Can a growler withstand rough transport?

[Joerg]

Guys,

Like yesterday I regularly pick up growlers on my bike rides. So far
only on the road bike. For that task I bought this single-wall stainless
growler with flip top seal:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stanley-64-Ounce-Adventure-Steel-Growler/46276154

Works great. What I noticed though is that if they really top it off
until there is literally no foam/air in there it opens with a loud bang
even after resting for 2h in the fridge at home. I have to hold a palm
over the lid when releasing the latch.

One really good brewpub and hopefully this summer a second one is in
Placerville (CA). That can only be reached via a 12mi stretch of very
rough singletrack. Like an African dirt road, just much narrower. My
bike has full suspension but does become airborne a lot on the way back,
bumping over rocks and ruts. The growler is buffered in a towel and
inside a pannier.

Is there a risk that it could explode on me? If so, would it help if I
open it, sip off an ounce or two and close it again or would the beer go
stale?

[Dan Logcher]

Guys,
Like yesterday I regularly pick up growlers on my bike rides. So far only on the road bike. For that
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stanley-64-Ounce-Adventure-Steel-Growler/46276154
Works great. What I noticed though is that if they really top it off until there is literally no
foam/air in there it opens with a loud bang even after resting for 2h in the fridge at home. I have
to hold a palm over the lid when releasing the latch.
One really good brewpub and hopefully this summer a second one is in Placerville (CA). That can only
be reached via a 12mi stretch of very rough singletrack. Like an African dirt road, just much
narrower. My bike has full suspension but does become airborne a lot on the way back, bumping over
rocks and ruts. The growler is buffered in a towel and inside a pannier.
Is there a risk that it could explode on me? If so, would it help if I open it, sip off an ounce or
two and close it again or would the beer go stale?

Not sure what pressure the cap can handle.. Beer is typically carbonated at ***@40'sF.. so if it
warms up to 50-60 it could rise to 15PSI-18PSI. I bought one of the keg shaped stainless growlers.
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from them. So I have to use their
glass growler and pour into mine.

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by Dan Logcher
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from
them. So I have to use their
glass growler and pour into mine.

Sheesh. What kind of business model is that where they'd rather lose
out on a sale than allow you to put their product into your container
of choice?

[Dan Logcher]

Post by Dan Logcher
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from them. So I have to use their
glass growler and pour into mine.

Sheesh. What kind of business model is that where they'd rather lose out on a sale than allow you to
put their product into your container of choice?

I agree, must be a Massachusetts law.. so you have to spend $5 at every brewery to get the growler.

[Dan Logcher]

Post by Dan Logcher
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from them. So I have to use their
glass growler and pour into mine.

Sheesh. What kind of business model is that where they'd rather lose out on a sale than allow you to
put their product into your container of choice?

So I asked at the local brewery, and its a Massachusetts law. Basically if someone gets
in trouble (ie, alcohol to minors, etc) they can track back where it came from.. not that
that will really mean anything. Its dumb. So I have about 8 growlers sitting around and
have to pull out the ones for each brewery when I know I'm going. It should be a sticker
or something.

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by Dan Logcher

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by Dan Logcher
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from
them. So I have to use their
glass growler and pour into mine.

Sheesh. What kind of business model is that where they'd rather lose
out on a sale than allow you to
put their product into your container of choice?

So I asked at the local brewery, and its a Massachusetts law.
Basically if someone gets
in trouble (ie, alcohol to minors, etc) they can track back where it came from.. not that
that will really mean anything. Its dumb. So I have about 8 growlers sitting around and
have to pull out the ones for each brewery when I know I'm going. It should be a sticker
or something.

Ridiculous. How would they track where a group of kids got a case of
Old Milwaukee, assuming someone else purchased it for them or they
discarded the receipt? Or will law enforcement arrest the brewer
(though that should happen anyway for brewing swill!).

[Joerg]

Post by Dan Logcher

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by Dan Logcher
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from
them. So I have to use their
glass growler and pour into mine.

Sheesh. What kind of business model is that where they'd rather lose
out on a sale than allow you to
put their product into your container of choice?

So I asked at the local brewery, and its a Massachusetts law.
Basically if someone gets
in trouble (ie, alcohol to minors, etc) they can track back where it came from.. not that
that will really mean anything. Its dumb. So I have about 8 growlers sitting around and
have to pull out the ones for each brewery when I know I'm going. It should be a sticker
or something.

Ridiculous. How would they track where a group of kids got a case of Old
Milwaukee, assuming someone else purchased it for them or they discarded
the receipt? Or will law enforcement arrest the brewer (though that
should happen anyway for brewing swill!).

Most such laws are nonsensical nanny-state approaches to a perceived
problem. I am sure some of those are meant to make entrepreneurship such
as running a micro brewery difficult. When I was a little boy my grandma
sometimes sent me down Main Street to where grandpa's favorite pub was.
They filled the growler, gave it to me, I walked back to my
grandparent's house, and that was that.

[Dan Logcher]

Post by Dan Logcher
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from them. So I have to use their
glass growler and pour into mine.

Sheesh. What kind of business model is that where they'd rather lose out on a sale than allow you to
put their product into your container of choice?

So I asked at the local brewery, and its a Massachusetts law. Basically if someone gets
in trouble (ie, alcohol to minors, etc) they can track back where it came from.. not that
that will really mean anything. Its dumb. So I have about 8 growlers sitting around and
have to pull out the ones for each brewery when I know I'm going. It should be a sticker
or something.

Ridiculous. How would they track where a group of kids got a case of Old Milwaukee, assuming someone
else purchased it for them or they discarded the receipt? Or will law enforcement arrest the brewer
(though that should happen anyway for brewing swill!).

