Update 2/17 16:00 – The Consumerist checked in with Aramark on the cup size controversy and received this response:
For a short time early last baseball season, we used an incorrect cup size for the $4.99 beer. The cup was larger than it should have been. When we discovered this, we began using the correct cup size.
That would mean that the GC12S (12/14 oz.) cup may be used instead. If so, I hope people enjoyed getting the extra suds on the mistakenly larger cup while it lasted.
Today at AN, a fanpost contained the following video comparing the “small” $5 domestic beer with the “large” $8 domestic.
I normally don’t drink one of the big domestic brews (BTW it’s SF Beer Week if you’re interested) and there’s no chance I’d pay $8 for a large one. A $3 upcharge for that tiny difference in cup volume is embarrassing. The same phenomenon has been seen at Seattle’s Qwest Field.
You may remember that the Coliseum complex changed to compostable cups (PDF) several years ago. The cups are manufactured by Fabri-Kal as part of their Greenware line. Greenware comes in a multitude of sizes, and the problem appears to be the specific sizes of cups used.
- GC16S – The company lists this as one of their “squat” models. It’s listed with dual volumes, 16 oz./18 oz. and its “flush fill capacity” is 18.3 ounces. This is the cup used for the “small” beer size and for the various craft beers served all over the Coliseum.
- GC20 – The taller “large” cup’s “flush fill capacity” is 20 ounces.
I broke out my abacus to determine the minuscule disparity of 1.7 ounces. That’s less than the capacity of a shot glass. If the A’s want to be fair to the swill-buying public they should up that large to 24 ounces. Then again, this immediately brought to mind a conversation I had yesterday with a bartender. His establishment is a noted beer bar, though they also keep swill on hand for those who ask. A customer with a large party had no interest in any of the great craft beer they had on tap and kept requesting bottled Coors. At the end of the night the party went through nearly two cases of the stuff. They were charged the same for the Coors as they would if they had requested Pliny the Elder.
Lesson for the consumer: If you must get a Bud or Bud Light, get the smaller size. Better yet, if you’re going to spend a couple extra bucks, get a craft beer. It won’t taste like piss.
P.S.: At the Coliseum the vendors don’t usually fill the small cup to the brim. They stop at a fill line on the cup – probably 16 oz.
newballpark.org 
Quick question: How do you know what piss tastes like?
Um, rehydration. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
If it looks like piss it must taste like piss would have been a better answer. But ML’s point is valid, mainly domestic “beer” isn’t beer. It’s poorly flavored bubble water. If you want real beer, buy local craft beers.
As for this cup issue, it is pretty pathetic on the A’s part to only separate the labeled “large” and the “value” beer by only 1.7 oz. But it’s not like the A’s have a great beer or food selection anyway so anyone who bothers to buy food or drink at the Coliseum (which is also one of the lowest rated food safety wise stadiums in the US) deserves everything they get (or don’t get in the case of the so called “large” beer).
The size of the cup doesn’t matter at all. You’re not getting 16 or 20 ounces of beer no matter what size you buy. The Aramark employee pouring said beer should pour up to an inch of head anyway. That inch saves them 152 cups of beer per keg (@16oz cups) 152*$5= $760 per keg in ‘extra’ profit. This is how selling draft beer can be more profitable than bottled beer. Also, by keeping CO2 gas levels lower, your customers feel less bloated and drink more beer.
If the bar is selling Pliny the Elder for the same price as Coors, I’d like to know where this bar is 😀
Dan- The beer selection may not be as bad as you think. I did a beer survey last season and here’s all the beers I could find at the Coli:
Bud, Bud lite, Bud Light Lime, Coors Light, Corona, Corona Light, Smithwicks, Guiness, Harp, New Castle Brown Ale, Trummer, Red Hook ESB, Longboard Lager, Pyramid Amber, Pyramid Hefe, Pyramid Apricot Hefe, Pyramid IPA, Pyramid Curveball, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Sam Adams Seasonal, Sam Adams Coastal Wheat, Sam Adams Light, Sam Adams Imperial White, Gordon Biersch Hefe, Gordon Biersch Marzen, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Summerfest, Sierra Nevada Glissade, New Belgium Fat Tire, New Belgium Ranger IPA, Lagunitas IPA, Shock Top, Heineken, Stella Artois, Pacifico, Negra Modelo, Blue Moon, Tecate, Fire Rock, Red Stripe, Widmer Hefe.
Even craft beer drinkers like you and me can find several enjoyable beers on this list. What I’d really like to see is a tap for Linden Street Brewery’s Black Lager. I mean it’s made in Oakland after all!
Beer. Bleh… My aunt used to work the beer tab at Angels stadium and used to talk about how she’d make a killing on tips. You know, because ballpark beer wasn’t expensive enough without adding on a little extra for the person whose probably short changing you on the tab anyway…
@roscoe – Also have to add Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA, which became my go-to at the Coli. I’d love it if Linden Street’s Common (steam beer) were on tap.
this is why i sneak my own booze in.
Yes. What Briggs said.
Considering that the Coliseum food services employees are predominantly “ex-convicts” (psst. escapees), you can trade cigarettes for beer. It evens out.