There’s a time and place for most things. And I’d argue that there’s a time and place for most styles of craft beer. But what about quantity? Is there a time and place for different serving sizes of craft beer? I think there is and one of my favorites is the half pour.

What Is A Half Pour?

Well to put it simply, it is half of a standard pour which in most cases means 8 ounces (half of 16 ounces).

However, it could also mean 5 or 6 ounces if the standard size is 10 or 12 ounces. For the purpose of this article, we’ll assume a half pour is 8 ounces.

I’ve found that the half pour might just be the ideal size to order; especially when compared to a flight. Let’s discuss why.

Flight . . . Or Fight

I love ordering flights of craft beer.

In many ways, they are the best way to sample a wide range of beer without over doing it. So when I come across a brewery that doesn’t offer flights, I want to fight them over it.

It’s my go-to method for ordering and it really throws me off when they aren’t offered.

However, flights aren’t necessarily as ideal as I tend to think. In fact, there are many reasons why it isn’t the ideal way to enjoy craft beer.

Speed Of Service

The best things in life take time and craft beer isn’t an exception. It takes time to properly develop recipes and eventually brew it. However, this doesn’t apply to the serving portion of the experience.

Let’s be honest and admit that waiting behind someone that’s ordering a flight isn’t much fun – especially if they don’t know what they want yet.

While I love seeing people ask questions of the bartender so they can better understand craft beer, we really want to order our beer and go back to our friends and family.

Flights take considerably longer to pour and serve than any other size pour. It takes seconds to pour a few half pours compared to the lengthy process of putting together an entire flight.

Quality & Quantity

You should consider both quality and quantity when it comes to craft beer. And while flights give you the most quantity of different beers, it also means you aren’t getting to try very much of it. So you might not be able to truly appreciate the quality.

Most flights contain 4 or 5 pours that are 4 or 5 ounces. Many beer aficionados tell me that a pour this small doesn’t really allow you to taste all that the beer has to offer.

In addition, if you have up to 5 beers in front of you, you are probably jumping back and forth between different styles. Each time you switch, your palate is affected. Before you know it, you aren’t able to taste what makes each one great.

The one time when this doesn’t apply is when you are sampling similar beers or different vintages to intentionally compare them.

Half pours give you more quantity of beer so you can truly get to know it better and appreciate the quality. But it isn’t so much that you will over-consume or regret ordering it.

The Generous Bartender

Another benefit of the half pour is the generous bartender.

Many breweries use the full size glass for their half pours. There’s often a small white line on the glass to let the bartender know the halfway point.

So it is up to the bartender to fill to this line to ensure a half pour is achieved. I’ve found that many bartenders pour a little heavy when it comes to half pours. I think this is partially because they are customer focused but also because it’s nearly impossible to pour the perfect amount each time – so they error on the side of the customer.

I’d like to think that most bartenders are optimistic in their approach to the glass being half full vs half empty.

Why Should You Order Half Pours

When you want to try a new beer or have one more before leaving, half pours are perfect and make it the ideal way to go for everyone involved.

The brewery is able to serve the beer quickly and feel confident that we are trying enough of the beer to make a true evaluation of their beer.

The customer experiences shorter wait times and often a generous pour. But they aren’t over committing to a beer or style that they may not like.

And the best part is it is a great way to avoid drinking too much. It’s the perfect size when you want one last beer but a full pour is just too much. The half pour provides a way to get one last beer without taking it too far.

One Potential Issue . . .

The only downside I’ve noticed with half pours is pricing.

There are some breweries that charge half the cost of a full pour which I love to see. While others charge a small premium for the smaller pour.

While I’m not a fan of the up-charge, I do understand that there is a base level cost to their service and time. So as long as the cost is close to half of the full pour cost, I won’t be too offended.

Read More About Craft Beer – Pint Or Flight: How To Order Like A Taproom Pro

Final Thoughts On Half Pours

Having a pint of craft beer is one of my favorite things to do but I’d gladly have two half pours instead.

Variety is one of the many things we love about the hobby of craft beer so it’s no surprise that half pours resonate with beer enthusiasts.

While I will continue to order flights when possible, I truly hope that more breweries adopt the practice of serving half pours.

If your local brewery doesn’t offer half pours, I encourage you to request them. There’s a good chance that they will listen to customer feedback and add half pours to their menu.

Do You Order Half Pours When Given The Chance?