‘Tallboy’ Makes It Into the Dictionary, Validating Your Love of 16-Ounce Beers

“Halloumi” and “matcha” also made the cut

After some 60 years since the first large can of beer appeared on the market, “tallboy” has finally made it into the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (well, the online version). Technically, the word was already in the dictionary to describe a large chest of drawers (also known as a “highboy”). The newly-added, more-fun definition is “a tall cylindrical can for beverages (such as beer) usually measuring 16 fluid ounces”. Given that tallboys first hit the market in the 1950s, it seems like plus-sized beer cans took an abnormally long time to get rightfully recognized, but a senior editor for the dictionary explained that its addition now is because the word only started appearing in mainstream, non-industry media somewhat recently.

Merriam-Webster deposited over 500 new words into its listing this week, several of which were food-centric. Halloumi, matcha, concasse, and chana were some to make the cut. None of these are new either, but they met the dictionary’s somewhat rigorous guidelines for non-English words that are deployed often enough to merit inclusion — so grab some chickpeas, crack open a big can of Pabst, and celebrate.

And in other news...

• Chinook salmon could be extinct in 20 years (which is also bad news for orcas, which feed on wild salmon). [NYT]
• Starbucks in Hong Kong is facing boycotts stemming from ongoing protests, because the company that owns it (Maxim’s) is headed by someone with close ties to Beijing. [Quartz]
• Here’s a wee photo essay on how Brexit could mess with the UK’s food supply in a major way. [NYT]
• Two Amish men in Ohio were caught chugging beer in a buggy equipped with a stereo system — but they fled into the woods when cops arrived. [Vice]
• Watch Brad Pitt and Jimmy Fallon send endless food and drinks back and forth when they “encounter” each other in a bar. [YouTube]
• Taco Bell just introduced a line of Halloween costumes (including a seven-piece burrito outfit for babies), although they look kind of janky. [NRN]
• And speaking of food-centric Halloween costumes...

• All AM Intel coverage [E]