Barrel Theory Beer Company

They will probably purge the growlers with CO2 before filling them. They probably have this setup in the basement, so the logistics of filling growlers people bring in doesn't make sense.

 

Awesome. The growlers I've had that were filled with a counter pressure system have always held up really well. Hope that's the case here.

 

Breweries make very little profit on selling $5 growler glassware, and, if they pre-fill growlers, they lose any of those profits on cleaning costs when they exchange glassware. Obviously breweries are for-profit operations, so ultimately "we can make more money that way" drives most decisions, but "integrity of the product" is not "bunk." If a customer gets a dirty growler filled and then shares infected beer with friends, that's bad for the brewery's reputation. If a customer gets a different brewery's growler filled and brings it to a party, and the credit for the beer accrues to the brewery named on the growler label instead of the brewery that produced the beer, that's a failed marketing opportunity. And, in general, growlers should be counter pressure filled, not filled directly from the tap, whenever possible. That's best practice for avoiding flat beer (which mutes aroma and flavor and, again, harms the brewery's reputation). I see a lot of righteous demands that breweries engage in more rigorous quality control. Well, properly filling properly cleaned growlers is an aspect of quality control. I'm not saying that breweries shouldn't choose to fill external growlers (or mason jars or milk jugs or any other sealable container, which few realize also is legal in Minnesota); that's what many customers demand, and it may well be worth the reputational risk to placate those customers. But I definitely understand and respect why they're hesitant.

 

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Didn't mean to imply that integrity of the product isn't important. But I think that the concern about people bringing in dirty growlers is completely overblown. People that regularly get growlers filled at different breweries understand how to clean them. I just don't buy the idea that folks are emptying one and then heading straight to the next place without properly cleaning it.

 

I've been to two this week alone where customers were bringing in growlers to be refilled and the staff had to explain the growlers need to be cleaned. You could see the mold in them. At one I could hear the distain in the beertenders voice as she had to take the time to clean in properly herself. Luckily they had just opened and weren't busy.

 

Filling growlers/crowlers takes time ,a busy tap room does not have this time during tap room hours if folks come in with empties. So on days closed for the brewery they fill growlers make crowlers and clean glassware. I will always take a counter pressured filled growler over a tap filled one, on the flip side i have no problem filling my personal cleaned growler from the tap for those breweries that do so.

 

I just hope they can keep them stocked regularly.

 

I was at Tanzenwald in Northfield yesterday and they will exchange any MN brewery growler for one of their own. Wouldn't fill my stainless growler because they want to ensure they have clean fills. I didn't quite agree as a widemouth stainless growler is easy to see the cleanliness of, but that is their call I guess.

I was shocked that they were charging $20 for a growler fill of any of their beers, (except their sour) $18 if you have their glass or trade in one from a MN brewery, and were filling them from the taps. I liked all of the beers I tried, but that pricing was too high for me.

 

Which breweries counter pressure fill?

 

This is where you lost me. That's a BS straw man argument (unlike the rest of your post, which was well thought out). 100% of the time I share a growler, folks ask where the beer came from regardless of what the growler says.

Either way, just exchange any glass for your own. Problem solved.

 

How is that a straw man argument?

 

Perhaps a bad use of it. It is, IMO, a misrepresentation, but likely not intentional in this case.

 

Minnesota breweries are weird with growlers.

 

Going to chime in here with maybe the first negative review, went there before the Saints game Friday night. I definitely want to try them again in a couple months, I know there can be hiccups.

I got huge diacetyl off Raining 3's. I know I'm a bit sensitive to it, but I dont think it was just a background flavor since I got the full movie theater experience out of it. I can't imagine this was the same batch as most had on the first few days. Perhaps its batch 2 and they didnt expect to be out of batch 1 so fast?

Purple lamborghini was a bit too tart into sour for me, im usually a big berliner fan and love all the Schell's stuff but for me it went a bit too far. Maybe it was the contrast of NEIPA and Berliner messing with the palate? I love the color though.

Tear drops was good, but not great compared to Hooey/Blissful and 755. Could also have been palate fatigue after the first round.

Drop tops was also pretty good.

 

I am on the opposite side of this arguement. I wish it was more tart but have heard people argue both ways. Probably a matter of preference.

As for diacetyl I would be very surprised if this was the case. I have been there a ton and had conversations with tons of beer drinkers and have heard/experienced zero of this. It's a pretty common allegation that people make, many times incorrectly. Before blowing it up on a board I would definitely contact the brewery if it is an issue.

 

Fair enough, I am fairly confident of what the flavor was (homebrewing and off flavor trainings), I definitely don't think or want to accuse them of intentionally putting it out there that way, but all I can offer is my experience. I dont think it was much in the aroma, but thats how my receptors picked it up. If that means that its something else and my taste wires are crossed I dont know

 

I think it's probably ok just to go ahead and voice your experience, especially on a forum like this. I'm a huge fan of BT IPAs, but last Tuesday I noticed that the Raining 3's faded a bit over time, assuming (maybe incorrectly) that it's been the same batch since open. Plus, I don't think one bad (or mediocre) review will kill their business. It's certainly not going to keep me away.

 

Claiming infection and severe flaws is different than not liking a beer IMO. I'm all for giving shitty reviews of you don't like a beer. I just feel that people should be careful going beyond that. At that point you are not giving just your experience, you are declaring a truth about that beer that may or may not be accurate.

 

Definitely agree that Purple Lamborghini wasn't that tart at all, as the berry overwhelmed. Still fucking delicious but not the tart bomb that their other 2 Berliners were.

Can't speak to Raining 3s, as I only had it on opening day.

 

And if anyone ever wants to go to Barrel Theory and has no one to go with, feel free to contact me. I live 2 blocks away. I don't think I'm creepy or anything.