Aging in a Growler?

I can't say that I have ever heard of a growler aging...the only way I could see it having a chance is if the growler is opaque, well purged with CO2, and hermetically sealed.

 

I read on a here a while back about a guy opening a six year old growler. I didn't buy it, but with proper sealing it's just like a bottle really. We bottom fill our growlers which pushes out the O2, maybe then a quick purge and you could technically keep it that long, but I wouldn't try it.

 

I just opened a 2008 growler of Czar Jack, and it was fine. Screw top, but counter pressure filled.

I'd even take it a step farther - as a homebrewer, I cap on foam all the time, and bottles last fine for years. Should be fine in a growler too. Just make sure that seal is tight so the carbonation has nowhere to go. If it was me, I might just wax the top to make sure.

 

I had a year-old growler of Three Hour Tour a few months ago, it was terrible. Tasted nothing like the fresh beer, oxidized to hell, super gross. And Town Hall counter-pressure fills, I believe, so these should have higher odds of success (someone above says they had success with a TH growler).

It's just a gamble in a way that aging bottles isn't. You have to know/accept that going in. If you want to guarantee that you're drinking something good, drink it now.

 

I always laugh when Alpine tells people who ask how long it will last unopened, they say "for a long time, months". Said it yesterday when someone asked how long Keene would last.

 

I recently opened a 32oz growler of a local oak aged sour that I had been sitting on for a while (I didn't know any better). I had it in my cellar for about 2 months. Taped twist top growler. The carb had faded ever so slightly, but the beer was great. Actually opened it at a tasting and the group consensus was that it was the beer of the day.

Interesting at least.

 

I shared a growler of the same beer last year that had been in the growler for about a year and it was great!

 

The key here is making sure the growler is filled properly, which, depending on where you buy it, could be an issue. Screw caps aren't ideal, but they do hold in carbonation. If you want to age it long-term (i.e. months or more), just invest in some of those swing-top growlers. Those things seal perfectly.

 

Had a pressure filled swingtop of Victory Stormking that was about 6 months old and it was
amazing.
Wasnt even kept cool for the entire time either.
I think some beers would hold up better tho than others

 

I have had success cellaring counter filled growlers for up to two years...

 

To add to this, I had a growler of an imperial porter that I let sit for the same amount if time as the sour that I talked about above, the porter was HORRIBLE. So I guess it's somewhat results may vary, but I won't be walking this road again. The sour was great, but I'm thinking that was mostly lucky...