I just bought a flip-top bomber for the first time and I'm wondering how long they typically stay carbonated. One of my local brewery says 48 hours for their screw-top growlers but I find it to be less than 24 hrs. While on the topic of growlers, how much does a typical growler (64 oz) cost in your area? I can get one for $10 CAD (taxes in) .
"Bomber" usually refers to a 22oz bottle that is filled on a bottling machine. Did you buy a 22oz flip top bomber or a 22oz flip-top growler? If it was filled under counter-pressure on a bottling machine then the CO2 should stay good indefinitely. If it was filled unpressurized then the CO2 in solution can be reduced instantly, as filled, or within a few hours, or stay good for several years. I've had growlers go flat on the car ride home, and I've had growlers stay carbonated for about 2 years. It depends on how it is filled, how much of a pocket of CO2 was created when filled, and how well it is sealed. A rule of thumb is 1-2 days. If it didn't go flat when filled, it can easily stay carbonated for much longer than 2 days, but if the growler was filled without being CO2 flushed, then oxidation is also an issue. Flip tops tend to seal better than screw tops, but the CO2 in the beer can come out of solution and fill the headspace in the growler even if the seal is tight. In my area 64oz growlers usually sell for $5, but some are more expensive (flip tops are more expensive and stainless steel ones are even more so). The fill itself ranges from $10 to $15.
The bottles at this particular brewtique are pre-filled so I'm assuming they were filling on a bottling machine. Thanks for the insightful reply!
No problem. The flip-top should keep just as well as a traditional crown cap. The only issue with long term aging would be the rubber gasket drying out. Cheers.
