how long do growlers last?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by raczkowski, Nov 16, 2012.

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  1. raczkowski

    raczkowski Initiate (0) May 16, 2011 Florida
    Trader

    i have heard varying opinions on this...but then i see growlers getting traded away in the FT forums. i know that once you open them they must be drank within a day or two, but how long will a growler last if it is unopened and stored properly?
     
  2. quirkzoo

    quirkzoo Initiate (0) Jul 7, 2011 Colorado

    Depends on how it is filled. Most places just stick a tube to the bottom of the growler and cap on foam. I would say these last 2-3 weeks but you really want to drink them as soon as possible. There are a hand full of breweries that counter pressure fill their growlers, Town Hall in MN is the most notable example. I have had a growler of their beer 4 months after it was filled and it was flawless.
     
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  3. skinsfan

    skinsfan Initiate (0) May 24, 2005 Maryland

    I have had unopened growlers in my fridge for 2-3 weeks on different occasions. I have never noticed any issues once I was able to drink them. I am curious to see other responses to this question.
     
  4. CurtFromHershey

    CurtFromHershey Initiate (0) Oct 4, 2012 Minnesota

    How people have the willpower to let a growler go unopened for more than a week is beyond me.
     
    Techichi, Fristo, Wiffler27 and 29 others like this.
  5. raczkowski

    raczkowski Initiate (0) May 16, 2011 Florida
    Trader

    i would assume the place i am goign to (hop city in atlanta) does not counter pressure their growlers since they have so many to choose from (may be wrong). either way, if it lasts at least 1 week i will be happy. goign to try and take one to the florida/florida state game next Saturday so it should last as long as i keep it refrigerated.
     
  6. skinsfan

    skinsfan Initiate (0) May 24, 2005 Maryland

    I hear you. Not that it matters, but both times I had to do it was because I had to be out of town unexpectedly for an extended period of time and i had no choice. Otherwise, zero chance they would have lasted beyond a week!
     
  7. GennyCreamAle

    GennyCreamAle Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2009 New York

    I avoid buying growlers unless I intend on drinking it within a day or two. I personally would not wait more than 2 weeks to drink one.
     
    Wiffler27, tattoopunk031 and l1fted like this.
  8. kzoobrew

    kzoobrew Initiate (0) May 8, 2006 Michigan

    I have drank from growlers which were over a year old and they were still stellar. I have also drank from growlers less than a week old which did not hold up. It is all about the fill, a proper fill will lead to better results.

    My general rule of thumb is try to open with in a week, consume in the first two days after opening.
     
  9. leedorham

    leedorham Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2006 Washington

    I wish more people understood this and pressured the retailers to use cp fillers or at least purge with co2.

    I've seen plenty of places that seem to be the very embodiment of beer geekdom until you see them fill a growler off the tap.
     
    Phaedrus and Zach136 like this.
  10. bierman2000

    bierman2000 Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2003 Pennsylvania

    are we talking after you open it and screw or flip top, either will last a week or so without opening but once that beer is exposed to the air drink the screw top within a day and the flip top within 3-4 days unless you crave flat beer
     
    IPAlotwhenIdrink likes this.
  11. sportscrazed2

    sportscrazed2 Pooh-Bah (2,348) Mar 29, 2010 American Samoa
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    an hour after i crack it open
     
  12. MagillaGriller

    MagillaGriller Initiate (0) Aug 20, 2012

    Glass does not deteriorate...much. Contents....vary.
     
    Robert_Baratheon and gustogasmic like this.
  13. KingforaDay

    KingforaDay Pooh-Bah (2,421) Aug 5, 2010 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    As mentioned above, it varies, but if you want to be guaranteed freshness, I'd say open with 2-3 days of fill and once opened drink that day. I won't fill a growler though unless I am drinking it that day. if you can't drink it fresh, it sort of defeats the purpose of filling a growler anyway.
     
  14. DaveAnderson

    DaveAnderson Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2011 Minnesota

    At this year's Darkness Day, a fellow BA with whom I am friendly dropped off a growler of 2008 BCBS. It was stellar. So, I'm going with "a long time".
     
    Cfeezy likes this.
  15. modern

    modern Initiate (0) May 31, 2012 Ohio

    This may be a bit of a hijack of the thread but the growler question I think is settled. It all comes down to how you fill it. Is it possible to give someone instruction on how to fill a growler properly? Freaking TWO grocery stores near my house fill growlers now, but it turns out neither one of them has any clue how to (despite their wonderful draft selection). I'm wondering how to politely suggest a better way or is this impossible?
     
    raynmoon likes this.
  16. beerloserLI

    beerloserLI Grand Pooh-Bah (3,144) Apr 2, 2011 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    It probably also depends on the type of brew and it's percentage of alcohol. A double ipa will last longer than an amber ale etc.

    Also if the growler is screw on or has some sort of other plunger mechanism to keep air out. I have screw on growlers and I always make sure I'll be able to drink all the beer that day/evening of getting it. A day late and it's still drinkable but you'll notice the flatness.

    A week is pretty long and risky. Why not just try an take a safer bottle option?
     
    PDXAmbassador likes this.
  17. beerloserLI

    beerloserLI Grand Pooh-Bah (3,144) Apr 2, 2011 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    So, what is the proper fill that will allow the growler to stand the test of time? What's this technique as compared to just filling up a growler? Seen two posts on this proper way claim with no real details.
     
    Joenajera likes this.
  18. kzoobrew

    kzoobrew Initiate (0) May 8, 2006 Michigan

    A counter pressure filled growler is ideal, unfortunately not all that common. If a growler is not counter pressure filled the next best option would be for the head space to be purged with CO2.

    Many places that fill growlers do not use either of the aforementioned techniques. The best we can hope for is a growler to be filled with a tube and capped on foam. Many bars, breweries and what not will fill and leave a fair amount of head space, no foam, this does your beer no favors.
     
    kenatbeerswap likes this.
  19. dannyz

    dannyz Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2010 New Jersey

    This is correct... This is a photo of a 2 year old growler of barrel aged gonzo a friend shared with me, still has a nice head. Compliments to the dudes at charleston beer exchange for their growler skillz



    [​IMG]
     
    JISurfer likes this.
  20. SalukiAlum

    SalukiAlum Initiate (0) Dec 19, 2010 Colorado

    I prefer to drink a growler in 2-3 days. Awaiting my first trade for a growler that comes today, exactly 6 days after poured and shipped. Never a big fan of trading for growlers, guess I'll see how it worked out.
     
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