Latest Beer Trend: Growler Fills at Convenience Stores

**The AD** · 05-20-2014, 01:09 PM

I've got to say this is pretty cool. I just went into a store a couple days ago and they had about 12 handles with a pretty damn good selection. Even Ballast Point Sculpin!

I'm assuming this trend is taking hold in places other than Seattle, but Seattle is the first place I've seen it.

**char** · 05-20-2014, 01:15 PM

It's been in Oregon for 1-2 years now...

First one I saw was in Bend.

Yes, it is cool.

Great for stuff you can't get in a bottle, but typically cheaper per ounce to just buy a 6 pack at the store.

**riser4** · 05-20-2014, 01:29 PM

No whee-sin' the juice!

**Art Shirk** · 05-20-2014, 01:34 PM

AD, check this place out: http://chucks85th.com/

It was recently given a face lift, but has been a great spot for years. Basically a minimart with a crude bar, great hotdogs and growler replenishment.

**Ted Striker** · 05-20-2014, 01:34 PM

Are you talking about super deli mart or are there others in SEA now?

**booner** · 05-20-2014, 01:37 PM

We have taps behind the counter in all the Sunocos now...all really good stuff. Separate micro cooler full of the goods in bottles too.

It's actually hard to find a place that doesn't have great beer now...about 80% of gas stations/convenient have a really good selection.
Hess and Mobil here suck and that's about it...only the typical Coors/Bud/Miller

I live in town of about 15,000 and I can get growlers filled at 4 places within a few miles of my house. 2 of them are breweries.Not bad

**The AD** · 05-20-2014, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by commonlaw

AD, check this place out: http://chucks85th.com/

Yeah, I've heard a lot about this place and have driven by it many times, but haven't gone in yet. I really need to at some point. It's only a couple miles from my house.

**Tippster** · 05-20-2014, 01:45 PM

My neighborhood Market started doing this last Fall. They have some tasty brews in the selection, but I'm not a huge fan of Growlers, since if I don't drink a whole one in a sitting it's flat the next day, and I just don't drink that much beer anymore.

**The AD** · 05-20-2014, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by pisteoff

Are you talking about super deli mart or are there others in SEA now?

No, I'm seeing them all over. The particular one I went into was just a 76 gas station with a quickie mart.

I was also impressed with their bottled beer selection. I very rarely go into convenience stores and it seems like the last time I did the selection was Budmilloors and maybe Sam Adams and Redhook if you were lucky. And malt liquor, of course.

**Ted Striker** · 05-20-2014, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Tippster

I'm not a huge fan of Growlers, since if I don't drink a whole one in a sitting it's flat the next day, and I just don't drink that much beer anymore.

Yeah, you need a more than one person to drink a growler, so the other new trend is 32 oz half growlers.

**uglymoney** · 05-20-2014, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by pisteoff

Yeah, you need a more than one person to drink a growler, so the other new trend is 32 oz half growlers.

That trend hasn't hit here yet but when it does I'll be all over it. Agreed a full growler is way to much for most people over 40 to drink.

**The AD** · 05-20-2014, 01:55 PM

I've found they last a couple days. The second day they might have lost some zip, but still good. But I sure wouldn't pay $20 for a growler fill!

**booner** · 05-20-2014, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by The AD

I've found they last a couple days. The second day they might have lost some zip, but still good. But I sure wouldn't pay $20 for a growler fill!

Yeah...if there's one pint left the next day a good shake will usually give it enough life to be tolerable.

**abraham** · 05-20-2014, 01:59 PM

There are half growlers available if you don't want quite so much. I don't often drink enough to justify a growler, but I'm a fan of them for bbqs and the like. Typically we have a few growlers of different stuff then kick down to cans of whatever since it matters less at that point.

For a couple years it's seemed like you can at least pick up some Fremont at a lot of gas stations, I wonder if it has to do with the stores being more willing to sell cans. I haven't seen the growlers except at the super deli and maybe chuck's.

**Ted Striker** · 05-20-2014, 02:00 PM

Back when I only had 64 oz growlers, I'd decant the leftover beer into a smaller bottle with a stopper (eg. a grolsch bottle) using a peice of beverage tubing to prevent head.

**uglymoney** · 05-20-2014, 02:04 PM

Interesting read if this hasn't already been posted.

https://www.brewersassociation.org/p...s/growler-laws

I found half growlers available at El Bait shop in Des Moines - which is a favorite Iowa watering hole. Next time I am over there I will pick one up.

**Ted Striker** · 05-20-2014, 02:12 PM

The other new trend is pre-filled growlers with an exchange program, i.e. bring your emply back for one that's been cleaned and filled by the brewery. Two of the five breweries in this town are doing it now.

**DJSapp** · 05-20-2014, 03:38 PM

Saw this 11 years ago in New Zealand. They also had vodka and gin on tap...

Hugh Conway · 05-20-2014, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by DJSapp

Saw this 11 years ago in New Zealand. They also had vodka and gin on tap...

nalgene's were perfect. I liked the fill your own "vin de table" etc. for house red or white at cheap prices there, elsewhere around. It'd be nice in the US.

$10 for a growler sounds dreamy. A place I know of upped their price to $18 recently (demand based, they'd run out, so why not?)

**Ted Striker** · 05-20-2014, 04:02 PM

It's still $11 to $13 around here, except for the hype beers that can range up to 20ish.

**riser4** · 05-20-2014, 04:07 PM

Not sure why anyone would fill a growler with beer. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Growler

SB · 05-20-2014, 07:39 PM

Growlers are for sharing, even the nasty gash ones. So filler up.

**TNKen** · 05-21-2014, 08:56 AM

Back in the day when NASCAR first hit Bristol, Tennessee, growlers were called gallon milk jugs.

Gave the local holy roller Pentecostal preachers a good topic for Sunday sermons.

**Name Redacted** · 05-21-2014, 09:13 AM

I don't think CO has growler fills anywhere but breweries, but there's almost as many breweries as gas stations now.

I've seen growler fills at gas stations in NM before. Cool that it's spreading. Kegs are much easier for small breweries to manage than a bottling or canning line. Reusing growlers also cuts down on the recycling bin at the house, gotta love that.