Crowlers, the 32-ounce refillable aluminum cans that are the answer to the glass growlers, are one of the newest things in the craft beer industry. Earlier this year Oskar Blues Brewery in Longmont, Colo., started filling crowlers at its tasting room and now the brewery has been selling the machines to other breweries around the country.
In Washington, Lowercase Brewing in Seattle is the only place I know that is filling crowlers (I could be wrong; email me at aswaney@heraldnet.com if you know of a place in Snohomish County). According to the folks at Lowercase, they’ve been filling crowlers, which they’ve dubbed LoBoys, for about two months now.
Crowlers are a great way to try some beers on tap at a local watering hole without making too much of a commitment. The cans are also easier to pack around and keep light away from the beer.
According to this story, “the 32-ounce can offers plenty of advantages over the growler/howler: The aluminum is more effective at blocking light (public enemy No. 1 for beer) and, provided it is filled correctly, oxygenation; they don’t need to be cleaned out like growlers and howlers; and for the consumer, the beer will keep far longer and is easier to transport. (For instance, getting beer home from distant locations will be much less perilous.)”
Similar to what happened with the growler boom, expect crowlers to be a frequent guest in refrigerators from now on.
Aaron Swaney: 425-339-3430; aswaney@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @swaney_aaron79. Follow the Hops and Sips blog at www.heraldnet.com/hopsandsips.
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