RUSHING THE GROWLER

The Growler has been carrying beer from breweries and bars to home (and work) since the 1800’s (beer was a safer beverage than water or milk back then so work-beer was common). Back when the Growler was most popular -- in the late 1800's, teenagers used to gather workers’ pails and fill them at the breweries – transporting the pails on poles. This practice was called “Rushing the Growler.”

We decided to update this practice and created our own Rushing the Growler tour of Seattle and the East Side. Rather than pick up lots of beer at one brewery and distribute it to many people, we picked up lots of beer from lots of breweries for one single purpose... research. Before discussing our findings, we give you a brief history of the Growler

The metal-pail Growler made its appearance in the 1800’s. After prohibition was repealed, a few breweries made Growlers of glass bottles with handle and lid which were refilled at local bars. In the 1950’s and 60’s, many states prohibited alcohol sales on Sunday. During that time, Growlers took the form of waxed, cardboard boxes that were filled on Saturday night for drinking on Sunday.

As states got looser with the liquor laws, the Growler sort of died out. That is until the microbrewery revolution of the late twentieth century.

In 1989, Wyoming based Otto Brothers’ Brewery was too small for bottling but wanted to appease the many customer requests for beer to go. Their dad suggested the Growler -- which he remembered from his youth. One of the brothers set up a home silk-screening kit and printed their label on half-gallon, glass jugs which were sold to customers and happily refilled at the brewery.

The Growler was back.

Growlers are communal, economical, and green: communal because you fill them at the tap of local (and social) breweries and taverns; economical because they cost from $5 up to fill; and green because you reuse the container.

If you want to get some great-tasting, tap beer at home without buying a keg, here are some facts to know before you go:

• Expect breweries to have the actual glass jug to buy. Malt & Vine and Über sell them too. Otherwise, call ahead to taverns to find out whether or not you have to bring the jug or can buy one there
• The jugs tend to be half-gallon sized but are filled a little better than the measurement mark. You'll get a little more than 4 pints or just shy of a 6 pack of beer. We did see a woman fill a one gallon Growler while on our tour (it was branded from Fish Tale which is an organic brewery located in Olympia).
• Some of the breweries charge a little more to fill a "foreign" Growler -- a not-so-green policy that we don't support.
• Keep it cold. The colder it is the more the beer will keep carbonated.
• Keep it dark. Light reacts with beer causing "skunking." If possible, use brown bottles and keep it in a dark space.
• Keep it short. Don't try to age a Growler. While we got reports of Growlers lasting up to a month or more, most brewers say to drink it within a week of purchasing it and within a day of opening it.
• Expect the beer-tenders to act a little funny about getting their picture taken

Back to our Rushing the Growler Tour. Seven Growlers, one Subaru, a designated driver, and a designated taster… Friday the 13th sure can be fun.

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