Beer has been a consistently popular drink for years. However, beer sizes haven’t always been as consistent. The standard beer size at one place might be totally different from another. Therefore, it’s always useful to know the different kinds of size options out there…
Beer Sizes: Purpose & Function
Glasses
If you’re doing your drinking at a bar or brewery, you’ll probably be drinking from a glass. However, what kind of glass you get can depend on a lot of things. For instance, if you’d like a flight of beers, you’ll probably be getting 4-ounce glasses. This makes sense when you consider that 4 samples will add up to a pint, the most common size offering.
8-ounce glasses are used for those higher ABV beers. This gives a good balance between size and the overall alcohol content. However, the standard glass size is the 16-ounce pint glass. Keep in mind that this is for American bars. If you go to Canada or Europe, an imperial pint is 20-ounces instead of 16.
Cans
Beer sizes for cans tend to have a bit more variety than with glasses. For example, there are the small 8.4-ounce cans, which are great if you want a small drink while you’re at the pool or camping. However, the standard can size is 12-ounces. This matches up with the standard serving sizefor beer.
However, larger cans have been on the rise recently. 16-ounce pint cans have become more common, especially for craft beers. There’s also the 19.2-ounce “stovepipe” cans, which have popped up at convenience store and gas stations. There’s even 24-ounce cans out there for those who are really trying to get a lot out of a can.
Bottles
Bottles still remain the most common beer container, and have some interesting beer sizes. For starters, there’s the common 12-ounce bottle. Much like the cans, these allow you to have a standard serving in a 6-, 12-, or 24-pack. However, these can have a bit a leniency, ranging from 11.2-13 ounces.
22-ounce “bomber” bottles used to be a staple for craft beers. However, they’ve begun to fall out of popularity in exchange for 16-ounce cans, which are easier and a bit cheaper. There’s even 750-ml “wine” bottles, which offer a little over 25 ounces. These are usually used for specialty beers, and offer a bit more “style” than normal bottles.
