Schooners of beer (Bud Light, at left, and Free State Ad Astra Ale) at Louise's Downtown, 1009 Massachusetts St.

Schooners of beer (Bud Light, at left, and Free State Ad Astra Ale) at Louise's Downtown, 1009 Massachusetts St.

Back when Louise herself owned and operated Louise’s Bar downtown, the bar’s big draw was 10 cent pints. Those went by the wayside long ago (rats!), but the next big thing has been going strong since the 1970s or earlier: schooners.

Let’s face it — unless you drink slowly enough that the beer’s warm by the time you reach the bottom — there’s no reason a beer as big as your face served in a cool, king-like glass chalice would go out of style in a college town. Students, who aren’t usually “living high on the hog,” like schooners because they’re a good deal, bar manager John Davis says. For alumni, who regularly come in for schooners on visits to Lawrence, they’re a trip down memory lane.

If the bar runs out of clean glasses on a busy night, you’ll get your 32 ounces of beer in a giant plastic cup. Some patrons, however, actually prefer the lighter-weight version, Davis says. “They’re easier to walk with.”

The hard stuff: Beer — 32 ounces of it. Your choice of 15 brews on tap.

Where it’s served:Louise’s Bar, 1009 Massachusetts St.

What it costs: $4.50 for domestics (note: Shiner Bock and Boulevard Pilsner count as domestics) or $6.50 for microbrews.

When it’s on special: On Tuesdays, microbrew schooners are $4.50. On Thursdays, domestics go for $2.50.

Other libations at this location: Lots of beer in bottles, the usual bar cocktails and bloody mary’s served with bacon and pickles, on special every Sunday.