Why I hate CA growler laws

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by Arbitrator, Sep 3, 2012.

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  1. Xul

    Xul Pooh-Bah (2,115) May 18, 2008 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Too bad they charge bar pitcher prices for their fills...it's only a matter of a few bucks, but the beers that I'd be willing to pay the premium for, they won't do growlers of.
     
  2. MacNCheese

    MacNCheese Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2011 California

    Life sucks, doesn't it. More and more breweries are charging 'pitcher prices' for growlers these days.
     
  3. tjensen3618

    tjensen3618 Savant (1,225) Mar 23, 2008 California

    Like I said before in this thread. 90% of packaged beer has a sticker label.
    Enegren Brewing labels their growlers with stickers.
     
  4. stupac2

    stupac2 Pooh-Bah (2,031) Feb 22, 2011 California
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yeah, but you can see why most breweries would be hesitant to change without a clear, unambiguous ruling. There's a reason that the whole "single brewery growler" thing started in the first place, and it's going to take a statement from someone who's opinion matters (ie no one here) to change their minds.

    That some do it and don't get in trouble doesn't necessarily mean anything. Could just be lax enforcement. I mean, how many bottleshops buy and resell brewery-only beer? I bet we all know of a few, and that is definitely illegal. Just no one cares. But most don't, because it's not worth the (small) risk. I'd venture there's a similar calculation going on here.
     
  5. tyrsis

    tyrsis Savant (1,050) Mar 13, 2009 California
    Trader

    They charge only $3 because their fills are expensive. 23 bucks for Bacon and Eggs...
     
  6. theconductor

    theconductor Zealot (715) Nov 4, 2008 California

    What if a small start up brewery decided to go green and recycle. They gathered used bottles from other local breweries, restaurants or stores, cleaned them and remove the labels. Then filled them, relabeled them and sold them?
     
  7. OneBeertoRTA

    OneBeertoRTA Initiate (0) Jan 2, 2010 California

    Was at Pizza Port last night and every beer I wanted in a growler or pitcher was only available in sub pint format.

    Alesmith has insanely awesome growler prices
     
  8. sandiego67

    sandiego67 Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2008 California

    Someone would come up with a theory that it takes more energy and money to clean perfectly good bottles than to haul them away, smash them up, melt them down, produce new bottles and ship them back to you.

    Apparently, no one wants American beer bottles to look like recycled Mexican beer bottles.
     
  9. theconductor

    theconductor Zealot (715) Nov 4, 2008 California

    I get that! I just meant, would it be legal?
     
  10. MacNCheese

    MacNCheese Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2011 California

    So? Ounce for Ounce, that's about what you'd pay for bombers of Victory-at-Sea. I don't really see the issue since none of the pizza ports bottle anything (yet).
     
  11. mrkrispy

    mrkrispy Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2006 California


    People on BA often don't realize (or don't remember) that local communities and police departments often have a say in beer packaging as well as the ABC. For example, SDPD may require a brewery to have a growler closure that shows whether or not it has been opened or a tag with additional information not found on the container label. The above business code/law does not state that the growler label must have the ABV printed on it, but a police department or local code may insist upon it.
     
    albertq17 and pinkgrenade like this.
  12. Earlycsquid

    Earlycsquid Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2013 California

    Don't most places handle that by simply plastic wrap sealing the top or zip tying it and giving your growler a little tag that states what it is and the abv info.

    How much more difficult would it be to just slap a sticker on it of your company logo.
     
  13. elNopalero

    elNopalero Grand Pooh-Bah (4,568) Oct 14, 2009 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    So where in the great state of California can you get your (outsider) growlers filled? (Filled and appropriately labeled with a tag or sticker slapped on the jug as per the law, that is.)
     
  14. hophead247

    hophead247 Initiate (0) Jan 27, 2008 California

    Buffalo Bills in Hayward will fill any growler with their beer no matter where it's from...and I've never seen them place a sticker, tag, etc on the growler.

    It is Buffalo Bills though...
     
  15. MacNCheese

    MacNCheese Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2011 California

    One of you armchair lawyers needs to sue the ABC and get clarification via a judge.
     
  16. rob133

    rob133 Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2009 California
    Deactivated


    Ale Industries in Concord (but maybe soon moving to Oakland) have filled any growler and placed a sticker on them since they opened up. It's been a while since I stopped by, but I am not aware that they have changed their policy.

    I have also been at ******* and seen them fill a wide variety of random flip top bottles. From 64oz growlers, to the 32 oz flip top bottle (they produce themselves) to random wine shaped bottles. Not sure it is something they do on a regular basis, but I have seen the same people get fills on more than one occasion - no labels were being fixed.


    ******* - I'll leave the name out as I truly think these were a friend of the server and not something they do regularly if you walk up and ask.
     
  17. drewone

    drewone Pooh-Bah (2,199) Sep 18, 2006 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader


    There is a place in Berkeley that allowed me to fill my Russian River growler up. ( I called before I went to ask if they had growler and was told no but if I had one they would fill it).
     
  18. MacNCheese

    MacNCheese Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2011 California

    I LOVE their *(#?>%* beer and the !!@#*^%'s beer so much!
     
  19. rob133

    rob133 Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2009 California
    Deactivated

    Well I didn't see any value in calling out a barman for doing something I don't believe he does on a regular basis, and I am not sure that he was doing it with the brewers/owners consent - therefore I see little value in naming the place.
     
  20. stupac2

    stupac2 Pooh-Bah (2,031) Feb 22, 2011 California
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I just heard back from the ABC person:

    So that sounds pretty definitive.
     
    DrAwkward82 and SageO like this.
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