Growlers 101
Recently all of us S.O.B.E.R. Group types gathered around the tall wood table in the Hop Hunters growler parlor and enjoyed a half dozen samples of beer from growlers that Rick and Tracy gathered on their latest crazed whirlwind jaunt into the North Country. Considering Rick is a pretty picky bastard when it comes to properly handling and storing his beers we knew that any irregularities in the beer he collected would be due to factors beyond his control. Freshness, style, sanitation, new growler cleansing (or lack there of) along with a faulty cap seal can all lead to disappointment at the point of intended consumption. Fortunately the beers from Rick’s trunk survived the journey in drinking shape …… which is more than I can say about some of the samples I’ve had the misfortune to collect over the years.
I bring this up today because I am on the eve of a much anticipated and overdue growler filling expedition to one of the beer communities  Holy Grails….Russian River Brewing. As I was tending to the dozen growlers I intend to fill on Wednesday my mind wandered into some of the growler mistakes I’ve seen over the years and it occurred to me that perhaps I should mention them so that other mistakes can be avoided in the future. Because as we all know beer abuse is serious business. Anyway here’s a few items for thought.
1. Wash your growlers as soon as possible once you’ve drained them. Hot water works just fine, no soap required. In fact soap and glass aren’t really a good mix. I never use the stuff on any of my glassware. If you do have to use some soap because you were a moron and left them on your backyard picnic table then rinse them repeatedly until they smell clean. Then rinse them again. And if the water isn’t hurting your hands it isn’t hot enough.
2.  Did I mention washing your growlers? Actually, if you rinse your growler immediately after you empty it even cold water will do. A really good plan when camping.
3. Wash your growlers after you’ve used them and BEFORE you take them out to be filled again. Very important for several reasons. Some breweries will inspect your growlers before they fill them and if your growlers are unfit for filling they will give you that look (and then the lecture) that identifies you as a beer gathering wanna-be and treat you accordingly. Worse yet is going to a big chain brewery where the servers know about as much about beer as your local 7-11 graveyard shift janitor and will fill them even if your science fair ribbon is still sticking out of it. If for some reason you have to deal with a really nasty, neglected and abused growler you can always resort to using a little bleach/hot water mixture and perhaps a stiff bottle brush. Once again thorough rinsing rules.
4. Unless you live right around the corner from the brewery (I should be so lucky) throw an ice chest into your trunk so that your growlers are chilled and more closely match the temperature of the beer when they’re being filled.
5. Inspect your caps. Some brewers use the metal caps with the rubbery seal. I’ve had the best luck with that style. The plastic caps with the paper seal are fine for the first initial use but I don’t reuse them. You need to wash the caps as well as you do the growlers….if they start to get discolored or bent up throw them away.
6. Inspect your growler….if it’s chipped throw it out. They only cost 3-7 bucks generally and aren’t worth the danger of breakage or fouling 64 ounces of beer when they fail to seal properly. If it’s an old and dear heirloom them just display it proudly on your custom growler shelf and get a new one to bring beer home in.
7. Did I mention to clean your growlers coming and going? Just remember beer hates and does not play well with soap, dirt, improper temperature, air or light. …or limes for that matter….but that’s another story…..
I’ve also read and heard it said that you should always consume your growler-ed beer within two weeks of purchase and once opened within two days. Generally those time frames are … well… generally not quite correct but perhaps a good place to start. The style of your beer, the color of your growler, the environment it is in (if you keep it next to the light in your fridge in a clear bottle and have six kids opening the door fifteen dozen times a day)… well… you should have already consumed it. If I open a growler I plan to finish it off within one day… I’ve rarely had anything last longer than that although I must admit I do have limited experience with that situation. I will even admit to having growlers of huge beers like Barley Wines for up to and beyond a year and had tremendous luck with them.
So there you have it… just a few tips…Â and remember to drink locally and interact with your local brewers… we’re all in this together.
One of our local bars sell some beer I like on-tap and I asked if they might be willing to sell beer in growlers . They said they can only sell beer to go if it is sealed. Is there any special equipment a bar would need to seal a growler?
I’ve seen breweries use something as simple as electrical tape and as fancy as plastic and a heat gun – although I recommend against the heat gun. Some breweries use their own stickers to place over the caps… nothing major.
Yep. Wash the caps too. I use Fizz Giz growler caps. After warm rinse, drop in mason jar (quart) with 1 drop clorox. A few minutes is all I give it. Then another good warm rinse & into the dish drainer to dry. Then in a plastic freezer bag or sealed mason jar.