Honest Pint Project News Feed

Three More Certified Honest In VA, WA, and OR

2010-10-24T12:36:00.001-07:00

Our first certification is also the first in the Old Dominion--Virginia. Pizzeria Orso is obviously a smidge beyond commuting range from Oregon, but the Washington Post gives their pizza a rave: "MacQuaid's Neapolitan crusts are thin, pliant, a tad sour, beautifully charred -- and served unsliced, so the dough can continue to cook after it leaves the fire."

Of course, our principle concern here is beer, and I'm mighty impressed to see that you can get Full Sail Session there (in bottles). To pour into your honest pint are two offerings from Left Hand as well as a Firestone Walker. Sounds like a great place to stop for a slice and a pint, so do it if you're closer than me:

Pizzeria Orso
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
400 South Maple Avenue
Falls Church, VA 22046
(703) 226-3460

Next we fly to Kent, Washington and Airways Brewing, a newly-opened half-barrel nanobrewery. (Even among nanos, that's small.) What I know about Airways is limited to that Beer Blotter post I linked to, and the fact that the Yelpsters love it (except the one guy who was inexplicably displeased by the decor). Oh, and one more, very important thing: they do cask beer. Apparently it's convenient if you're cruising down I-5, so check it out.

Airways Brewing
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
6644 S 196th T-100
Kent WA 98032
(253) 200-1707

Our final stop is that amazing mecca of good beer, that metropolis of 21,000 with three breweries, the nation's premier yeast producer, and now, a rockin' new bottle shop called Volcanic. Like bottle shops in Portland, they also serve draft beer and host meet-the-brewers events. Based on their Facebook page, it looks like the beers are the usual exceptional line-up you'd expect in a Beervana bottle shop. Stop by:

Volcanic Bottle Shoppe
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
1410 12th St.
Hood River, OR 97031
(541) 436-1226

2010-10-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

Another entrant from San Diego--one of "America's Finest (Brewing) Cities". Today's newest certified purveyor is Hess Brewing, a nanobrewery that opened just this July. I can't speak to the quality of their beer, but the Yelpsters love them. I love that they have cool proprietary honest pints. So if you're in San Diego definitely stop in for a tipple.

Hess Brewing Company

Certified Purveyors of an Honest Pint

7955 Silverton Ave #1201

San Diego, CA 92126
619.887.6453

I'm slowly backfilling the honest pints in Portland, taking them from provisional to certified, and here's one of my favorite places in the city, the County Cork. I used to live just around the block and up from the pub, and I spent many a fine hour there. Since they opened, they've always had Elysian ESB on tap--one of my favorite beers. They have Beamish during those moments it has distribution (not often), and it's the place I learned to pronounce Smithwick's properply. (Smitticks.) I still make it over, as the photo attests, when I can. You should, too.

County Cork Public House
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
1329 NE Fremont
Portland, OR 97212
503.284-4805

Honest Pints on Bainbridge and in Chattanooga, TN

2010-09-28T09:19:00.001-07:00

I have gotten behind on my Honest Pint certifications, so without further ado, here are three places. The Terminal Brewhouse is our first in Tennessee. As you can see, they serve beer in imperial pints, and get this: the regular price for one of these is just four bucks. Maybe beer is just less expensive in the Volunteer State. Stop in for a dunkelweizen if you're in the area.

The Terminal Brewhouse
Certified Purveyors of an Honest Pint
6 East 14th Street
Chattanooga, TN
website

The next two places are owned by the same folks and are situated on beautiful Bainbridge Island and appear to be located just a block away from each other. Pick your pleasure:

Harbour Public House
Certified Purveyors of an Honest Pint
231 Parfitt Way SW
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
206-842-0969
website

Pegasus Coffee House
Certified Purveyors of an Honest Pint
131 Parfitt Way SW
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
206-842-6725
website

Honest Pints in Olympia, Washington

2010-08-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty shocking fact, but true: the Project had as of this morning not certified a pub in the Evergreen State. Fortunately we now rectify this terrible oversight. In Olympia, the three-month-old Skep And Skein Tavern joins the certified club.

Skep and Skein Tavern and Meadery
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
2106 Harrison Ave NW B 14
Olympia, WA 98502

Since it's so new, there's not a lot of info, but Dave Ross sends along some details:

We opened on April 23rd of this year and are located on Olympia's "Westside" which is on the hill above downtown. We have 16 tap handles of which 14 are rotating regularly. We are trying to carry beers that are not always readily available in Olympia, which has been a lot of fun. We are also a bonded and licensed meadery with our own meads on draft scheduled for sometime this fall. In the mean time we have been selling Redstone Mead from the bottle and these have been well received.

