Pinta is ... Definition, history, volume.

Pinta is a word familiar to beer lovers. But hardly many people know what it means and where it originates from. Let's try to give detailed answers to these questions in the article.

What is it?

Pinta is a measure of the volume in which beer, cider and milk are measured in retail trade. It originated in Britain, but it is used in the USA and Cuba. Before the appearance of the metric system in France was used and there.

But before dwelling on the history of the pint and its volume, it is worth to tell a little about the English system of measures. So, the English system of measures is unusual for people who use the international metric system. The whole point is that the English, and after them the English-speaking countries use the system of measures invented back in the XIV century, and despite having signed a declaration on the adoption of an international system of measures, they are not going to abandon their own. There are several reasons for this. The first - the transition to the metric system will require a large investment, as it will have to change everything - from conventional scales to cumbersome measuring devices. The second is the conservatism of the English, who believe that the old is better than the new, and the less a person changes, the better. The third reason is that an attempt to switch to an international system of measures once undertaken has not been successful, and the second attempt will have the same result.

History

And now we will take a closer look at the origin of the measurement of a portion of beer in pints. In the 16th century, in European countries, brewers measured wheat by pounds. 8 pounds of wheat were 1 gallon, in which the liquid was measured. A pinta is a ⅛ gallon. This measure has become widespread among the British, and then throughout the world. Initially, a pint measured both liquid and loose products. Today, this practice has been preserved only in America. It is worth noting that the English pint and the American are significantly different.

This distinction arose after America became independent and created its own system of measures. The basis for a liquid pint was taken British wine gallon, and for dry - corn.

In 1824, Britain switched to an officially recognized unified system of measures of measurement - imperial, in which all types of gallons were replaced by one, which was called imperial. Its volume was 277.42 cubic inches. The modern pint is 1/8 of an imperial gallon, that is, 0.56 liters. It is it that measures the volume of a portion of a foam beverage.

Today, pint is a measure that is used only when selling beer at retail, and it is not used in wholesale trade, as the wholesalers sell the drink in liters.

Pint Volume

Prior to the adoption of the imperial system of measures, the pint volume constantly fluctuated. Today, the English pint is 34.68 cubic inches. When converting to centimeters this is 568.26 cubic cm.

If we talk about the volume of liquid, then the volume of the English pint is about 0.56 liters, which means that half of the pint is 0.28 liters.

And how is the situation in other countries? The American pint is a little less than the English pint. Its volume is 0.47 liters for liquid products and 0.55 liters for bulk products.

What else, except for a pint, is used in everyday life by the English? To measure the weight, pounds (453.6 g) and ounces (28.3 g) are used, for lengths of miles (1609 m), yards (914.4 mm), feet (30.48 cm) and inches (2.5 Cm), and for temperature - Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius is 17.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

Where is it used?

In Britain and Ireland, beer lovers will not be deceived, because the volume of a foam drink dispensed in a mug is regulated by law - it should not be lower than a special mark on the dishes, which will show the buyer the exact volume. There is such a sign in other countries too, but the pint there is not equal to the volume of English. In Cologne - 200 ml, in Spain - 250 ml, in France - 330 ml, in Italy - 410 ml, in Munich - 1 liter.

Thus, given the difference in the amount of beer in different countries, it can be said that a pint is not only a measure of the liquid, but also a concept that determines the portion of beer in the world pubs.