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Growlers offer better beer taste, less waste

Hundreds of brewpubs, breweries and grocery stores around the U.S. are cashing in on the growing popularity of growlers, a term that dates back more than a century to when people carried fresh beer in buckets.

Mention the word “growler” and you might get a blank stare, but the moonshine jug-type containers are catching on, says Julia Herz of the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colo. Generally speaking, people buy growlers at brewpubs, where they’re filled with beer and capped. After they’re brought home, the beer will stay good for two to five days once opened.

Consumers like growlers because they’re reusable and don’t contribute to the waste stream, they’re good for sharing with friends and the beer is less expensive than buying pints at a pub, Herz said.

But it’s the taste that keeps them coming back.

“What’s nice about the growler is, you pour it into the glass and that’s the proper way to enjoy all that a beer has to offer for flavor and aroma,” Herz said.

Gritty McDuff’s, a Portland, Maine-based beer company with three brewpubs, began selling growlers in May. Customers can buy their first beer-filled growler for $15.99 and get refills for $11.99.

The Brewers Association expects growler sales to continue growing as new technology develops that will give growlers a better seal to keep the beer fresh for a longer time.

“It’s a big part of the brewpub movement,” Herz said.