So next time you're zipping up (or down) I-5, stop in for a pint--an honest pint. And tell us what you think. Good luck, Dave, may the place prosper--

2010-07-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

One of the quandaries of the Honest Pint Projects resides in the type of serving vessels available to publicans. One question I regularly get asked is, "but if the HHP requires 16 fluid ounces for certification, doesn't that mean imperial pints?" Actually, no. Behold Astoria's Fort George Brewing, and their stylish Mason jars. A pour to the neck offers exactly 16 ounces, and leaves a half inch for head. Perfecto!

Fort George Brewery and Public Hous e
Certified Purveyors of Honest Pints
1483 Duane Street
Astoria, OR 97103
503-325-PINT

As readers of the Beervana blog know, there are many other reasons to visit Fort George, as well--great food and beer. (Try the albacore sandwich and have an honest pint of Vortex. Heaven!) So consider this just the cherry on top.

Honest Pints in Silverton, Oregon

2010-06-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

Seven Brides brewery down in beautiful Silverton, Oregon recently opened a tap room. And guess what kind of glassware they bought. Honest pints! They actually have two different kinds of glasses, both honest. A fan of the place, Shane C, sent these photos, along with this comment: "By the way, when feel the need to get out of the city, take a hike at Silver Falls, or visit the Oregon Gardens, visit Silverton and head to the Seven Brides Taproom for some great beers and great food."

Seven Brides Tap Room
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
990 N. First Street
Silverton, Oregon 97381
website

I can't speak for the food, but the beer I've had (sadly limited) was indeed tasty. And he's totally right about the region--it's incredibly nice down there. Silver Falls is one of Oregon's less-exalted gems and makes a great day trip. Now you can finish it off with an honest pint. Cheers to Seven Brides--

Oklahoma City News Reports on Honest Pints

2010-05-26T10:24:00.001-07:00

In a wonderful story from Oklahoma City's News Channel 4, we learn of two crusading women, Cris Tindell and Cheryl Semon, who are out to certify an honest pint. Check out their t-shirts! By the way, if Cris and Cheryl see this--drop us a line and we'll update the website!

Finally Certified: Deschutes Brewery

2010-04-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

Deschutes Brewery has long been a paragon of honest pints. When we launched the project, we put out a call for a hi-res photo of an honest pint to use in the logo, and Deschutes was kind enough to send us a pic of Black Butte Porter. So it gives us great pleasure to finally officially certify both their Portland and Bend pubs. Since sending us this photo, Deschutes has changed their glassware, going from generic imperials to their current embossed Rastal glasses, which sport the gold standard of honest pint transparency, an etched line so the customer can see if she's getting short-poured or not (see out-of-focus photo at the end of the post).

Deschutes Brewery
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
1044 Bond Street
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 382-9242

Deschutes Portland Pub
210 NW 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 296-4906

I don't think anyone in the world needs my encouragement to visit the brewery. Like Widmer, Deschutes always has a few pub-only specials, and at least one is usually exceptional. The beer in the certification photo is a pilsner, 5.5%, 37 IBUs, lovely hop character and a totally delightful beer. I regret we don't have more freshly-brewed pilsners on tap around Beervana. They also are pouring their new CDA as well as a silky cream ale. Plus, of course, a couple cask taps, which is reason enough to go.

Once again, thanks much for the photo guys, and sorry it took so long to get you certified. Cheers!

2010-04-16T10:29:00.000-07:00

After launching the Honest Pint Project, a few Portland pubs heard the call and spent the money to switch over their glassware. The Raccoon Lodge was first, and it gives us great pleasure to now officially certify them as Purveyors of Honest Pints.

Raccoon Lodge Brewpub
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
7424 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway
Portland, OR 97225
503.296.0110

That picture doesn't do it justice, but the elixir in the glass is indeed the Kriek--but don't bother trying to get a pint of it. That was a server misfire, and one of the luckier moments of my pub-going career. You can get a goblet of the Kriek, though, or a pint of any of Ron Gansberg's other beer. The west side isn't exactly festooned with joints serving honest pints, nor pints of great beer, so this should definitely be a go-to watering hole for those out past the hills.
________________
Share

Honest Pints in Burbank

2010-03-25T14:07:00.001-07:00

A guy named Tony Yanow is opening a new pub in Burbank that sounds like it was transported directly from Southeast Portland. Great beer, great food, sustainable, and vegan-friendly. (The vegan sausages are even imported from the NW!) The planned opening is April 4.

