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How many pints in a yard of ale?

Andy Laing, Weymouth England

• Three. But I have also heard of a half-yard, which contained two...

  Ben Craig, Oxford UK

• The yard is an old Scottish unit of volume equivalent to about 2.4 pints. The concept has become a bit distorted through the years with two schools of thought: 1. The length of the glass is important (has to be a yard) 2. The yard is a specific volume and the glass is about a yard long. Searches on the internet reap values of anything between 2.3 and 4.5 pints to a yard. In any case it's hard to drink.

  Des, Plymouth UK

• From a quick survey of glassware manufacturers on the web, about three imperial pints, or perhaps a bit less depending on the shape of the glass. In any case, you would have difficulty compaining to trading standards about being served a "short yard" in a pub, since EU laws require beer to be served by the pint or litre.

  Allan , Wimbledon UK