The growler has been carrying fresh beer from breweries and bars to home and work since the late 1800’s when it was carried in a galvanized pail with a lid. (Beer was a safer beverage than water or milk back then, so work-beer was common.) It’s said that a growling sound was heard as CO2 escaped, thus the name. In the 1950’s, when many states prohibited alcohol sales on Sunday, growlers took the form of waxes, cardboard boxes that were filled on Saturday night for drinking on Sunday. As liquor laws loosen, the growler sort of died out… until the microbrewery revolution of the late 20th century. Growlers are communal, economical, and green.
Tips for your best growler enjoyment:
- Keep it cold. The colder it is, the better the beer will stay carbonated.
- Keep it short. Don’t dry age a growler. Drink within a week of purchase and a day of opening.
Editor’s Note: This story was taken from a menu at Browning’s Brewery. Browning’s Brewery is known as the best beer in Louisville.
