Beer growlers

[bcla]

I've a 32 oz swing-top long-neck growler from Sierra Nevada and have filled it several times. Under California law, any place licensed to fill growlers can do so as long as any label/logo of another brewery is covered up. I heard painters tape works the best, and I got a roll at Dollar Tree. There is no obligation though to fill a container from another brewery. Russian River Brewing in Santa Rosa, California will apparently fill a growler that's blank (some people scrape off the labels), but won't even fill one covered with tape. Mine is like this, but an older, plainer design:

I tried bringing my 32 oz growler to a local place (Fieldwork Brewing in Berkeley) and they looked at it for a while. After taking it to a tap I was handed it back saying that it didn't fit. They use a plastic tube attached to the tap and I guess they tried. I'm surprised they didn't say no right away since I can't be the first customer to bring one in. However, I was just given one of their glass growlers that look like a large medicine bottle (the one on the right in this photo). They also have a "crowler" which is a 32 oz can that's sealed on site using a special rig. I'm kind of surprised they didn't just give me one of those instead of the glass.

I asked for something that tastes "piney" since my wife likes Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing. They had something called "Tactical Hatchet" which is a kind of a heavy IPA (7.7% but not quite a double IPA) that is somewhat similar.

https://fieldworkbrewing.com/our-beer/tactical-hatchet-2/

 

[Squirlz]

Can't tell if there is a question here but it sounds like a good opportunity to learn more about beer.

 

[bcla]

Can't tell if there is a question here but it sounds like a good opportunity to learn more about beer.

No question. Not even a rant. Just talking about beer.

 

[RedAngie]

If its beer talk, I learned to tolerate it in college, but never really drank if afterwards. Sometimes I'll take a sip of two of DH's beer.

 

[jliehr]

Had my first Pliny last month, so amazing

 

[Kae]

Around here the just but their own sticker on any growler as longs as its clean.

Kae

 

[bcla]

Had my first Pliny last month, so amazing

I've had super hoppy beers before, but Pliny the Elder does it without being super bitter. I suppose "drinkable" is overused, but that's about the best description I can think of. One employee at the store where I get it says it's "really well balanced". And obviously it was the double IPA that started the current trend.

I had Pliny the Younger last week. I've heard about it for years, but I was rather scared off from reports of people waiting 8 hours in line and bringing folding chairs. We did wait for a while, but less than 3 hours. It was more bitter than I expected, but it was really good. This isn't my photo, although I do have one (a bit overexposed) of this sign.

Russian River Brewing only served it in 10 oz "half pints". No growlers and they don't bottle it. A lot of places that get kegs of it are selling high-priced tickets (I heard maybe $13 to $25 for 10 oz) to benefit charities. I think next year their new brewery in Windsor will be open, so it might be easier to get it.

 

[Hikergirl]

I had no idea you could do that, you are allowed to leave with it?
To be honest, I haven't stepped foot in a "bar" or "brewery" in many years. You couldn't leave with any alcohol though.
I did hear that in NY breweries are getting more popular because of some new tax incentives. Maybe I should start checking them out, there are 2 that recently opened in my town.

 

[bcla]

I had no idea you could do that, you are allowed to leave with it?
To be honest, I haven't stepped foot in a "bar" or "brewery" in many years. You couldn't leave with any alcohol though.
I did hear that in NY breweries are getting more popular because of some new tax incentives. Maybe I should start checking them out, there are 2 that recently opened in my town.

Depends on a state’s particular law. At least in California only a manufacturer could sell beer (made by the manufacturer and not a “guest beer”) that’s poured on premises into a container for the customer to take away. It’s also illegal to consume it on premises. These are going to be directly at brewery sites, or their licensed brewpubs or taprooms. Russian River Brewing’s brewpub is in downtown Santa Rosa, California although their brewery is in another part of town.

In some states, any bar could fill a container and seal it. The idea is that beer on tap is usually not pasteurized and maintains more flavor. I’ve also had beers on tap that were less bitter than their canned/bottled versions. I’ve even seen one machine that does it.

This says that in NY even a retailer can fill a growler.

https://www.brewersassociation.org/government-affairs/laws/growler-laws/

 

[gillep]

This is something that really annoyed me about California, we have a lot of different growlers from all over the U.S., and although I am sure CA isn't the only state with a law like this, it is the first state that we encountered that wouldn't fill any growler. This does remind me that I want to get back up to Santa Rosa soon, although I think we have a triathlon up in that area in May, so at least I have something to look forward to on what would normally be a very boring day for me!

 

[Action City]

We visit breweriers often, since DH loves craft beer. I don't drink beer, but some places make their own root beer, too.

Here, they will fill any growler, as well as selling their own. Most places sanitize it first and will seal it after filling.

 

[bcla]

We visit breweriers often, since DH loves craft beer. I don't drink beer, but some places make their own root beer, too.

Here, they will fill any growler, as well as selling their own. Most places sanitize it first and will seal it after filling.

Does a label have to be covered? The law in my state only mentions “containers” that can be sealed and any label of another company made not visible. Some people even scrape off the silk screened labels, although that will mean the brewery that sold it might not accept it for fills if they have a policy that they only fill their own.

I think a lot of breweries are just buying bulk medicine/chemical bottles like that one from Fieldwork.