Tony did the measuring backward, and he will send me one from an obvious place in the pub once the pub is open, so for now the two photos I have are provisional. But he wanted to promote honest pints for his opening, and so we're bending the rules a bit to get him certified before the place opens. If you're down in Southern California, stop in and have a pint. Looks like a cool place.

Tony's Darts Away
Certified Purveyor of and Honest Pint
1710 W. Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91506
818-253-1710
website

Certified: Original Gravity in Milan, MI

2010-02-21T17:16:00.001-08:00

Our man-on-the-scene in Michigan, BB, continues to do yeoman's work in certifying honest pints. Today's Sunday edition features Original Gravity Brewing. Located in Milan, which looks to be about equidistant from Detroit (to the east) and Toledo (to the south)--or, for locals, just nine miles south of Ypsilanti. Founded in 2008, they are already receiving good reviews (4 1/2 stars from Yelp, A- from BeerAdvocate) and serve a range of mostly British-style ales (plus a couple of experimental brews.) If you're nearby, stop in and have an honest pint!

Original Gravity Brewing
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
440 County St.
Milan, MI 48160
(734) 439-7490
Facebook page

Michiganders, I think it's time to consider an Honest Pint pub crawl--

Certified: Arbor Brewing in Ann Arbor, MI

2010-02-19T16:02:00.000-08:00

Well this is MIGHTY cool: a good beer guy in Michigan has taken it upon himself to start certifying places who serve honest pints--thanks, BB! Today's entry is Arbor Brewing from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Once again, Yelp and BeerAdvocate tell me that they're great. (Hypothesis: those places that care enough to proudly serve their beers in honest pints tend to be highly correlated with good beer.)

Arbor Brewing Company
Certified Purveyors of an Honest Pint

114 E. Washington St.

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Midwesterners, go give them your business--

Honest Pints in Michigan

2010-02-16T09:04:00.001-08:00

Liberty Street Brewing
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
149 W. Liberty Street
Plymouth, MI 48170

It is a fine day when I wake up to a new certification photo in my inbox. It is even finer when that photo depicts a pub in a heretofore uncertified state. Today is a very fine day.

Liberty Street Brewing was founded just 18 months ago in Plymouth, Michigan, just west of Detroit. In that short time, they've served notice that they want to purvey not only honest pints, but exceptional ones. The raters on Yelp (four and a half stars) and BeerAdvocate (A rating) rave about the place. Here's head brewery and owner Joe Walters talking about his orientation to honest pints:

We are firm believers in a "pint being a pound - the world around", I did not want to serve a 16 ounce pint glass that would only hold a pint if there was surface tension and no head. I have recieved comments from colleagues telling me to reduce my pour, but even when changing glassware this past month, I chose to keep with the Honest Pint pour, using a 20 ounce pub glass. By the way, our half pints are 10 ounces.

That's effectively a verbatim rationale for our criteria for an honest pint. Thanks and congrats, Joe!

Widmer Gasthaus Introduces Honest Pints

2010-02-05T10:16:00.001-08:00

I am most pleased to announce the newest addition to our official list of Certified Purveyors of Honest Pints: the Widmer Gasthaus. The brothers have completely changed their glassware and now use an imperial pint with an etched line indicating the 16-ounce level. It's really cool to see breweries using the Honest Pint Project as an opportunity to introduce new proprietary glassware. The Widmer version is the graceful Irish-style glass and of course features their logo. (You can buy the honest pint glass at the pub.)

Widmer Gasthaus
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
955 North Russell Street
(503) 281-3333
Website

Most of the folks around Portland are well aware of the Gasthaus, its nice German-inflected menu, and the specialty beers (including Collaborator brews) only available there on-tap. Now there's another reason to give them your business--honest pints.

More Honest Pints in Salem!

2009-12-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

I love waking up to an email with a new Honest Pint certification, but it gives me special pleasure when it appears to have been sent in by a patron. I believe that's the case with the newest Certified Purveyor--which also appears to be a new pub. To Scott, who sent in the photo below--thanks!

f/stop Fitzgerald's Public House
Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint
335 Grove St. NE
Salem, OR, 97301
Facebook Page

You'll notice that the glassware at the f/stop is a cool variant of the dimpled Scottish mug and delivers well over 16 fluid ounces. I don't know so much about this pub, but Scott says they have three taps and that owner Kirk Kindle makes sure there are always locals on tap. As always, stop by and have a pint if you have the chance. And if you've been there, let us know what it's like.

