ATL Growler prices

It's a fad. People are paying bar prices for draft beer to go, and they can't open the places fast enough to meet demand.

 

It is crazy. Once in a while I find a well priced growler at whole foods on ponce. I picked up port mongo for 4 dollars for 32 oz. If I could by a 64 oz of sweetwater ipa for 6 bucks I would rarely drink anything else.

 

Unless it's draft only or something that's only available in bombers and comes out cheaper in growlers, I'm not buying. Thankfully I've been able to take advantage of a few Groupon or scoutmob deals to get free growler jugs, because otherwise that makes it an even worse deal.

I highly doubt many of these growler stores will last.

 

I can't agree more. This has been my strategy the whole time as well.

 

I get 32oz growlers of unbottled or unavailable stuff from the locals like Red Hare's Rabbit Reserve series, Monday Night brewing stuff and Burnt Hickory's offerings, when available.

On a side note- any Atlanta BA that's up for trying some fantastic beer should check out Burnt Hickory's tasting tomorrow- they plan to have Big Shanty Graham Cracker Stout (freakin awesome!) and a few seasonals pouring.

 

I think growlers are looked at differently depending on where you live. In my neck of PA, we don't have "growler shops" and actually very few places that sell/fill growlers at all. So for me, there are really only three situations where I would buy/fill a growler.
1. I'm at a brewery and want to take home fresh beer that I can maybe not get outside the brewery.
2. I'm at a bar that has a limited release or rare beer on tap.
3. I feel like drinking at home and a place close by has something nice on tap.
I can't really see myself going to a "growler store", unless they regularly carried hard to find stuff (at fair prices) not available in other formats in my area.

And to Alilley: those prices are insanely good and probably below the cost per ounce that a bar would pay to get those beers. If I could get Mongo for $2 a pint, I'd be all over that.

 

I live between Ale Yeah and The Beer Growler. Typically, one or the other will have something tap that a. I like, and b. is much less per ounce than in bottles.
I just consistently check their websites and occasionally call in order to figure out who has the best deal.

I anxiously await the day when Ale Yeah puts Chocolate Yeti back on the wall at 10.99 per 64 oz. That is a deal.

 

Several local breweries have draught-only beers. Stuff that comes in bombers usually come cheaper in growlers (like Jailhouse, Port, etc.). Sometimes beers that come in 4-packs end up being cheaper as well (like Terrapin). I'm sure the fad will peak and level off, so maybe after that prices will be more in line with 6-packs.

 

I'll be honest that I like getting growler fills of stuff, but I've gotten more aware of the recent spike in pricing for them.

Hopcity has expensive ones, but generally I'll only get a fill of something that I know I might like, or want to try, without buying a bomber off it, or buying a 6 pack of it. Generally the prices reflect that.. Like someone else said, I'll get some jailhouse stuff and some terrapin stuff instead of the 4 packs, or bombers, and enjoy it like that.

I'll get Wild Heavens Quad in a growler because it's draft only. Price isn't bad, so it helps.

However, I am fed up with the audacity of some of the prices. I'll shop anywhere, and Whole Foods generally has a better price for growler fills, but their selection is random, hit and miss too. Their growlers empty are only $4, and the 32oz are swing tops, so thats a decent deal. Most places want $5+.

Hop City has "okay" prices, they have the largest selection that I frequent, and I stick to draft only releases, or something I can price less or equal to buying it in bottles. $8.99 and $9.99 for a 64oz fill of a local Sweetwater is silly, IMO. It's that price for a 6-er anyways and I don't have to worry about it perishing if I don't gulp it down quickly after opening it.

I've been to a place in marietta called Moondogs Growlers, and that place is a flat out rip. They apparently are pandering to the sheep in love with the growler fad right now, because they've got another local north of town I think.

$14.49 for a 64oz of Sweetwater's Georgia Brown!? Are you kidding me? $25 bucks for Terrapins All American Pilsner? $8.99 for a 32oz ONLY pour of Terrapins Pumpkinfest.. You can buy 48oz in bottles for $8.99/9.99 everywhere.

There's a place that opened on the southside of town in Peachtree City. I think it's called Gremlin Growlers or something.. they won't even put prices on their website, but have you follow twitter and facebook, which is stupid.. But anyways.. it's pretty much ONLY local stuff. RedHare, Wild Heaven, Sweetwater, and Redbrick mostly.. Looking at their prices on their board, it's like $12-13 bucks for a 64oz growler of Sweetwater Exodus Porter and Blue??

Makes me wonder if the people in these places take note that next door you can buy all this local stuff for cheaper and you can enjoy it pretty much whenever you want.. $3 extra bucks for less beer, that can spoil faster, and then they want you pay close to $6 for the growler.. So you are pretty much paying TWICE what it could cost to get significantly less beer!

I appreciate the growler love, I do.. I have probably... 8-9 at my house of various sizes from different places, some out of state. I love the fact I can get a decent size fill of something draft only, or from far away and enjoy it at home or wherever.. Eventually the bubble is burst, and these strictly only growler shops will have to close down, or give up and drop their prices to reasonable states.


I pretty much only use my growlers now to transport my homebrew stuff from my kegerator to peoples houses or to share. I'll get a random fill when I'm out and see something good and unusual thats priced accordingly.

 

To be fair, the cost of a growler is just a one time expense, and all the places I've been to will fill any growler, not just their own. But you're right on the math. Places will close and prices will eventually even out.

 

Moondog Growler in... Marietta.
i live in Woodstock & work in Marietta so despite their tiny selection I go by every once in a while to support the small local breweries.

 

Agreed. Early on, I've had places say they only fill their own. Most have gotten wise, and will fill any with the Sg warning on them, as the only stipulation.

But put that aside, you walk into Moondog's Growlers, and they want THOSE kind of prices? Why don't I just bend over for the reaming they are offering.. I guess it's fine though, people probably pay those prices, and if people pay them, why not.

It's a case of location and availability that these places are hedging on. Marietta is a place people will pay the ultra premium for beer.. err... novelty... Peachtree City is the same down here...

I tell you what, once the state allows breweries to sell ON premise and fill growlers.. These all in growler shops will be freaking the fuck out. Places that fill growlers, and serve food, and sell bottles, will still maintain, and have staying power.. Most of those ironically have better prices on growlers, than the "growler only" places.

 

I think RedHare is primarily found ONLY there.. I've seen it at 2 other growler places, but thats about it. I'd think teaming up with them would probably hurt their ability to sell more beer, IMO.

 

Even though growlers don't make sense the majority of the time, they are great for local breweries who don't bottle who were previously only able to sell beer at restaurants and bars.

 

Maybe they need the extra revenue to fund their campaigns to further restrict GA beer laws in order to stifle competition. Yes, you heard that right. Moondog Growlers is working behind the scenes to place additional restrictions on the types of places that are allowed to sell growlers in order to boost their business at the expense of customer choice. It's people like this preventing the local brewpubs from selling growlers so they can sell more PBR (and, yes, Moondog sells PBR growlers).

 

I have to agree with some of the other posters here, I find myself in Hop City looking at the prices and usually just have to pass. Sometimes if they have something unusual on tap I'll get a 32oz of it but usually I don't leave with a filled growler.

When I lived in Athens though, the 5 points bottle shop would surprise me a lot with some of the beers they had on tap.

 

Where are people paying bar prices? I just got a 32 oz fill of Lagunitas IPA for $4.00. One glass of that is over $4 at bars in ATL.

Lots are more than bottle prices, but not more than bar prices.