As a craft beer lover, I believe the growler is without doubt one of the finest improvements ever! When visiting my favourite brewery taproom I at all times ensure to take a beer growler with me simply in case I get pleasure from one pint a lot I need to take some recent draught beer dwelling with me.
All the time be ready, we have been taught as Boy Scouts – I’m unsure that utilized to beer in growlers, however hey ho, it’s nonetheless the identical precept!
Growlers are among the finest methods to get pleasure from your favourite beers at dwelling, and in addition an excellent means of letting your buddies take a few of your newest do-it-yourself beer dwelling with them. For highway journeys, tenting journeys, looking or fishing expeditions, a growler is the final word technique to preserve your beer recent.
Nonetheless, in the event you’re not planning on ingesting your growler straight away, you might be questioning how lengthy it is going to final unopened. Let’s check out the completely different kinds of this fashionable beer container that you’ll find, and take a look at how lengthy every growler of beer will stay recent.
What Is a Growler?
A growler is mainly any resealable beer container that usually holds roughly 2 liters or 64 fl oz of beer. You may get glass growlers however extra generally they are going to be manufactured from plastic, aluminum, stainless-steel, and even ceramic.
A growler of beer will be offered prepackaged with the beer already crammed and sealed in by the brewery, or you should buy your personal beer growler to fill along with your favourite draft beer.
In terms of kinds of growlers, you have got two principal choices – pressurized or non-pressurized.
Non-pressurized growlers are the cheaper choice and are like a thermos flask, however designed to maintain bigger portions of beer chilly for longer durations in a handy, easy-to-transport bundle.
One 64 oz growler incorporates the equal of 4 16 oz Tall Boy aluminum beer cans or simply over 5 12 oz bottled beers. They are going to use a resealable cap like a screw cap or a swing high which permits for them to be resealed so that you don’t should drink the beer multi function go.
A pressurized growler is extra like a mini keg that incorporates 64 ounces of beer, however beneath stress, which helps preserve the beer carbonated and more energizing for longer. Pressurized growlers will usually have a mini CO2 cartridge positioned between the tank and cap/faucet of the growler, though you too can get pressurized growlers the place the CO2 cartridge is mounted on the facet.
Beer in a non-pressurized growler will final from a number of days to a few weeks, relying on the way it was crammed and the kind of beer it incorporates. Beer in pressurized beer storage vessels will final from a number of weeks to some months with none carbonation loss or the beer going unhealthy.
Two of my favourite choices for beer growlers you possibly can preserve at dwelling to fill along with your favourite taproom beer in your subsequent brewery time out embody:
The Stanley Basic Simple-Pour 64 oz Growler, a non-pressurized budget-friendly choice, and the GrowlerWeks uKeg Go Carbonated Growler, a pressurized mini keg choice.
- FRESH, COLD & CARBONATED: To maintain your beer tasty, fizzy and chilly for as much as 24 hours, the Stanley Growler contains a vacuum insulated physique with metal internal lid with zero plastic that doesn’t change the style. It doubles as a superb thermos to retailer espresso, tea or soup and retains sizzling as much as 18 hours.
- LARGE CAPACITY: This growler can retailer as much as 64oz / 4 Pints / 2 Qt / 1.9L of your favourite beverage, making this excellent for any picnic, hike, or tenting journey.
- FUNCTIONAL DESIGN: The built-in heavy obligation deal with makes it straightforward to hold and easy to pour with one hand. The huge mouth permits for fast filling, sharing, and cleansing. It’s additionally dishwasher-safe for a simple clear.
The Stanley Basic Simple-Pour Growler is the proper choice for these tailgating events, picnics, looking or fishing journeys, or different outside pursuits the place you don’t have entry to correct storage to your beer. A vacuum-insulated physique with a metal internal lid will preserve your beer tasty, fizzy, and chilly for as much as 24 hours.
The swing high lid has a detachable silicon gasket which retains the beer recent and stops it from leaking, but in addition has an internal manufactured from stainless-steel so that you don’t get any of the plastic style you would possibly get with different much less premium growlers.
The broader mouth of this growler additionally makes it simpler to fill and pour with only one hand because of the built-in heavy-duty carry deal with.
The growler can also be dishwasher-safe, making it excellent for reuse with out affecting the flavour of the beer even after a few years of use. Stanley even supplies a lifetime guarantee ought to something ever go unsuitable with the growler, though I’ve had mine for five years now with completely no issues.
When on the lookout for a extra premium choice for a beer growler, the KegWerks uKeg is a pressurized growler that may preserve your recent draft beers carbonated for a number of weeks if not a few months.
The patented carbonation system of this GrowlerWerks growler will routinely keep freshness and optimum carbonation for weeks. It makes use of normal food-grade CO2 cartridges, as you’d discover on a soda siphon, which match above the three-position faucet for allotting your scrumptious beers.
