How long is a growler good for?

The folks at Bierkraft in Brooklyn have kept counter-pressure-filled screw-cap growlers for over a year, for their own consumption. I myself haven't waited more than a few months with those. I've kept swing-top growlers for a couple of months, too, with good results.

I would hesitate to keep a screw-top growler that's not counter-pressure-filled for more than a few days; but if the seal is good, and it was filled well, I could see it lasting a while.

 

As long as you don't drop it then it in theory should be good forever.

 

Yeah, if you make sure the cap is screwed on good and tight, I've found they'll last a good bit longer than we generally think they will. A few years ago, I brought home a growler after work, and drank about half. It got pushed to the back of the fridge, and forgotten about. About 4 months later, I notice it, and pull it out to drain it. When I twisted the cap, there was a nice, sharp crack and fizz, and as I poured into the sink, I noticed that it was foaming fairly well. Poured a bit into a glass, and it was still fine enough to drink. So I did.

 

I've never had one last the evening....glug,glug,glug

 

not sure if serious.....

 

Varies considerable. I have had my good buddy maximum12 send me Town Hall growlers that seem to last forever. Tired Hands and Selinsgrove, you better drink them the day you fill them.

 

Taking this a step further; I have a friend who has DFH 120 in a growler that he's been saving and plans on saving for years. I know that this beer "ages well," but will it still keep in a growler long enough to age well or is he better off drinking it?

 

They never last more than a day or 2 for me.

 

Guessing more literal than anything. (in which case, it's accurate)


I enjoy sticking to the 2 day rule once cracked open. 4 days tops from fill to last sip.

 

I've only had the screw top variety and I once saved one for about 2 weeks to share with some friends. It was pretty flat and I was really disappointed that they didn't get to enjoy a good example of the beer. Now I don't think I will ever push my luck by holding onto a screw top growler for over a week.

 

I've had Double Bastard, So Happens it's Tuesday and w00tst0ut 2.0 recently that have all lasted several weeks unopened. 24 hours is my limit once it's been opened though....especially IPA's. I suppose the heavy, dark stouts that are barely carbonated to start with may go further opened....and these have been swing tops....

 

I've had screw top growlers last over a year. The key is fill the growler up to the neck and have it overflow with a bit of foam. Cap it right away with the foam is still spilling out and tighten the cap very tightly. No oxygen gets in at all that way, thus the beer lasts.

I have a year old growler of BCBS with a screw top I'm going to crack open at Thanksgiving. I expect it to be totally awesome.

 

A group of us opened two growlers from last night - one from Minneapolis Town Hall and one from Spring House. Both were filled at least two weeks ago and both were fine. MTH counter pressure fills their growlers. Spring House does not.

 

The growlers I get are poured from a Pegas Growler Filler, I've kept them for months before opening them, and they're still fresh....of course once opened you're on borrowed time...2-3 days max

 

Just throw some tape around the screw cap and you should be fine for as long as it would normally be fine in the bottle.

 

Enjoy and post back with how it was please. Interested in hearing the results.

 

Had several really hoppy growlers (ceramic swing tops) that we opened almost 4 weeks later and they were still fine.

 

Tired Hands uses really cheap swing tops. If you fill them with water and flip them upside down, sometimes they leak (at least in my experience with the 3 growlers I've gotten from there). I think it has to do with how tight/ stiff the swingtop mechanism is on a specific growler.

 

Speaking strictly for screw tops.
As long as the original seal put on by the brewery isn't broken, and you store it at the same temperature it was filled at. You can hold onto it until it bores you with its presence and begs you to drink it.
Just like packaged beer. Once you deviate from that original temperature. It's a different and much quicker paced ballgame.
And once that seal is broken 2 days.