Growler Fills in MD?

Discussion in 'New England' started by jimmy666, Jun 9, 2013.

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  1. jimmy666

    jimmy666 Initiate (0) Jun 20, 2010 Maryland

    Who is excited? I know Baltimore has been able to fill growlers for some time, July first I hear every other county will be able to. I know I'm stoked :slight_smile: you?
     
    #1 jimmy666, Jun 9, 2013
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  2. Beerontwowheels

    Beerontwowheels Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2009 Maryland

    I'm only excited about the shops that will fill growlers regardless of where you bought the glass. I don't need any more friggin' growlers and if you require me to buy your growler, that's a deal breaker. (I'm glaring at you, I.M. Wine)
     
    #2 Beerontwowheels, Jun 10, 2013
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  3. jimmy666

    jimmy666 Initiate (0) Jun 20, 2010 Maryland

    I think the law says shops can only fill their growlers, I hear ya though as I have a few myself
     
    #3 jimmy666, Jun 10, 2013
  4. Beerontwowheels

    Beerontwowheels Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2009 Maryland

    I was afraid that was the case.
     
    #4 Beerontwowheels, Jun 10, 2013
  5. Beerontwowheels

    Beerontwowheels Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2009 Maryland

    I would love to know the reasoning behind such foolishness too. If anyone understands why such a clause was included, please, do tell.
     
    #5 Beerontwowheels, Jun 10, 2013
  6. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I have no idea. I asked the bartender at Max's (they have a very prominent sign there indicating that they're just adhering to the law), and he just shrugged.

    California has a similar law, but it's only for breweries and brewpubs. Why you would have a similar requirement for a beer bar is beyond my ability to fathom.
     
    #6 John_M, Jun 10, 2013
  7. brees6221

    brees6221 Initiate (0) Aug 4, 2009 Western Sahara

    Snipped from http://crofton.patch.com/articles/crofton-lawmaker-business-move-to-sell-beer-in-growlers

    ("Fisher" is John Fisher, owner of Staples Corner; "Reilly" is Senator Ed Reilly)

    The only reservation Fisher had about the proposed law is the restriction it places on who can refill each growler. The law would require each liquor store or bar to label their growlers and only refill those bottles.

    "When people come in the door on July 1 and ask me to fill up their growler, it's going to cause a lot of confusion," Fisher said.

    Growler bottles range in price from $5 to $30 and beyond. Fisher said buying multiple growlers and making sure to bring the right bottle to the right retailer is going to cause a lot of unnecessary headaches.

    "We didn’t want people bringing in milk cartons; we didn’t want Pepsi bottles," Reilly said. "We crafted [the bill] in such a way that the identifier is clearly visible to the retailer."

    The senator is open to discussing an amendment in the future that would define growlers and permit retailers to refill a competitor's jug.

    Right now though, he's focused on passing the initial law for Anne Arundel County.

    I wish they would take an extra week and define growlers from the start. I doubt once the retailers start making money from glass sales (or stainless steel in the case of IM Wine's new $20 growler) they won't care enough to push for the amendment, and Senator Reilly will have more pressing issues to deal with.
     
    #7 brees6221, Jun 10, 2013
  8. brees6221

    brees6221 Initiate (0) Aug 4, 2009 Western Sahara

    I sent emails to Delegate Vitale and Senator Reilly suggesting they define growlers from the start and allow retailers to fill any growler and received a very fast response from Senator Reilly:

    Ben, We did update the bill for AA County to allow any growler to be refilled within the county regardless of the name of the label. Each county has its own rules so I could not make it a state wide bill. The growler must have certain labels on the outside for it to be reused.

    Sincerely,
    Edward R Reilly

    Guess who has two thumbs and lives in Anne Arundel County?!? That's right, THIS GUY!!!

    I'm not sure what "certain labels" means, but even if I have to buy one growler that can be refilled anywhere within the county, that's better than nothing.
     
    #8 brees6221, Jun 10, 2013
  9. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I don't mean to say anything disparaging about your rep, but I'm wondering the same thing. Certain labels? Whatever in the hell does that mean?

    I was "gifted" a Max's growler at an anniversary event I attended last year, and there were no labels on that growler. In fact, other than a bar code, brewery name and beer style/name, I've never seen any label on a growler. Many "reusable" growlers have absolutely nothing on them; no brewery; no beer name; nothing. I'm assuming those won't be acceptable in AA (unless you think the various beer bars around AA are going to stock the neceessary labels that can be afixed to the outside of a reusable growler).