It may be both locked for storage, opened for filling, or opened for pouring, with no worry of flat beer while you finally pour. You’ll be able to even select between excessive or low carbonation depending on the type of beer you might be serving.
A double-wall stainless-steel vacuum insulation retains drinks chilly all day, however in the event you plan on holding your beer for a few days or extra I might at all times suggest storing it in a fridge or at the very least on ice. With its sturdy powder-coated end and rubber footing that present further safety in opposition to dents and scratches, it is a growler you possibly can tackle these longer highway journeys too, however I at all times wish to preserve mine for finest at dwelling.
On the different finish of the dimensions, there are some very cheap growler choices that are like massive glass jugs with replaceable screw-on tops, much like these you might discover offered stuffed with beer from microbreweries of their taprooms. Very best for the avid dwelling brewer who likes to share his newest homebrewed beers together with his buddies.
Glass growlers will probably be one of many least costly choices and though they don’t supply the identical insulation or freshness of the swing high or pressurized growlers will preserve beer recent and fizzy for a few days after filling and definitely lengthy sufficient to get your draft beer dwelling.
How Lengthy Do Growlers of Beer Final?
On common, beer in a growler will final from a number of days as much as two weeks, however there are lots of variables that may decide how lengthy the beer stays recent.
Storage
Beer is a perishable product that may be affected by a number of elements, corresponding to temperature, gentle, and air publicity. Subsequently, it’s essential to retailer your growler appropriately to make sure that it stays recent and doesn’t spoil.
The temperature at which you retailer your growler can considerably have an effect on its shelf life. Beer is finest saved at a temperature of round 38 to 42 levels Fahrenheit, which is the common temperature of a fridge.
Should you retailer your growler at room temperature, the beer inside could start to spoil rapidly, resulting in off-flavors and a stale style. Equally, in the event you retailer your growler in a location that’s too chilly, the beer could develop a hazy look or freeze, which may additionally have an effect on its style.
Gentle may also have an effect on the shelf lifetime of a growler, particularly if it’s a glass growler. Particularly, publicity to ultraviolet (UV) gentle may cause the beer to develop a skunky style. Subsequently, it’s finest to retailer your growler in a darkish place or in a container that blocks out gentle, corresponding to an insulated cooler or a bag.
Air publicity is one other issue that may have an effect on the shelf lifetime of a growler. When beer is uncovered to air, it could rapidly start to oxidize, resulting in off-flavors and a stale style. Subsequently, it’s important to retailer your growler in an hermetic container and keep away from opening it till you’re able to drink it.
Now that we’ve mentioned the significance of correct storage, let’s discover the opposite elements that may have an effect on the shelf lifetime of a growler.
Kind of Beer Being Saved within the Growler
The kind of beer you’re storing can considerably have an effect on its shelf life. Lighter beers, corresponding to pilsners and lagers, have a shorter shelf life as a result of they’ve a decrease alcohol content material and are extra vulnerable to spoiling rapidly.
Delicate beers like a hoppy IPA or pales ought to at all times be consumed as recent as potential. These beers are usually finest consumed inside just a few days of being crammed in a growler.
However, darker beers, corresponding to stouts and porters, have the next alcohol content material and are extra immune to spoiling. These beers can last more in a growler, usually as much as two weeks if saved appropriately.
Opened or Unopened?
An unopened growler ought to final 2 – 4 weeks. Once more, this will depend upon how the growler was crammed, whether it is one you took into the faucet room for filling straight from the faucet, it is going to solely final about 2 -5 days unopened.
If it’s a beer growler they seize from across the again of the bar, they most likely have a premium filling system that purges the growler with CO2 earlier than filling, and may final 2 – 4 weeks. The seal will probably be undoubtedly higher when it’s refilled and there could even be a plastic wrap across the cap to point it has not been beforehand opened after filling.
As soon as opened, the growler ought to keep recent and carbonated for two – 3 days however keep in mind oxygen is now coming into contact with the beer and it’s usually a speedy decline from foamy beer to flat beer. Utilizing a pressurized growler will clearly preserve the beer recent for longer, and you need to count on at the very least 2 weeks to a month after the primary pour with an hermetic pressurized beer growler.
Failing that you may at all times invite just a few buddies round that can assist you end off that scrumptious beer earlier than it goes flat or loses its taste – sharing is caring!
The Situation of the Growler
One other issue that may significantly influence how lengthy your growler retains beer recent, even unopened, is the situation of your growler. In case you are refilling a growler you need to guarantee it’s completely cleaned earlier than refilling, as whether it is unclean or if there’s any residual beer, any new beer you might be including to it could rapidly spoil.
