Stateside Craft Does the Right Thing by Their Customers

At least one Commercial Drive beer joint recently caught short-pouring customers have made a considerable effort to "serve it right" to give their customers what they are paying for and as a result have received  #FUSS Approved status from the Vancouver branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) of BC.

Stateside Craft, located at 1st Avenue and Commercial Drive, have changed their glassware to a larger size in order to ensure they can fully deliver on their promised serving size of draft beer after it was posted on social media a few weeks ago that they were serving 12-oz pours when they were claiming serving sizes of 14 ounces.

Stateside had been advertising 14 ounces, but in fact, their glasses filled to the brim were capable of holding that volume so with head, as is essential with a good pour, and a little space to make sure the beer did not spill over when transported to the table, the pour came in at 12 ounces. This practice of advertising the glass capacity and not the actual volume of beer poured is a widespread practice in BC that actually puts licensees at odds with the law according to Measurement Canada.

I know 2 ounces does not sound like much, but for a 14-oz beer that is $7, which is not uncommon in craft beer places in Vancouver, being 2 oz short is the equivalent of short-pouring by $1  before tax and tip. Add that up over a year and see how much money for nothing you may be forking out at places skimming off the top of their beer servings.

Almost immediately after the short-pour video hit social media, Stateside representatives stated they would right the wrong and it appears they have followed through.

CAMRA Vancouver president, Adam Chatburn, who was on the original measuring adventure, went back to Stateside July 15th and found that the glassware had indeed changed. The measure posted also had changed from 14 oz to 400,000,000,000 picolitres, a cheeky but valid use of the metric system that is legal and works out to 400 ml or about 14 oz. Chatburn measured his beer and found the serving to be, "spot on." (see post here) He also found, that except for the cider, which is a very high quality and high priced item, the beer prices had not changed. 

Stateside have turned a negative into a positive by doing the right thing
and fixing serving size-pour issues. Lets hope they get consumer support
& other craft beer places follow suit

"It just shows that establishments that are committed to the craft beer community are prepared to do the right thing and give consumers the beer they promised," stated a very pleased Chatburn who posted here to give Stateside praise. "Congratulations to Stateside Craft and thanks for stepping up and doing the right thing for consumers, it’s businesses like this who are leading the way serving craft beer. 

Chatburn hopes this change to honest and accurate pours will garner consumer support and states in his post, 

"if you've not been there  (Stateside) yet I can give them the #FUSS seal of approval so you know that when you put your money down you’ll get every last picolitre of beer (or amazing cider) you paid for."

Stateside Craft was one of several Commercial Drive establishments found to be serving less beer than their serving sizes indicated when Chatburn and a friend headed out armed with a calibrated cup, high definition camera, their smart phones, a thirst for beer and a healthy curiosity on July 5th. The pair posted their findings, including videos (click here & go to bottom of page), immediately on social media which caused a bit of a stir in the Vancouver craft beer community. Out of all the tests posted that day from five different establishments, only one pour hit the mark, that being Tangent Cafe's 12-oz pour. The rest fell short of the promised volume including a "pint" at Vera's Burger Shack which measured only 16 ounces.

In Canada, if a pint is advertised, it must be 20 imperial ounces if ounces are used to indicate volume and that does not include head.

As a consumer, I know I will support the Hell out of Stateside for making this move, as long as they continue to offer up accurate serving sizes & pours and hope other craft beer consumers do as well. I also hope other licensees in the craft community take note of what Stateside have done and get on board with CAMRA BC's #FUSS Campaign and give their customers what they are paying for.

Chatburn is continuing to hit Vancouver area establishments who serve draft beer and carry out is "research". This move is apart of the CAMRA BC Fess Up to Serving Sizes (#FUSS) a consumer advocacy campaign aimed at getting licensees to post their draft beer serving sizes and then deliver the posted volume of beer. The #FUSS Campaign was mounted to try to combat the widespread practice of misrepresenting serving sizes and short pouring here in BC. The Campaign for Real Ale of BC are an independent, consumer advocacy group, with approximately 1,500 paid members, championing the rights of BC's craft beer consumers.