America's criminally undersized 16oz pint glasses (in contrast to Britain's government-regulated 19.2oz glasses) are being shrunk by many establishments to 14-ouncers. Known as “falsies" because of their trick-of-the-eye design, barmen are also being instructed to leave an ever-expanding gap at the top of the glass for froth. When confronted, landlords will grumble defensively about the rising cost of hops and barley. Amazingly, this Great Beer Swindle has attracted remarkably little media attention. How very different America and Britain can sometimes be.
