What We Look For

1. Good stainless steel – Stainless steel growlers are superior to dark glass bottles because stainless steel keeps out sunlight. Sunlight is especially harmful to hoppy beers, turning them skunky (sunstrucked).

304 grade (sometimes called 18/8) is commonly used for beer growlers for good reasons. Beer is acidic and corrosive in nature. You should not be storing beer in low grade steel.
316 grade is more superior than 304 but more pricey. It is not as economically viable for growler makers to use 316 grade, so you don’t see it commonly in the market.

2. Good seal – this is extremely important. A bad seal kills carbonation and speeds up oxygen ingress. The taste of flat beer or oxidised beer is not the most enjoyable experience.

3. Good insulation – if possible, get one which is vacuum-walled / double-walled. The insulation keeps your beer cold and slows down the rate of oxidation.

 

Some Growlers We Have Seen

(not in order of preference)

MiiR

Pros
Good insulation
Stainless steel
Good seal (one of the best we have seen)

Cons
Pricey relative to many other growlers

Stanley

Pros
Good insulation
Stainless steel
Good seal

Cons
Pricey relative to many other growlers
A green bottle reminds us of the good old days when we were 18.

Hydroflask

Pros
Good insulation
Stainless steel
Decent seal (personally prefer clip on covers to screw on covers)

Cons
Pricey relative to many other growlers

“Generic” / OEM

Pros
Stainless steel
Cheap (even cheaper during sales)

Cons
Many are singled walled without insulation
Quality of seal varies

Glass Growlers

Pros
Cheap

Cons
Not insulated
Light penetration
Quality of seal varies

Your favourite thermos flask

A growler is really just a container used to carry liquid. You could definitely use your favourite thermos flask as a beer growler but make sure the following factors are considered:

• Insulation (i.e. vacuum-walled / double-walled)
• Good & air tight seal (a tumbler for coffee with a hole on the lid does not work)
• 304 stainless steel

Growler Policy at Pink Blossoms

We do not sell growlers at Pink Blossoms. We welcome customers to bring their own growlers (including those from other breweries or taprooms) as long as the growler fulfills the following:

1. Stainless Steel – we will not fill glass growlers or plastic bottles.
2. Good & Tight Seal – we may reject the fill request if your growler has a bad seal.
3. Clean – we will rinse your growler before filling up, but if the interior is filled with grime and slime, we will reject the fill request.