served 16 ounce pint in an Irish pub rather than 20 ounce?
A legal loophole means pubs can pay less tax if if a certain percentage of their drinks are not sold as full pints.
Most pints are actually 16 ounce - liquid, that is, and there can be as as much as four ounces of foam in the head of a pint.

Irish bartenders have shaky hands and often spill exactly four fluid ounces of your beer.
Craft beers, in particular American craft beers, are often served in a smaller glass.
And finally... pint?
Christ no, I've already had enough.
Blaaaaaaaaaarrgaaagggggggh

Ah yeah go on so, just one and then last bus.
Ah yeah let's.

No, I better not.
Jesus Christ no! I'm driving, you know that. I drove you here sure.

Nah I'm off the drink.
Nah sure you know I don't drink.

Ah yeah let's but I'm going to give one of those non-alcoholic ones ago.
Shots.
Answer all the questions to see your result!
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
You are a nice pint of stout.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
You are one of these three nice pints - take your pick.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
You are a lil pint of milk.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
You are a pint of stout - but oh no! Someone drew a shamrock on your head.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
Oh no!
Share your result:

Your Voice
Readers Comments
44
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel