The Growler Question

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by BeerKangaroo, May 31, 2012.

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  1. Nuggethops

    Nuggethops Initiate (0) Jun 7, 2010 New Hampshire

    I rinse with hot water but also use the one step rinse sanitizer you can buy at homebrew supply stores for cleaning brewing equipment and bottles. Never had any issues
     
  2. gothedistance

    gothedistance Initiate (0) Jul 23, 2009 South Carolina

    Would baking soda be possible? That works really well
     
  3. kzoobrew

    kzoobrew Initiate (0) May 8, 2006 Michigan

    I try to avoid it when I can. As stated previously, fat or oil based detergents are not ideal the problem is trying to find a non fat or oil based dish soap. White vinegar works wonders when cleaning glassware, great for removing mineral deposits from hard water too.
     
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  4. KingforaDay

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

    Not washing glasses with soap? Sometimes I think we all think too much about these things. I just got into the growler fills myself so will avoid the soap, based on what has been said here but have never had a problem with glassware and always wash with dish soap. A good long rinse seems to work fine.
     
  5. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    Every place I get Growlers from they just swap them out. I bring in a dead one they give me a fresh one filled, I've never had to reuse my own growler.
     
  6. MichPaul

    MichPaul Initiate (0) Jan 28, 2012 Michigan

    Wow that is VERY cool! I've only ever filled my growler up at Founders and it seems like they have just filled it up and handed it back. I don't mind though, it's all tasted good coming out of the thing! I've just rinsed mine with water as well. Growlers don't seem to do much for price savings though, so I haven't filled mine up in quite some time. I love a growler full of Breakfast Stout though!
     
  7. kzoobrew

    kzoobrew Initiate (0) May 8, 2006 Michigan

    Ultimately it is personal preference. I will say that the no soap argument does have some legitimacy, it is what the Brewers Association recommends. http://www.draughtquality.org/w/page/18182205/Glassware Cleaning
     
  8. beerwolf

    beerwolf Devotee (339) Feb 23, 2012 Washington

    I used to do this until one morning the growler exploded, sending hot water and glass everywhere. I'm not joking. Just a word of warning.
     
  9. nrs207

    nrs207 Initiate (0) Sep 8, 2011 Pennsylvania

    I just wash everything with soap to be sure. I've never found it to affect the head and still get really nice lacing with a lot of beers. I just rinse out the soap a ton of times to make sure it's as gone as it can be. I'm a bit of a clean freak, so if it's affecting my glasses, oh well. Never have had a problem though.
     
  10. RedMedicine

    RedMedicine Initiate (0) Jun 3, 2005 Oregon

    Man, if I lived my live with that level of obsession and attention to detail, I think I might miss quite a bit of what was going on around me.
     
  11. elgiacomo

    elgiacomo Initiate (0) Jun 28, 2007 Georgia

    I agree. Closing the cap can also trap off odors too. I work at a store that fills growlers and we've seen that even if they've been rinsed multiple times with scalding hot water until any beer smell is gone, allowed to fully dry and then capped back shut, more often than not, a day or two later the beer smell will have re-appeared. Now, we always recommend leaving the lid off after rinsing/drying and so there are no off odors at all. No worries about dust since we rinse and sanitize before filling.

    Also, don't forget the rinse off the cap! We see this a lot. Super-clean growler but a cap covered in moldy beer...

    Doesn't hurt to wash the outside of the growler with soap and water from time to time too as they can get pretty grimy over time from fingerprints and such.
     
  12. lemongelo

    lemongelo Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2008 North Carolina

    I would use homebrew sanitizer.
     
  13. lucas1801

    lucas1801 Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2012 Massachusetts

    Being a homebrewer does have it's advantages for these situations. I don't worry about soap in my glasses any more though, just rinse well.
     
  14. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,145) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I don't, I scrub and use hot water, no soap. Soap residue is bad.

    As for growlers I add one step after rinsing, which is to use star san after a thorough hot water rinse.

    In NYS every growler filler is required by law to have a capability to clean rinse growlers brought in for fill. I always take them up on it.
     
  15. cosmo4u

    cosmo4u Initiate (0) Nov 18, 2010 New York
    Trader

    agreed. Ive never walked into defiant or cable bev. without them giving my growlers a good cleaning before the fill!
     
  16. howopeeps

    howopeeps Initiate (0) Mar 7, 2011 Ohio
    Trader

    What about storing a filled growler. In the fridge or cellar
     
  17. TheNoodleIncident

    TheNoodleIncident Initiate (0) Apr 30, 2012 New York

    ive also read about the "no-soap" on glassware many times, but honestly just can't be bothered by it and haven't noticed any ill effects....not to say it's not true, it just doesn't bother me

    what about dishwasher soap? is that fat/oil based? i seem to remember that it might be different that liquid dishsoap? my sturdy pint glasses go through the dishwasher (delicate stuff is handwashed), so i might be following the "no soap" rule by accident. and if that is the case, ill switch to sprinkling some dishwasher powder into my growler instead of liquid soap when it needs more power that just hot water
     
  18. BellportBeer

    BellportBeer Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2006 New York

    Simple. Rinse with hot water 2x and dump. Make sure you clean the cap. Fill again with hotter water, cap and shake like you are in a 7.2 earthquake. Dump and rinse. Dry upside down. Take a small piece of paper towel and put over the opening, and cap loosely for storing (over paper towel) any condensate left will be absorbed by the paper towel. no chance for mold. I've been doing growlers at my store for almost 5 years, this seems to be the method that works for most of my regulars.
    If it's a dirty, nasty one, run it through the dishwasher, then try the above. Or make it into a lamp. Or throw it at your nieghbors car, (if it is deserved) it makes a nice dent, and leaves a mess for them to clean up!
    Cheers!
     
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  19. TheNoodleIncident

    TheNoodleIncident Initiate (0) Apr 30, 2012 New York

    Boy, that escalated quickly! :stuck_out_tongue:
     
    BellportBeer likes this.
  20. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    Even though I have glasses that are for my use exclusively, I do use a little soap on the lip of the glass and rinse it immediately with hot water then with cold water.
     
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