Regional Beer Slang

This is what I recognise as a schooner



If it wasn't being filled from a bottle of Dog or Double Max it was used as a half pint glass for the ladies.

 

The ones I've seen and drank from were more like mini imperial pints in form- I think they use them to justify higher prices on smaller volume pitchers of beer, but that looks to be of the same cut of cloth.

Good ole Andy Capp!

 

Grew up in MA, lived in NH for about 8 years, and now call Tahoe home and the terminology is pretty similar between here and New England.
16oz can is a pounder
22oz bottle is a bomber
24oz can is a man-can or silo
6/12-packs are called exactly that
24-pack case or suitcase
30-pack is a rack (or a brick, usually a 'brick of stones' for Keystone Lite)
Packy is a beer/liquor store in MA but not in NH since beer is sold at gas stations/grocery stores etc... there. However, even my high school friends still living in MA hardly ever call it a packy.
Beer store usually (for me at least) refers to specialty beer/bottle shops that seem to popping up everywhere with the recent boom in craft.

 

When I lived in LA we used to walk to the liqo' sto' and drink foties.

 

The "Split" "Nip" and "Pony" terms for 7 oz. (and the more rare 8 oz.) bottle were not exactly beer drinker "slang" since they were all used by by the industry in ads, etc. One of the major US Guinness importers, Read Bros., Ltd. (Dog's Head brand) claimed in 1934 that they had trademarked the "NIP" term, while Guinness themselves, in the 40s when they brewed in the US, called the 6 oz. bottles "Splits" right on the wooden cases.

OV's! Used to get out of work on the nightshift at around 12:45 am and closing time in town (NY state Twin Tier region) was 1am. Got to the bar with minutes to spare, slapped down a $5 bill and would set up with 9 OV's (maybe more some nights?) and $2 change back, since they were 3 for $1. Many bars used the OV empties for salt and pepper shakers (along with the7 oz. clear long neck Matt's Premium bottles) - some mfg'r made "snap on" white and black caps to use them for shakers.

Still remember the confused look one night when, after having the old Howlin' Wolf song CV Blues* going on in my head all day at work, I asked for 9 "CV's" instead of "OV's".

"C'mon, dude, I'm only off by a letter."

* CV = the old Midwestern favorite - Champagne Velvet Beer.
Some idiot European pirate record mfg. once misnamed
the song "CV Wine Blues". ("Beer" is obvious at "2:09").
The Wolf! Accept no substitutes!​

 

Party like a white boy= a suitcase of Busch Light and a bottle of Jim Beam

 

22s are what Beck's and Heinekin and the like come in. When things like Santa's Little Helper or Southern Hemisphere are in 22 oz bottles then we call them bombers.

Edit: It seems I am wrong.

 

Some of the terms I can think of that are common around here:

"Pounder" = 16 oz can
"Tall Boy" = 24 oz can
"Pony keg" = 1/4 barrel
"Fiths" = 750 bottle of liqour
"Case" = 24 beers (the only reason I mention this is I have seen a lot of people refer to 12 bottles as a case on here, and when I have been out west, 18 packs are called this. No 18 packs here)
"Cube" = 30 pack of cans (Busch Light may have run with that, been awhile)
"The Beast" = Old Milwaukees Best (high school days)
"Bud Heavy" = Budweiser
"Cheerleader Beer" = mixed/malt beverages

 

We used to buy cases of Genny 16oz bottles, in very heavy duty, waxed cases. There was a deposit on the bottles, they would reused I don't know how many times, but some had numerous battle scars. The case had a separate deposit. We called those bottles pounders.

 

What I'd like to know is when did a "Double Deuce" become a "Bomber" and a 64oz(er) stop serving up Old English or St Ides and become a "Growler" ??

 

Ohio: 7 oz beers are called "ponies". "beer joint" is an old term used for bars, taverns.

 

In socal most liquor stores specializing in craft beer are refered to as "bottle shops" more so than liquor stores. Only two terms I have heard here though.

 

Beer distributor is typically used here in PA since bottle shops are almost non-existent due to our whole case laws. And "lager=Yeungling" is pretty much a state-wide thing here.

 

In Indiana, I use (and hear frequently) "bottle shop".

 

In NY, especially Long Island, there is no specific term considering we can buy beer literally anywhere (i.e. the 'Subway' in my town served beer for years until they were caught selling to underage kids; Gas stations; 7/11s; Supermarkets; and actual Distibutors). However, in my town, there are only a few places to get an actual wide array of different beers, and we call them distributors. Even my local gas station has solid beer (Troegs, Cigar City, Founders, etc.). I guess I live in a very lucky area.

When I lived in RI, I heard the term "Package Store" or "Packy" quite often. "Liquor Store" was the more common term.

While living in NC, it was usually the "beer store" or "grocery store".

 

They would call them that in North Carolina circa 1980...

 

We used to call those heavy duty (and believe me these bottles were thick!) bottles 'German hand grenades!

 

My dad had stashed a bunch of cases of these bottles from Yeungling, which I now use for homebrewing... and if any of those bottles get over-carbonated that hand grenade description can be pretty accurate!

 

I will independently confirm this statement heah. If you were going for beah, you went to the packy, otherwise it is the likkah stoah. I don't think we call the convenience stores/gas stations packies, howevah. I am a lifah in MA, too.