What's your favorite beer?

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Anyone buy beer in growlers? I only have a quart growler? We have some interesting laws in California. Growlers can only be filled at the site of a brewery, although a few brewers have "duplicate licenses" for tasting rooms which allows growlers to be filled at satellite facilities. I mentioned the Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room in Berkeley, although another local brewery (Half Moon Bay Brewing) is doing something similar in Berkeley.

Sierra Nevada is kind of strict about filling too. They'll only fill their own growlers. I've seen someone bring in another one and was told they didn't do it. State law allows any growler to be filled, but any markings of another brewer must be covered up and a tag/label attached with the brewer and specific beer. I understand that lots of brewers don't want to do it.

I don't. But you can get them filled at a lot of beer stores here in NY.

 

[disneychrista]

State law allows any growler to be filled, but any markings of another brewer must be covered up and a tag/label attached with the brewer and specific beer. I understand that lots of brewers don't want to do it.

I don't understand why breweries won't fill other growlers. Isn't the point of a brewery the BEER?

 

[JoeA]

I don't understand why breweries won't fill other growlers. Isn't the point of a brewery the BEER?

Some cases it's the law. Some could be insurance. Some could be because they don't know how clean the growler is and it could change their beer flavor (is the beer bad or a dirty growler?).

And of course some want growler sales.

 

[bcla]

I don't understand why breweries won't fill other growlers. Isn't the point of a brewery the BEER?

Sierra Nevada won't do it. They have this special filling machine that's designed to work with their own 64 oz growlers. I only have a quart growler from Sierra Nevada, and that's filled from their normal taps. They still won't fill outside growlers from the tap.

http://www.sierranevada.com/faq/torpedo-room/can-i-fill-my-growler-from-another-brewery

 

[bcla]

Some cases it's the law. Some could be insurance. Some could be because they don't know how clean the growler is and it could change their beer flavor (is the beer bad or a dirty growler?).

And of course some want growler sales.

It's not the law in California, and the breweries acknowledge that. Still, I've seen a growler being refilled, and went to the back for cleaning before getting filled..

I did mention the automated filling machines. They only work with a specific size and height.

I don't. But you can get them filled at a lot of beer stores here in NY.

Not in California. If it's not a brewery or a taproom owned by a brewery, growlers can't be filled.

 

[disneychrista]

Some cases it's the law. Some could be insurance. Some could be because they don't know how clean the growler is and it could change their beer flavor (is the beer bad or a dirty growler?).
And of course some want growler sales.

I get all that, though I know of no insurance issues with fill others growlers. In respect to "how clean the growler is" does it matter if it is one with THEIR Logo or one with someone else's logo? Unless they are exchanging and cleaning growlers, it makes no difference? I manage a brewery ale house we do not clean growlers brought in, that is the customers job. We will also fill any growler that is brought in (following all state laws).

Sierra Nevada won't do it. They have this special filling machine that's designed to work with their own 64 oz growlers. I only have a quart growler from Sierra Nevada, and that's filled from their normal taps. They still won't fill outside growlers from the tap.

Russian River won't fill others either. Funny Russian River & Sierra Nevada have the same style (looks like a genie bottle) and both use the same reasoning for not filling other growlers. They don't fit their filling system. When really they just want you to buy one of theirs.

We would just like to sell the beer.

 

[bcla]

Russian River won't fill others either. Funny Russian River & Sierra Nevada have the same style (looks like a genie bottle) and both use the same reasoning for not filling other growlers. They don't fit their filling system. When really they just want you to buy one of theirs.

We would just like to sell the beer.

I found out their 64 oz is probably from Palla with a swing top rubber stopper. I guess one claim that Russian River Brewing makes is that they have spare parts and will repair a bad stopper. However, they won't fill an otherwise identical growler with another label.

 

[Groverg3]

Favorites right now are probably Avery Lilikoi Kepolo or Ommegang Rosetta (guess I'm on a sour/tart kick right now!)

 

[bcla]

Favorites right now are probably Avery Lilikoi Kepolo or Ommegang Rosetta (guess I'm on a sour/tart kick right now!)

Is either really sour? I've got a bottle Russian River Supplication in my fridge, just waiting for a special occasion. It's a wild ale cultured with bacteria and soaked in sour cherries.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/863/22227/

 

[Groverg3]

Is either really sour? I've got a bottle Russian River Supplication in my fridge, just waiting for a special occasion. It's a wild ale cultured with bacteria and soaked in sour cherries.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/863/22227/

I feel like they're more tart than sour (somehow I feel like that's different?? Lol). I've had some really sour ones and I didn't like them. The Lilikoi is very refreshing and the Rosetta has a strong cherry flavor - yum! Drinking a Rosetta now! Haha

 

[Groverg3]

Lilikoi - https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30/62866/

Rosetta -
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/42/188719/

 

[bcla]

I feel like they're more tart than sour (somehow I feel like that's different?? Lol). I've had some really sour ones and I didn't like them. The Lilikoi is very refreshing and the Rosetta has a strong cherry flavor - yum! Drinking a Rosetta now! Haha

Yeah - I remember the first time I had a sour. It was a sampler rack at Russian River Brewing. Although the server went over all the selections, I couldn't remember every one. By the time I hit the first sour the guys at the table next to us were laughing since making a face seems to be a common reaction.

So it's not a Belgian-style sour like a Lambic?

 

[klacey1]

For partially sentimental reasons, I don't know that anything can beat a Newcastle Brown Ale in my book...

 

[Groverg3]

Yeah - I remember the first time I had a sour. It was a sampler rack at Russian River Brewing. Although the server went over all the selections, I couldn't remember every one. By the time I hit the first sour the guys at the table next to us were laughing since making a face seems to be a common reaction.

So it's not a Belgian-style sour like a Lambic?

No not really - but I also don't have a whole lot of experience with Lambics (this is less fizzy maybe??). Strong cherry flavor - probably why I like it better than most sours!

When not drinking these sours, my favorite style is Kolsh! Not a fan of really hoppy beers.