Yeah, its dumb as hell.. but its modeled after the keg laws. They fill out paperwork,
put your license number down, number the keg with a matching number on the form.. It takes
20 minutes sometimes.

[baloonon]

Post by Dan Logcher

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by Dan Logcher
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from
them. So I have to use their glass growler and pour into mine.

Sheesh. What kind of business model is that where they'd rather lose
out on a sale than allow you to put their product into your container
of choice?

So I asked at the local brewery, and its a Massachusetts law.
Basically if someone gets in trouble (ie, alcohol to minors, etc) they
can track back where it came from.. not that that will really mean
anything. Its dumb. So I have about 8 growlers sitting around and
have to pull out the ones for each brewery when I know I'm going. It
should be a sticker or something.

What I read about my state, which has a similar rule, is that it got
written into law by lobbyists for beer distributors, who want to throw
as many hurdles as possible into direct purchases from brewers. It's
less about the actual amount of beer sold and more about keeping small
brewers from getting established and growing -- the distributors are
often in bed with the big brewers, and the distributors also don't like
dealing with lots of small brewers who tend to be less predictable in
volume and offerings.

[Dan Logcher]

Post by baloonon

Post by Dan Logcher

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by Dan Logcher
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from
them. So I have to use their glass growler and pour into mine.

Sheesh. What kind of business model is that where they'd rather lose
out on a sale than allow you to put their product into your container
of choice?

So I asked at the local brewery, and its a Massachusetts law.
Basically if someone gets in trouble (ie, alcohol to minors, etc) they
can track back where it came from.. not that that will really mean
anything. Its dumb. So I have about 8 growlers sitting around and
have to pull out the ones for each brewery when I know I'm going. It
should be a sticker or something.

What I read about my state, which has a similar rule, is that it got
written into law by lobbyists for beer distributors, who want to throw
as many hurdles as possible into direct purchases from brewers. It's
less about the actual amount of beer sold and more about keeping small
brewers from getting established and growing -- the distributors are
often in bed with the big brewers, and the distributors also don't like
dealing with lots of small brewers who tend to be less predictable in
volume and offerings.

Well that makes more sense than tracking growlers.. but stupid because the
big breweries were once small, so why impede the small ones from growing.
It even gets worse with local laws. I've got a brewery less than a mile
away form me and they can't get a pouring license. The town has blocked
much of their efforts to a degree. They are starting to make headway and
will hopefully be pouring by April. But seriously, why impede a money making
business that brings tax dollars to the town.

[Joerg]

Post by Dan Logcher

Post by baloonon

Post by Dan Logcher

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by Dan Logcher
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from
them. So I have to use their glass growler and pour into mine.

Sheesh. What kind of business model is that where they'd rather lose
out on a sale than allow you to put their product into your container
of choice?

So I asked at the local brewery, and its a Massachusetts law.
Basically if someone gets in trouble (ie, alcohol to minors, etc) they
can track back where it came from.. not that that will really mean
anything. Its dumb. So I have about 8 growlers sitting around and
have to pull out the ones for each brewery when I know I'm going. It
should be a sticker or something.

What I read about my state, which has a similar rule, is that it got
written into law by lobbyists for beer distributors, who want to throw
as many hurdles as possible into direct purchases from brewers. It's
less about the actual amount of beer sold and more about keeping small
brewers from getting established and growing -- the distributors are
often in bed with the big brewers, and the distributors also don't like
dealing with lots of small brewers who tend to be less predictable in
volume and offerings.

Well that makes more sense than tracking growlers.. but stupid because the
big breweries were once small, so why impede the small ones from growing.

Probably because they can. Big bucks flow to lobbyists and into campaign
coffers and then they expect "favorable consideration" in return.

Post by Dan Logcher
It even gets worse with local laws. I've got a brewery less than a mile
away form me and they can't get a pouring license. The town has blocked
much of their efforts to a degree. They are starting to make headway and
will hopefully be pouring by April. But seriously, why impede a money making
business that brings tax dollars to the town.

Most politicians are stupid. Or corrupt. Or both :-(

[Joerg]

Post by Dan Logcher

Post by Joerg
Guys,
Like yesterday I regularly pick up growlers on my bike rides. So far
only on the road bike. For that
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stanley-64-Ounce-Adventure-Steel-Growler/46276154
Works great. What I noticed though is that if they really top it off
until there is literally no
foam/air in there it opens with a loud bang even after resting for 2h
in the fridge at home. I have
to hold a palm over the lid when releasing the latch.
One really good brewpub and hopefully this summer a second one is in
Placerville (CA). That can only
be reached via a 12mi stretch of very rough singletrack. Like an
African dirt road, just much
narrower. My bike has full suspension but does become airborne a lot
on the way back, bumping over
rocks and ruts. The growler is buffered in a towel and inside a pannier.
Is there a risk that it could explode on me? If so, would it help if I
open it, sip off an ounce or
two and close it again or would the beer go stale?

Not sure what pressure the cap can handle.. Beer is typically carbonated
15PSI-18PSI.

18psi should still be ok. I was just really surprised when the plastic
flip-top lid almost flew in my face with a loud KAPOW sound. Now I
always hold a palm over it and still the first opening is quite forceful.

Post by Dan Logcher
... I bought one of the keg shaped stainless growlers.
My problem is some breweries won't fill it if you didn't buy it from
them. So I have to use their
glass growler and pour into mine.

I had that happen at one local brewery which I afterwards never went
back to. Now under new ownership I'll try again. If they still don't
want to fill a "not their brand" growler the next brewpub is only 15
minutes away by mountain bike.

We do have some stupid laws here in California, like that the brand
label has to be on the growler. So my bicycle growler now already looks
like a well-traveled suitcase with stickers on top of stickers. In
contrast to Oregon a refill runs $15 to $21 plus tip. But the taste ...
priceless.