Cheers--

Honest Pints in Salem

2009-12-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

Venti's Cafe
Purveyor of an Honest Pint
325 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-399-8733

The newest certified purveyor of an honest pint is down in Salem: Venti's Cafe. The owner, who sent me this photo, also notes that it's not actually all that easy to get 20 ounce glasses with a "calibrated logo." Well, we appreciate any pub willing to go the extra mile.

Venti's is principally a cafe, but they have eight taps, and appear to be expanding the beer line-up. (They also have an expansive bottle list, too.) The food includes a nice vegetarian selection, something you can't find at a lot of pubs. If you're down in Salem, be sure to stop in and have a pint.

Cheers!

Honest Pints in Houston, Texas

2009-11-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, now we're getting somewhere: the first certified purveyor off the West Coast, and its in an unlikely state: Texas. Even better, the certification photo was sent in by what appears to be just an inspired bystander and beer fan named Hank. Any pub that can inspire customers is a pub I'd like to visit. But enough of the side talk. Drumroll please ... the latest Certified Purveyor of an Honest Pint is:

McGonigel's Mucky Duck
2425 Norfolk
Houston, TX 77098
website

McGonigel's is an Irish-Texas pub that serves good beer and Irish food, but features lots of live, Lone Star music. I couldn't be happier to send out the certification letter and placard to a Houston zip code--and I will, today.

If you're down in Texas, you know where to go--

Honest Pint Project in Draft Magazine

2009-10-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

The September/October issue of Draft Magazine arrived in mailboxes and on shelves late last week, and we were pleased to find an editorial promoting the Honest Pint Project inside. Co-founder Jeff Alworth's article, "A Pint of Honesty" appears on the last page, in the "Beer Me" column slot. Unfortunately, although a fair amount of the issue's content is online, this piece is not. You'll have to go find it on the newsstand (Barnes and Noble carries Draft).

Here's an excerpt of the final paragraph, so you can get some of the gist:

[B]eer drinkers outside Oregon also deserve honest pints. Whenever I travel around, I study the glassware. It’s no different than it was here; drinkers across the country have no way of telling how large their glasses are, and the problem persists because customers haven’t demanded a change. The most important thing you can do is bring the issue to the attention of your local publican. He’s there to make you happy, and if you demand an honest pint, he’ll serve you one. If you know that your local does serve honest pints, go to the project's web site and find out how you can certify it as an Honest Purveyor. The time has come for America to have glassware standards as good as our beer. Go forth, beer drinkers, and demand an honest pint!

Draft Magazine
For those of you unfamiliar with it, Draft Magazine may now be the most interesting beer mag on the market. This issue has a great story on hop farming in Michigan, a piece on Okinawan sake (nearly lost after WWII, but making a comeback), and an article on innovations in brewing which really just charts the current state of American brewing. You will also appreciate their beer ratings, which do more to place their well-selected beers in context and provide the reader more clarity about what the beer will taste like and why it gets the rating it does. Good stuff--go pick up a copy.

Brewer's Union Local 180 Officially Certified!

2009-10-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

Brewer's Union Local 180
Purveyor of an Honest Pint
48329 E. 1st Street
Oakridge, OR 97463
541-782-2024

The newest member of the Certified Club is Brewer's Union Local 180, in Oakridge, OR. And they serve very, very honest pints. Not only do their pints substantially exceed the volume standard, but they meet the gold standard of having a clear line marking 20 ounces. As a super extra bonus, the glasses are marked with a 10-ounce half-pint mark.

Brewer's Union distinguishes itself in even more: the brewery serves beer only one way--in what owner/brewer Ted Sobel no doubt things is the proper and only way--on cask. At present, Brewer's Union is the only all-cask brewery in the state. For those of you who love a pint of real ale, go have an Honest Pint of real ale. A perfect combo!

Two Certified in Southern California

2009-07-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

The two newest pubs to be certified are in Southern California. Be sure to stop in for a pint if you're in the neighborhood:

Main Tap Tavern
518 E Main
El Cajon, CA 92020
Website

Blind Lady Ale House
3416 Adams Ave.
San Diego, CA 92116
(619) 255-2491
Website

The full list of Certified Purveyors, as well as a Google map with locations, can be be found here.

