Tired Hands

You're beating a dead horse but I can tell you're also a little defensive as well (I know you're just protecting your brewery). I've rated many many growlers that's spend 3+ days in the summer/heat/mail, and given many high scores because I thought they were good. Been doing this for a long time, and if I thought the growler leaked or was "bad" I wouldn't have even made my post. While having it on-tap at the brewery is most always better, I can't fly there when I feel like a beer.

Edit: I've only rated 1/3 beers I've had, if that matters to you...

 

I'm going back soon to drink some more pints + eat some banger + pick up one of their chalices.

 

I brought 2 growlers of SOG home last weekend. Drank one with some friends right away.

We drank the next one 2 days later. The one we drank the first day was delicious.

The one 2 days later was good but not even close to the fresh one. Maybe half as good.

I'm sure all you understand how growlers work but they need a couple things there. One would be flip top growlers. The ones they have dont seal that good and the beer loses almost all carbonation in a day. And they need to start purging them with CO2 before filling.

 

Neither Leaflet nor Lazy Feet were anything special to me either. I fear for your Mysterious Mood Experience, however. That's been off the taps for well over a week now. Wondering how old that growler is and how well it's content will have held up since it kicked. I think they have several offerings that are above and beyond the ones you've sampled thus far.

 

They're more than happy to CO2 purge upon request.

 

That is exactly what I asked them to do with my SoG growlers and they obliged.

 

did I really just spend 20 minutes reading through this entire thread? I must have earned some type of credit for time served...

 

don't be such a "homer deluxe"

 

I liked Delicado. Haven't been blown away by anything else.

 

I think the CO2 purgiing is almost irrelevant. I am in the place all the time (2-3 times a week) and generally am a big fan of their beer. That said, growlers filled by them aren't anywhere near as good as the beer on tap (even those opened the same day as filled). I have my concerns that they don't use the best growler caps nor use the best growler filling conditions. They use the basic cheap growler caps that seem to not hold a tight seal. They also use a tap system that allows them to control the flow and carbonation level of the beer. When they go to fill a grolwer they turn the control all the way down so the beer fills very slowly and forms no head. Often times it takes over 2 minutes to fill the growler at the flow rate they use. They don't use a hose nor do they cap on foam. As a result, I am convinced the beer in the growler is less carbonated than what is served on tap and also has a fair bit of oxygen already in the growler. Just my two cents.

I think the reviews on RB speak for themselves, growler reviews are SIGNIFICANTLY lower than those from non-growlers (small sample set, I know) even when factoring in some effect of homerism.

 

I was at Tired Hands for the second time and my family had a great time. I drink a lot of beer all over the area and if some people find the beer to be average. I find your palate possibly below average.

 

My .02 cents on the growlers - I opened one filled with the coffee saison a day after getting it and it still tasted fresh. I then got a growler of the Brothers americaner Weiss and when I opened it four days later, it was basically flat and barly drinkable.

 

Anyone know what the solution is to the "substandard" growler fills? Anyone brought it up with Jean in any capacity?

 

use a tube. place tube on bottom corner of growler. fill up, but not all the way. pull out tube and disconnect from tap. pour from tap directly into growler until all foam is out and actual beer is spilling out. cap immediately. no space between cap and beer. [go to Pinocchio's to see done correctly]
or just drink your growler within a day or 2 and don't mail them out to people.

 

Yeah, I need to try the beers from the source but I don't get to PA that often. Jean should take notes from Shaun at HF and use the flip-top growlers instead of the capped growlers. I've never had a problem with a HF growler holding up...

 

it has nothing to do with the cap if you're not filling them properly.

 

I've never seen them fill them, so I can't comment on that. Just from previous experience, the flip-top growlers have seemed to hold up better for me.

Where's your avatar?

 

is the assumed issue with the growler fills that they are flat or oxidized or both? i had two growlers shipped to me and both appeared to have had perfect carbonation. just curious is all. definitely still interested in checking out the brewery when i can make the trip, but interested to hear thoughts from folks who have had beer from the tap at the brewery and then the same beer in growler form at home.

 

I just drank two growlers of Sea of Green: one opened 2nd day after being filled and one opened 6th. Both growlers were well carbonated and what's even more important 4 extra days did not affect carbonation levels at all. Having said that, their growler fills are happening exactly the way callmemickey described which is not exactly the best way to do it. I had no issues with my growlers but I could easily see why someone else would not be so fortunate. A visit to the brewery is always best of course especially with some solid every day offerings and exciting beers coming out in the near future. It is only a 2h+ drive from NYC which is not that bad.

 

Ive found the problems (when there are any) to be sub-par mouthfeel. Lower carbonation, muted flavors, etc. I can only assume its growler related issues since I've had all of their beers on tap first and wouldn't have gotten a fill if I didn't think the beer was awesome.