Unopened Growler lifespan

The breweries that I have asked say it is best within a few days and say to drink it within a day or two after opening. Most breweries around here just fill the bottle up - I haven't noticed anyone purging the bottle with CO2.

 

I drank a growler of the Abyss that was filled in 2007 four years later in 2011. It was still delicious. I've had other growlers of similar age as well. It has a lot to do with a proper fill and the type of growler.

 

One issue i never had to deal with-mine never last very long!

 

I found CO2 purges to be fairly common in NE. Trillium, Hill, and Tree House (and I believe Jacks Abby) all do it. I haven't seen many places in other regions do it.

 

I've never had the guts to push it past 2 weeks, but that point has never been a problem. For me personally, I get the growlers because I usually want to drink the beer within the next few days. But I understand there are circumstances where holding them longer makes sense.

 

I just opened a three year old 16oz growler of Jameson ba mud hill stout from CCB. There was still carbonation and the beer was excellent.

Stored at 55 degrees in my wine cellar since it was purchased.

 

I've kept a swing-top, properly purged unopened 32-oz growler for 2 months with no issues, refrigerated of course

 

I will not disagree that sooner is better and that lesser time in the growler is THE best practice; however, I just opened a brown glass growler of Velvet Hammer that was filled in June of 2016 (today is Nov. 23, 2018) making the beer roughly 2 1/2 years old. Hate to admit I just never got around to drinking it and time flies when your having fun. Anyway, my intention was to dump the beer, wash the growler and go have it filled but in the interest of furthering growler knowledge I poured a glass. Perfect head, great taste, even perfect lacing. I was blown away.
So here are some additional deets; growler was in a dedicated beer fridge in the back of the house so it doesn’t get the same traffic a kitchen fridge might. When filled the growler station used a bottom-fill and added CO2. Growler had been washed and disinfected prior to fill. Brought it home stuck it in the fridge ... fast forward to today!
I know this isn’t a best practice but based on what I’ve read this is at least one example that significantly extends the potential lifespan of beer in your growler.
Cheers!

 

I was very surprised to read this from Pinthouse Pizza about how long as crowler can last:


"When we release a new hazy IPA, we’ll easily sell 150 to 200 crowlers. We only pre-fill enough to sell each day, so that it’s always packaged fresh. But they’ll hold up for three months if you keep them cold. We pre-purge and fill from the bottom—full with no headspace. We’ve pulled cans of Electric Jellyfish at 2–3 months, and they taste great.”

“Belching Beaver did TPO checks on their crowlers and found they contained only 30 ppb [of oxygen]. That’s better than most commercial packaging lines are capable of, so we’re pretty confident in the format.”

And yes, i know this thread is about grolwers, but...

 

I don't think definitive is possible, there's too many variables from so many places that do things so differently.

I will say I've brought home HF beers that were easily still perfect at 3 weeks. For the most part if I get a growler I plan on drinking it within 24 hours, I have no reason in my world not to, but I'd also think a few days would probably OK as long as it's sealed up tight. I do buy Crowlers of Heist or Resident Culture when I come across them, and ther easily last a week with no downside I could ever see.

 

Even if the bottom fill top it off so thers minimal oxygen whatever, a Crowler is still a big ass can of beer at hearrt, and I dont want my IPAs 3 months old.