Five Portland Pubs Certified!

2009-07-14T14:13:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend, we officially certified five Portland-area pubs:

Belmont Station, 4500 SE Stark St
BridgePort Brewing, two locations
Horse Brass Pub, 4534 SE Belmont St
Lucky Lab Brewpub, three locations
Roots Organic, 1520 SE 7th

Here's the full list. More to come--

Certification Saturday - July 11

2009-07-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, time to get serious. When the Oregon legislature declared sine die two days ago, they made official the failure of Jules Bailey's Honest Pint Act. Since that bill was potentially going to duplicate my effort with the HPP, I have been waiting to see what would happen--no reason to certify pubs twice.

So on July 11, I am planning to embark upon Certification Saturday. I'm going to hit as many pubs on my list of provisionally certified list and get them fully certified. I have created crude placards and a less crude letter of certification, and with my trusty camera and pyrex measuring cup (inset), I will see how many I can do that day.

(Backgrounder on the Project here.)

I would love your help. If you would like to pitch in--either with pubs on the list or with ones you know of that aren't on the list--it will be super easy. All you have to do is take a measuring cup to a pub. Buy a pint of beer and dump it into the cup (if your cup isn't a quart, pour slowly!). Then take a picture with the cup showing at least 16 ounces of fluid, the glass you poured it out of, and preferably, shoot the shot in a distinctive portion of the pub for verification. Send me the pic and I'll send along a letter of certication and a placard directly to the pub.

If you live outside of Portland or in another part of the country, please consider certifying pubs in your town.

Pubs that serve an honest pint deserve to be recognized and patronized for for their good behavior. It's long past time that I started to make this official, and any help you can offer would be most welcome.

July 11th is smack-dab in the middle of Craft Beer Month--a perfect time to get started. Cheers--

Honest Pints in the New York Times!

2009-05-15T13:38:00.001-07:00

From the "Freakonomics" blog, a little love for the Honest Pint:

Oregon’s House recently passed the “Honest Pint Act,” which would allow drinking establishments to display state-issued stickers certifying that their pint glasses actually hold 16 ounces, as opposed to the 13- and 14-ounce glasses that some bars try to pass off as pints. The act is predicted to cost at least $20,000, not including the price of pint “measuring tools.” House Republicans, meanwhile, think full pints should be the least of Oregonians’ concerns. (HT: Eric Samuelson)

Sweet!

Honest Pint Act Passes the Oregon House

2009-05-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

The Honest Pint Bill passed another hurdle, making it out of the Oregon House. Now it's on to the Senate. The news was picked up by several outlets, including the Oregonian, who was on the case the same day the bill passed

"It's a little past 10:30 here, but it's 5 o'clock somewhere," said Rep. Jules Bailey, D-Portland, in opening his pitch on the floor.

The vote was 34-26. Critics argued businesses could do this on their own. They don't want state agencies spending time on this and anyway, isn't the economy tanking out there?

Rep. Nick Kahl, D-Portland, put his own spin on that kind of thinking.

"Our state faces serious problems and we're dealing with this bill," -- wait for it, wait for it -- "because now more than ever, Oregonians deserve a full 16 ounces.".

KGW also has a story up, quoting liberally from my blog, Beervana. As here:

“It's a camel's nose issue ... It establishes in the consumers' mind the issue and causes them to expect something more,” Alworth wrote on his blog, Beervana .

Finally, the Statesman-Journal ran a small piece as well.

Honest Pint in the Seattle Weekly

2009-05-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Seattle Weekly had a nice piece that covered both the Honest Pint Project and Oregon's proposed Honest Pint Act.

Enter Oregon House Bill 3122. Introduced in the state legislature in Salem earlier this month, the Honest Pint Act states that, as an added service during a regular visit by the health inspector, Oregon bars and restaurants may request a measuring test of their glassware. If it passes the full-pint test, the establishment is certified as serving an "Honest Pint," good for two years and for the privilege to display a sticker on premises. Jeff Alworth can take much of the credit for getting this bill off the ground. A much-respected beer blogger and long-time chronicler of beer for Willamette Week, his Web site, HonestPintProject.org, first proposed a non-legislative solution that the act in the legislature now closely resembles.

Go have a look at the whole article.

Denver Post, Seattle Times Cover Honest Pints

2009-04-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

Both the Denver Post and Seattle Times had stories about the Honest Pint this past week. The meme continues to spread! The Post piece gave an overview of the project and Oregon State's proposed legislation to make the project law there.