In case you are utilizing one of many cheaper plastic growlers it is suggested that you simply don’t reuse it greater than 2 to three instances, as cleansing the growler can usually trigger abrasions to the plastic. Beer-spoiling micro organism or residual beer can disguise within the small crevices and contaminate any future beer. Glass will be extra resilient, however for reusable beer growlers, stainless-steel is really useful.
The standard of the seal in your growler may also have a big influence on its shelf life. If the seal just isn’t hermetic, air can enter the container and trigger the beer inside to spoil rapidly. A superb seal is important for sustaining the carbonation degree of the beer and preserving its taste.
Subsequently, it’s essential to make sure that the lid of your growler is screwed on tightly and that the rubber gasket is in good situation.
Can Beer Go Unhealthy in a Growler?
The quick reply is sure, beer is a perishable beverage, however when it’s thought-about unhealthy is usually a very subjective judgment.
When asking how lengthy it takes to go unhealthy, it actually is dependent upon the beer. Extra delicate beers like hoppy pale ales and pilsners or lighter beers can rapidly oxidize inflicting off flavors, whereas bitter beers, extra hearty darker ales, and stouts, or beers with larger ABVs can take longer to go unhealthy.
To inform if a growler of beer has gone unhealthy, you need to first take a look at the floor of the beer. High fermented beers will usually have a creamy head known as “white cap” as their yeasts don’t trigger an excessive amount of foam.
The pinnacle of beer types when the stress is launched and there are many bubbles and CO2 within the beer. If a beer has gone unhealthy you received’t discover an excessive amount of foam on the floor as there was an excessive amount of oxidation of the beer and the CO2 content material has been decreased.
The colour of a growler of beer may also point out whether or not the beer has gone unhealthy. An off-white shade implies that oxidation has taken place or the growler has been uncovered to gentle. The style of the beer will even have modified.
Principally, if the beer doesn’t look proper, it most likely means it isn’t proper.
How Lengthy Will Onerous Cider Hold Unopened in a Growler?
Beer growlers will also be used to retailer laborious cider and preserve it colder and more energizing for longer. Like most beers, a tough cider ought to keep recent if stored refrigerated in an air-tight sealed growler for two to three weeks. Nonetheless, as soon as it’s opened, the cider ought to be consumed in 24 to 48 hours as it is going to rapidly lose its carbonation, and a few of the pectins within the fruit will bear oxidation in a short time inflicting off flavors.
Whereas laborious cider doesn’t essentially go unhealthy or spoil in the identical methods as beers, the flavour profile will change over time and turn out to be much less nice. The style deteriorates the longer the alcohol is left to take a seat and might tackle a really vinegary style and aroma.
What’s the Distinction between a Crowler and a Growler?
You might have heard the time period crowler talked about and assumed it to be simply one other sort of growler, however the important thing distinction of a crowler is they aren’t resealable normally. They’re massive beer containers, storing as much as 64 oz of beer identical to a growler, however as soon as opened they don’t have a lid or high which will be changed.
A crowler is mainly a big aluminum can that’s crammed and pressed as you wait. Oskar Blues turned the primary craft brewery within the US to make use of crowlers in 2002 after they teamed up with the Ball Company to seek out another means for packaging beer behind their bars for draft beer lovers to take dwelling with them.
Though most microbreweries didn’t initially assume the crowler would take off, there are actually over 600 breweries in the USA providing these massive aluminum cans.
Crowlers are cheaper to provide, on common you pay solely $1 – $2 for a crowler plus the price of the beer inside it, they’re light-weight and sturdy, aluminum is designed to replicate UV rays, and the hermetic seal, when it’s pressed, can preserve the beer carbonated for 2 weeks or extra.
Nonetheless, as soon as opened it could’t be simply resealed and the beer needs to be drunk in a single go….not an issue for me if it’s stuffed with a Stone IPA!
A growler lets you reseal and savor the beer the following day, with pressurized growlers permitting for as much as 2 weeks extra enjoyment of the beer, though 64 oz of beer is unlikely to final 2 weeks in my family.
How Lengthy Does Beer Final Unopened in a Growler? Closing Ideas
In conclusion, a growler can last as long as two weeks unopened if it’s correctly sealed, saved on the appropriate temperature, and shielded from gentle and air publicity. Nonetheless, the shelf life will be affected by a number of elements, together with the kind of beer, the standard of the seal, and the situation of the growler.
Subsequently, it’s important to take correct care of your growler and put money into the very best quality growler you possibly can afford.
As soon as opened, make sure you get pleasure from that beer in 3 – 5 days at most, as contact with the surface world can rapidly trigger the beer to go flat or lose a lot of its taste.
I imply, you wouldn’t open a bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and go away it opened within the fridge for 3 days, would you? I definitely hope not!