 

[SteveH]

While the breweries play this game what's become popular in our neck of the woods we've had a few growler fill stations that stock a wide variety of good beers from different breweries and they don't care what they fill.

 

[bcla]

This is something that really annoyed me about California, we have a lot of different growlers from all over the U.S., and although I am sure CA isn't the only state with a law like this, it is the first state that we encountered that wouldn't fill any growler. This does remind me that I want to get back up to Santa Rosa soon, although I think we have a triathlon up in that area in May, so at least I have something to look forward to on what would normally be a very boring day for me!

It’s up to the brewery. Each one has different rules and there’s nothing preventing one from accepting another one. Some will tape it, while others say you have to do it yourself. A few websites with growler policies say don’t cover it with paper and tape since it looks bad, and it’s going to get wet. The painters tape I’m using is supposed to be better because it doesn’t leave a mess, but it’s not waterproof. I had mine kind of shifted when it got wet.

I think RRBC will only fill theirs or blanks.

https://russianriverbrewing.com/pages/frequently-asked-questions
Do you fill non-Russian River growlers?​

We fill BLANK 32 oz., 64 oz. and 2 liter growlers that are clean and of high quality. Clear glass, green glass, plastic containers, and metal or plastic screwcaps are not to our quality standards. Brown glass, ceramic, and stainless steel with high pressure ratings and good closures are the best for beer. Our RRBC branded growler, the brown glass 2 liter Palla bottle with a flip-top closure, will hold beer for up to 2 weeks if left unopened and refrigerated. Once opened, any growler needs to be consumed quickly or it will lose carbonation and become oxidized. Further, beer expands when it gets warm. While this is not a problem in bottles, it can lead to quality and safety issues in growlers which, by nature, do not have a tight seal. Please store all growlers, not just RRBC’s, cold at all times.​

Have you tried Fieldwork? They’re trying to outdo RRBC with several taprooms. They don’t sell cans wholesale and sell kegs to bars. They’re mostly selling through their main brewery in Berkeley and a fast growing set of taprooms.

https://fieldworkbrewing.com/

 

[gillep]

It’s up to the brewery. Each one has different rules and there’s nothing preventing one from accepting another one. Some will tape it, while others say you have to do it yourself. A few websites with growler policies say don’t cover it with paper and tape since it looks bad, and it’s going to get wet. The painters tape I’m using is supposed to be better because it doesn’t leave a mess, but it’s not waterproof. I had mine kind of shift when it got wet.

Have you tried Fieldwork? They’re trying to outdo RRBC with several taprooms. They don’t sell cans wholesale and sell kegs to bars. They’re mostly selling through their main brewery in Berkeley and a fast growing set of taprooms.

https://fieldworkbrewing.com/

Most other states we have filled growlers don't require any covering, they will fill pretty much any growler (some have size limits and will only fill smaller ones though), so we were just surprised that we would have that extra step to cover the label in CA, and obviously didn't have any tape with us that first time. Yes, we have been to a couple of the Fieldwork taprooms and really enjoy them, I think I have a couple cans left in my refrigerator from the last time we stopped!

 

[tzolkin]

I had no idea you could do that, you are allowed to leave with it?
To be honest, I haven't stepped foot in a "bar" or "brewery" in many years. You couldn't leave with any alcohol though.

What you’re describing would be like leaving with an open container or cup of something— which is not allowed.

Getting a growler is more like buying a 6pack or a bottle of wine. It’s intended to be taken come and consumed later.

 

[leebee]

We have three microbreweries here in our small town. I am not sure of the exact laws in Maine but have "heard" that they are only supposed to fill growlers with their name on them AND have to seal the cap. One will not fill any growlers except their own, and they put a shrink-seal around the top. The taproom we frequent will fill our stainless steel vacuum growler- when they sell their own growlers they put a sticky-label across the top and partially down the side. I don't know what the third brewer does as we have't purchased a growler from them. We love our growler as it has a tight seal and is insulated, so we purchased window clings from our favorite breweries. We put the cling on the side of our growler and have had no problem using it most places... except that one place here in town!

 

[Hikergirl]

What you’re describing would be like leaving with an open container or cup of something— which is not allowed.

Getting a growler is more like buying a 6pack or a bottle of wine. It’s intended to be taken come and consumed later.

Ive never been to a bar that would sell a bottle of wine or 6 pack that is why I was asking. You couldn't bring anything out of the place, growlers just weren't a thing back then.
Like I said it's been awhile since I've been out to a bar or tavern or brewery type place.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

What you’re describing would be like leaving with an open container or cup of something— which is not allowed.

Getting a growler is more like buying a 6pack or a bottle of wine. It’s intended to be taken come and consumed later.

We had drive through daiquiri huts in TX and they have them other places too... They sold drinks by the cup!

 

[bcla]

What you’re describing would be like leaving with an open container or cup of something— which is not allowed.

Getting a growler is more like buying a 6pack or a bottle of wine. It’s intended to be taken come and consumed later.

Living in a place with open container laws (mostly at the city/county level) a growler is considered legally "sealed". I've walked by a police officer with my growler and didn't get a second look. Some places will place colored electrical tape around the stopper as policy, but I don't think that's a strict requirement. When I got a growler fill at Fieldwork they simply used an ordinary metal screw cap. Here's one from Sierra Nevada (filled at their brewpub in North Carolina):