Crowlers in the NW

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by sharpski, Jul 19, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 2 of 11
  1. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    As someone with more growlers than I need of various sizes, I didn't see the appeal at first, but the ability to be spontaneous rather than carry growlers with me has had an unexpected affect on my buying habits. The pre-Crowler popularity of growler fill stations suggests it's not a scarcity of growlers driving the Crowler's popularity, so does this rapid increase in Crowler adoption mean there was a vast untapped market of people who didn't want to commit to owning a growler (new customers) or are people just leaving their glass/metal at home and using Crowlers instead (existing customers using different format)? Interesting to see a change in packaging with no change to the consumed product itself have such a big impact on sales trends.

    Also, at the volume GG's seems to run and the footprint of their locations, making room for enough cans to supply 50% of sales would have to be a serious consideration. Those empty cans don't pack very tightly, so they must have some off-site storage needs for the pallets they're running through.
     
    #21 sharpski, Aug 11, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2015
    BBThunderbolt likes this.
  2. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader


    I know it sounds weird, but I get the impression that there is a good size population of potential consumers who are put off by the growler investment cost. One the growler stations over in Springfield was doing something I've seen no place else. The growler underground fill price includes a new growler if you don't happen to have one with you. The manager told me that they didn't want the additional cost of the glassware to factor into the decision to buy a fill. Apparently, they felt there was sufficient, potential loss of business from customers who would walk out rather than buying a jar, that the decision was justified.

    I pointed out the obvious (that this would just lead to customers viewing the glassware as a disposable piece of trash), but he seemed to feel that most of the folks who were getting a free jar, were coming back in to get a refill, rather than coming in and just picking up another free jar.

    The cost of a new growler seems fairly negligible to me, but apparently for a lot of folks, having to plop down an extra $4 or $5 for a jar is a deal breaker. For those folks, having the crowler option is the difference between making a sale and (apparently) having them walk out the door empty handed. Add to that people like you and me, who have a large jar collection, but often times forget to pack them in the car... again, it's the difference between making a sale and having a prospective customer go elsewhere (or just go home empty handed).
     
    #22 John_M, Aug 11, 2015
    sharpski, Strangestbrewer and BBThunderbolt like this.
  3. WhiteJordan

    WhiteJordan Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2012 Washington

    For those of you that are filling crowlers, where do you store a pallet of cans? Is your facility large enough to easily house them, did you have to make room, off-site? Do you sanitize the cans before filling or just rinse? Are you purging with co2 or just filling off the tap? Have you had any negative experiences with cans not being properly filled?

    I am trying to justify this to my boss, but am trying to present a plan that covers all bases. Thanks for your help!
     
    #23 WhiteJordan, Aug 11, 2015
  4. blackcloud

    blackcloud Savant (1,243) Apr 28, 2012 Alaska
    Trader

    La Bodega in Anchorage used to (maybe they still do, I've not investigated in a while) used to have a growler-loaner (take a growler leave a growler?) program. seemed pretty cool.
     
    #24 blackcloud, Aug 11, 2015
  5. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I don't see this so much out here on the West Coast, but a lot of places do that on the East Coast. For whatever reason, it was mostly the places filling those german style, flip top growlers (forget what they're called now), that would do this. Some places, you could just hand in your empty growlers and they would hand you prefilled replacements. I agree, it was pretty cool.
     
    #25 John_M, Aug 11, 2015
  6. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Took a trip down to CA this past weekend to see family and took a Crowler of RPM and Pallet Jack. It was much easier than trying to pack down the glass in my cooler, especially since I needed the room for beers I had made. Worked out great, and I didn't have to worry about grabbing my glass. Just cruised by GG, and had a pint while I waited.
     
    #26 jbakajust1, Aug 11, 2015
    Moose90 and sharpski like this.
  7. m4ttj0nes

    m4ttj0nes Zealot (611) Feb 21, 2012 Oregon
    Trader

    since we got the crowler machine, lets just say i can't leave our GG location w/o a can (or 5.) unless i need a double walled stainless growler to keep the beer cold outside of a cooler, i'm all crowlers all the time baby.
     
