BrewDog Changes the Law
04.01.2011
BrewDog dwarf protest brings an end to 300-year-old pub legislation.
We are celebrating a landmark change to licensing laws in the UK, following our innovative lobbying of the government late last year. Science minister David Willets confirmed today that the coalition government will shake the dust from 300-year-old measures laws, tearing up rules that were the subject of BrewDog’s world’s smallest protest in November 2009. A new two-thirds of a pint, or ‘schooner’ measure will soon be available – which we believes is perfectly suited to more flavoursome craft beers.
The craft beer revolution has claimed another scalp in the form of archaic licensing rules. This is nothing short of a landmark victory for BrewDog and an acceptance at government level that we speak for the people and understand the changing landscape of the UK beer market. The two-thirds of a pint measure means British beer drinkers can enjoy bold and creative beers responsibly – we knew that and we made sure the government caught up.
If we weren’t so busy brewing, we would probably be able to solve most of the world’s problems.
We brought the licensing issue to the public’s attention by commissioning a dwarf to hold a weeklong protest at Westminster, arguing that two thirds of a pint measures should be introduced in British bars, whilst inherently demonstrating that smaller things can have a big impact. Despite being recommended by The National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) in 2008, plans to introduce the new measure had been on hold since the general election and BrewDog’s protest brought it back into the limelight.
With this protest we wanted to prove that size does not dictate significance; our tiny protest blew the dust off our outdated licensing laws and introduced the first change to draft beer measures for three centuries. Two thirds of a pint is the perfect size for artisanal beers and will now help to combat irresponsible drinking as well as introduce new audiences to the craft beer revolution.
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martin 08.01.2011
MAK 06.01.2011
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:247:0017:0020:en:PDF
I wish people and pubs could decide their own measures, but government is here to tell us all how to live, for a small fee of course.
Matt Davies 05.01.2011
http://www.nmo.bis.gov.uk/Docs/Legislation/SFQ/Government_Response_on_Specified_Quantities_for_Pre-packages_Jan_09.pdf
"A press notice highlighting the consultation and particularly a proposal to permit 2/3 pint measures for beer, secured national press, and radio and television coverage for the consultation."
This document is from 2009 but our overlords were working on it way before that.
Matt Davies 05.01.2011
MagicDave 05.01.2011
But in Australia a bloody *schooner* is 425ml, which is more like 3/4 of a pint. Where the fuck does this "schooner" come from? That's what the bloody Publican write-up was calling it too.
Call it a weiner.
Yvan 05.01.2011
Sparks 04.01.2011
Francis Gilbert 04.01.2011
Barm 04.01.2011
If you insist on being a cynical son of a bitch, email me I will gladly forward you the letter from HMRC in October last year.
We changed the law! BrewDog rocks.
James, BrewDog 04.01.2011
Barm 04.01.2011
Dubbel 04.01.2011
Here's a novel concept: no state sanctioned 'measures', just bar owners who advise how much their glasses hold and how much each ale costs, so the drinker can choose. Fancy that!
Scott 04.01.2011
Did you get it changed so that TNP can legally be served in shots too? That would be great.
Hardknott Dave 04.01.2011
Pete 04.01.2011
Nate 04.01.2011
paul noonan 04.01.2011