Has anyone heard this expression, referring to a glass of beer between a pint and half-pint?
A buddy of mine used it in the pub the other night and I’d never heard it before. He said he’d always called it that - but doesn’t know where it’s from. I told him that I knew people who would know.
WAG: I’ve definitely heard the phrase and assumed it was one of those measurements used prior to standardisation. Might be wrong but I imagine it dates way back and worked on the same principle as, for example, ‘yards’ when they were the equivalent of a stride.
Use it in a pub these days and you’re likely to be wearing most of the not-quite-a-pint on account of being either pretentious or a plonker.
“This is a fine ale house you have here, my good man. Might one of your serving wenches afford me the pleasure of a sleeve of your very best ale” – Kind of a Hollywood version of Robin friggin Hood.
No recollection of Shakespeare, Marlowe, etc using it but someone else more studious may come by to correct me.
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Here in New South Wales, Australia, the 3/4 pint is the most common beer measure. It is called a schooner. Never heard the sleeve thing.
A ‘Sleeve Pint’ is a style of glassware. It’s an Imperial Pint which is actually larger than a U.S. Pint. It gets its name from its shape.
