If you like craft beer, the title of this article is good advice. I have been given growlers so much across the last 20 years that I feel I have quite a collection. I travel a lot and realize I’m never terribly far away from good craft beer. And it was 14 years ago while I was having dinner at the Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh that John the bartender instilled in me some very good advice. He said you should always keep a growler in your car because you never know when you’ll need one. I follow this advice, and if you enjoy craft beer, you should too!
As I stated above, I have quite a few growlers. During the dark days of the pandemic, they got quite a bit of use as tap rooms were open for carry out only. I visit a lot of breweries, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been there when a special beer was released. Once while I was at Earnest Brew Works in Toledo, I witnessed a very special tapping of a firkin of a granola brown ale called Hippie Crunch. It was an amazing beer and they said I could have some to go. Out of respect for the amount of beer available, I only purchased a bullets worth(a half growler)!
If you visit breweries like I do, there’s a chance you might have had a similar experience. Some of the best beer I’ve ever had came about from being at the right place at the right time. And sometimes I’ve been sworn to secrecy about some of the things I’ve gotten to taste! If you’re like, me you have friends who also like good beer. There have been many times where I have felt like I would be not a good friend if I didn’t take home a wonderful beer. And sometimes the special releases don’t get bottled. And then there’s just plain planning ahead like I have done for many birthday parties when I wanted to come armed with good beer! I remember a party we threw for my friend Justin about 12 years ago when I returned home from Pennsylvania with beer from several states for us all to drink!
And while I think it’s always a good idea to buy right from the source, I am happy that some beer bars and tap rooms offer growler service as well. Hop Station in Mishawaka offers it, and the Old Towne Beer Hall & Growler Company in Franklin, Indiana is in the business of doing that as well. Growlers certainly are a big subject lately as I saw an article that talked about ways to take your beer home, and drinking outside of the pub. I usually find good fellowship wherever I have craft beer, and the growler is a great way to bring it along.
Growler laws are unique to every state. I had a patron a few years back from North Carolina who told me that his liquor store offered growler sales! Odds are good no matter where you are, you can find a place willing to fill growlers. And should you get to the Chelsea Market in New York City, they have a spot where you can get beer and olive oil fills at the same place! Pic and I will be in New York City in November, so I look forward to revisiting that place!
So hopefully you do have growlers, and have used them. I hope they have brought you great pleasure, and good drinking. If you do any traveling, you truly do never know when you might need one. I have plenty, and should we meet somewhere and you are lacking one, odds are good I’ll have a spare!
Just a few of the authors growlers.
So Much Beer So Little Time 