Alworth even made The Wall Street Journal last summer, pointing out that if a consumer orders a pint and gets a 14-ounce glass, that's money in the seller's pocket. The rub comes when a tavern or pub promises "a pint," which, as we all learned in fifth grade, is 16 ounces. Unfortunately, there are fewer saloons using a 16-ounce glass. It is more likely to be a sturdier 14- ounce container, commonly known in the business as a shaker or mixer.

The Times' story was focused more narrowly on the Oregon legislation.

The "Honest Pint Act" is aimed at the practice of selling "pints" of beer in glasses, sometimes with thick bottoms, that can't hold the full liquid measure of a pint.

The bill, which got a hearing last week, would have state health inspectors on their regular rounds inspecting beer glasses for capacity. The extra review would entail a fee, the amount of which has yet to been determined, the Register-Guard of Eugene reported.

Barkeeps who pass the test would be rewarded with a decal, to be displayed on a window or door, proclaiming their establishments to be purveyors of an "honest pint."

Honest Pint on KATU/Portland

2009-04-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

A nice piece by a local Portland television station, KATU, on the Honest Pint bill making its way through the Oregon legislature:

Honest Pint Act in the News

2009-04-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

On Friday (April 3), the Oregon legislature had a hearing on the honest pint act--a bill that would make the Honest Pint Project Oregon law. From the Eugene Register-Guard:

The bill would set up a voluntary inspection program. When state health inspectors are making their already-scheduled visits to bars, pubs and restaurants, the businesses can request that they add on an inspection to determine whether their beer glasses hold at least a full pint of liquid. This added review would require the business to pay an as-yet-unspecified sum to cover the costs....

Bailey said the notion that servers of honest pints ought to have a way to distinguish themselves came to him through the blogging efforts of a constituent, Jeff Alworth, a Portland State University researcher and online beer and politics enthusiast....
Beyond that, “honest pint” certification would be one more step to burnish Oregon’s beer-centric reputation, he said. “The fact that we would promote something like this demonstrates that we take our beer pretty seriously,” Alworth said.

The Oregonian also covered the legislation in a front-page story.

SALEM -- It's not quite policing pints, but some legislators want to make sure brewpubs and taverns pour you a full glass of beer.

A bill that debuted before a House committee Friday calls for the state to measure servings and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to issue decals to establishments that meet the "honest pint" 16-ounce standard.

"If someone advertises a pint, don't you think you should get a pint?" said Rep. Mike Schaufler, D-Happy Valley, the business and labor committee chairman who is co-sponsoring the bill.

If you want to support help support this legislation, consider joining the Facebook page.

Hot Lips Pizza Certified Honest!

2009-03-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

On March 19, the Project celebrated an important milestone: the very first fully authenticated Purveyor of an Honest Pint. In accordance with the certification process, Hot Lips Pizza, a small Portland, OR-area chain, has sent in a photo with the glassware they use, the amount of beer poured out of that glass, and a clearly-recognizeable shot of the establishment:

Honest Pints can be enjoyed at the following locations in Portland:

SE Hawthorne at 22nd
Downtown/PSU, SW 6th and Hall
Pearl District, NW 10th and Irving
Civic, SW 18th and Morrison
33rd & Killingsworth

Hot Lips has been added to the official list at the Honest Pint Project website. Congratulations!

Honest Pint Bill in the Oregon Legislature

2009-03-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

The Honest Pint Project got a surprise when Representatitve Jules Bailey introduced it as HB 3122. The text of the bill was modeled on the Honest Pint Project and follows its goals and language nearly identically:

Allows holder of full on-premises sales license or limited on-premises sales license to obtain verification of capacity of pint glasses used at licensed premises for draught malt beverages. Allows holder to obtain display sticker from Oregon Liquor Control Commission if glasses at premises hold pint of malt beverage under standard conditions....

SECTION 2. { + (1) If the Director of Human Services ... determines, based on a random sampling of the glasses, that the glasses used at the premises hold at least 16 fluid ounces of draught malt beverage when dispensed under standard conditions established by the director, the director shall provide the holder of the license with written verification of the measurement....

(3) The Oregon Liquor Control Commission shall design a decal that features the words 'honest pint' for display at qualifying premises.... Upon receiving a valid measurement verification, the commission shall issue the holder an 'honest pint' decal for display at the licensed premises where the director conducted the measurement verification.

The bill is currently in committee, but the prospects look good. It is scheduled for a hearing on March 27.