    #27 m4ttj0nes, Aug 11, 2015
  8. Hanserelli

    Hanserelli Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2013 Washington

    #28 Hanserelli, Aug 11, 2015
  9. Sechrist

    Sechrist Initiate (0) Aug 16, 2013 Oregon

    Any chance we could get a running list of locations that have crowlers? I'm just a little fuzzy on which GG locations have a machine and which don't. Between trading/hiking/camping/rafting I've become a pretty big fan. I'll do my best to start it based on this thread.

    Oregon
    Bailey's Taproom
    Growler Guys (both Bend locations, Eugene, SE Portland?)
    Deschutes (Bend brewpub)
    Oregon City Brewing
    Stickmen Brewing

    Washington
    Geaux Brewing
    Growler Guys (Spokane)

    Alaska
    Seward Brewing
     
    #29 Sechrist, Aug 11, 2015
    sharpski likes this.
  10. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Ballard Beer Company in Seattle talked about doing crowlers, but I have no clue if they are yet.
     
    #30 distantmantra, Aug 11, 2015
  11. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Elizabeth Station in Bellingham.
     
    #31 BBThunderbolt, Aug 11, 2015
    Moose90 and sharpski like this.
  12. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    The other thing I like about crowlers... I can never find the caps/lids to my growlers unless they are the swing top kind.
     
    #32 jbakajust1, Aug 12, 2015
  13. osubeav2003

    osubeav2003 Zealot (574) Nov 12, 2013 Oregon
    Trader

    Just went to GG Portland location today and got Crowlers of Hop Venom, Pallet Jack and Fork Lift. They just got theirs on Thursday. Very quick and nice format to have.
     
    #33 osubeav2003, Aug 12, 2015
    jbakajust1, BBThunderbolt, TaborTime and 1 other person like this.
  14. chinochino

    chinochino Initiate (0) Jul 29, 2013 Washington

    Damn.........I mean really.........how does it get better than this..........drones???
     
    #34 chinochino, Aug 12, 2015
    guajolote and woemad like this.
  15. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I don't know about GG's storage or rinse vs. sanitize, but I've observed them consistently purge with CO2, fill with sanitized fill tube, "cap" on foam, hold the lid down with a finger while quickly rinsing the outside of the can, slide the can down the drip tray to the point closest to the seamer, place the can in and seal it up.

    The link for the above GG's quote is http://m.ktvz.com/news/can-it-crowler-craze-hits-central-oregon/34644104
    If your boss is familiar with the Growler Guys, it may be helpful to read the experience of someone else in the industry.
     
    #35 sharpski, Aug 12, 2015
  16. cherche

    cherche Pooh-Bah (2,476) Mar 27, 2013 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Ill take one of each please :slight_smile:
     
    #36 cherche, Aug 12, 2015
  17. blackcloud

    blackcloud Savant (1,243) Apr 28, 2012 Alaska
    Trader

    one addition for AK
     
    #37 blackcloud, Aug 12, 2015
  18. mactrail

    mactrail Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,999) Mar 24, 2009 Washington
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    You're right, these big cans would be ideal for trading.
     
    #38 mactrail, Aug 13, 2015
    Moose90 likes this.
  19. mactrail

    mactrail Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,999) Mar 24, 2009 Washington
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Tin Dog in south Seattle is doing crowlers.
    [IMG<a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/130547938@N05/L6aP76[/IMG]</a>
     
    #39 mactrail, Aug 13, 2015
  20. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Correction: Deschutes' Crowler is at the production brewery tasting room, not at the brewpub. Would love crowlers of some pub exclusives, but it's not meant to be (yet).
     
    #40 sharpski, Aug 13, 2015
    jbakajust1 likes this.
Page 2 of 11
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.