    I think I'd try to find out a bit more about those required "certain labels" Mr. Reilly is referring to before I start jumping for joy in AA.
     
    #9 John_M, Jun 10, 2013
  10. Beerontwowheels

    Beerontwowheels Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2009 Maryland

    I doubt the stores are making a killing off the growlers. Especially considering how much space they take up that could be used for higher profit items.

    "We didn’t want people bringing in milk cartons; we didn’t want Pepsi bottles," Reilly said. "We crafted [the bill] in such a way that the identifier is clearly visible to the retailer."
    Hilarious. I now want a growler that is shaped exactly like this:

    [​IMG]
     
    #10 Beerontwowheels, Jun 10, 2013
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  11. jimmy666

    jimmy666 Initiate (0) Jun 20, 2010 Maryland

    The guy at Fishpaws told me today there has to be a surgeon general warning on the back of the bottle.
     
    #11 jimmy666, Jun 11, 2013
  12. Leepa_Time

    Leepa_Time Initiate (0) Jan 4, 2013 Maryland

    i work at Jason's on route 40. recently we started filling growlers. 6 beers to choose from and we change kegs often. you do have to use the growlers sold at the store.
     
    #12 Leepa_Time, Jun 11, 2013
  13. mendvicdog

    mendvicdog Initiate (0) Sep 1, 2006 Maryland

    I have been told that at least for Baltimore it was a liability issue as well. Like if some 16 year old kid had a bunch of growlers full of beer in his room, the authorities wanted to know where he got them filled. This is stupid because if I owned a store, I would just say the growler was filled in PA somewhere. Also, I don't know of any store that would be stupid enough to sell to an underage person intentionally and risk losing their license.
     
    #13 mendvicdog, Jun 11, 2013
  14. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I know it's a high bar, but it occurs to me that Maryland is blessed with some of the dumber legislators in the country. This line of thinking sounds very much like the same reasoning certain legislators used in deciding (for years) that Maryland couldn't allow the shipment of wine deliveries from out of state, because then we'd have 10 and 11 year olds buying cases of Silver Oak from Napa. After many, many years, Maryland finally has allowed those shipments (as along as the winery in question collects Maryland state taxes at the time of purchase), so I guess we should see this as a step in the right direction. Once Maryland realizes that there's little evidence of 16 year olds illegally buying growlder fills of Loose Cannon and Nugget Nectar, perhaps they'll expand the current law (especially if they realize there's additional revenue to be made that way).
     
    #14 John_M, Jun 12, 2013
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  15. GoodOmens

    GoodOmens Initiate (0) Feb 18, 2011 Virginia

    I get the context, they do the same thing for kegs, but I doubt some HS kids will care enough about craft beer to try and get growlers filled for the next party as they would a keg of Natty Ice :rolling_eyes:
     
    #15 GoodOmens, Jun 12, 2013
  16. DeutschesBier

    DeutschesBier Initiate (0) Feb 8, 2009 Maryland

    What high school kid is going to pay $90 for a growler pour of BCBS at Perfect Pour?
     
    #16 DeutschesBier, Jun 12, 2013
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  17. gillagorilla

    gillagorilla Pooh-Bah (2,691) Feb 27, 2013 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah

    Do we have a list for places that do growler fills or plan to? I figured it will probably be the ones we already go to but my as well write it out.

    Bars: Max's
    Stores: IM Wine, Fishpaws, Wine Source, Pinehurst, Perfect Pour?
     
    #17 gillagorilla, Jun 13, 2013
  18. jimmy666

    jimmy666 Initiate (0) Jun 20, 2010 Maryland

    Staples Corner and Bayridge. Has teh Perfect Pour been selling Growlers? It has been legal in Howard county for awhile now.
     
    #18 jimmy666, Jun 13, 2013
  19. Beerontwowheels

    Beerontwowheels Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2009 Maryland

    They have not begun selling growlers. I hope they never do.
     
    #19 Beerontwowheels, Jun 13, 2013
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  20. jimmy666

    jimmy666 Initiate (0) Jun 20, 2010 Maryland

    a friend of mine that lives in that area told me that they sold the store a few weeks ago, I wonder if the prices will go down now lol
     
    #20 jimmy666, Jun 13, 2013
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