Tag: growlers

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Gas and Growlers

Every time I get my latest Beer Advocate magazine, one thing usually jumps out at me and in the issue with Surly on the cover it was this….Sunoco gas stations in the Buffalo area are conducting a three month test of a growler fill area with local craft beers.

Oh and they trained the staff on the beer too with people from the breweries being poured. It’s called the “Craft Beer Exchange” and I am sure there are some rules and regulations on it. But if the idea itself could migrate to grocery stores, I would be a happy camper.

So thumbs up to Sunoco for the effort!

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Beer Table Pantry


I am not quite sold on the name but I am sold on what they doing in Grand Central Station according to the DNA Info website, “The popular bar’s new Beer Table Pantry, which is set to open July 29, will be a retail version of the store’s successful Brooklyn location, with a wide selection of local and international brews that mark a major departure from the generic Budweiser, Miller and Coors options now available in the station.

The 300-square-foot shop will feature six rotating draft beers for growlers that focus on regional breweries. The half-gallon jugs will be available for a $5 deposit, and fill-ups will hover in the $10 to $15 dollar range.”

I would take mass transit every day if there was a growler stop along the way!

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California Growlers

The March edition of my 2011 Beer Challenge is going to go all legal. I apologize if this puts anyone to sleep.

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE
SECTION 25200-25206

This is the main section that hurts the growler cause

25200. All beer sold in this State shall have a label affixed to the package or container thereof, upon which shall appear the true and correct name and address of the manufacturer of the beer, and also the true and correct name of the bottler of the beer if other than the manufacturer. No manufacturer, importer, or wholesaler of beer shall use a container or carton as a package or container of a beer other than such beer as is manufactured by the manufacturer whose name or brand of beer appears upon the container or carton, or use as a package or container of a beer a container or carton which bears the name of a manufacturer of beer or the brand of any beer other than those of the manufacturer of the beer contained in the container or carton.
If I am reading it correctly. The container must have the brewery name on it and the beer inside must be made by that brewer. Thus a growler is stuck. It can’t be blank. And once Brewery A puts the logo on and then only A brand beer can go in.

In my mind that leaves only one option. An addendum exempting Made in California growlers needs to be attached to this section of code.

25202. Manufacturers’ names, brand names, print, or markings first placed on returnable beer containers or cartons made of wood or fiber board shall not be obliterated, mutilated, or marked out without the written consent of the manufacturer whose name, brand, or printed markings is to be obliterated, mutilated, or marked out. This section does not apply to wood or fiber board containers or cartons of a beer manufacturer who has discontinued business and production and is no longer a licensed beer manufacturer.

This section rules out stickers as I read it. So the path of least resistance would be one standard California growler with a tag tied to the handle with the brewery name and beer name with ABV. That way we only need to amend one rule.

Let me know what your interpretation of these two rules are and what may be a good way to proceed. I am ready to hear all opinions.

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Growlers

A while back you may have run across my growler post at FoodGPS. I have started reading up on California Beer Laws to see what I can do to make some effective changes to make craft beer culture friendlier in the Golden State.

So it was with great interest that I read this on the HopPress about working to change outdated laws on the other side of the country.

For 2011, I am planning on gaining support for creating a California Growler. Check back in January for an on-line petition and for updates about my education in legalese and in my progress of creating saner growler law.

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The Firkin for September 2010

Here is a rant that you may have seen on my other writing outlet, the wonderful FoodGPS. I brought it over here because it got the most comments of all of my posts.

I am growlin’ mad about growlers.

Let me backtrack a little and set the scene. I live in Southern California. I have ONE brewery near me and two or three that are drives to get too under the best freeway conditions. Secondly, I am what economists term as “underemployed”. Not complaining but not swimming in steady cash. Lastly, I do not have unlimited shelf space. I have a small and growing “beer cellar” but I am reaching overload in pint glasses and bottles.

Now I can return to my rant. I would like to have one growler. A growler that I can fill at my local (Eagle Rock Brewing) but that I can also fill at Ladyface in Agoura Hills or Hangar 24 in Redlands or at Nibble Bit Tabby downtown. I don’t A) have the space for separate growlers and B) can’t afford them anyway.

I know that current law is against this. They want growlers labeled in a similar fashion as to labels on beer sold conventionally in stores. It is a pure CYA choice. But why do we want something similar to the sometimes comical and irritating label laws in place? Can the state cover it’s … with a different approach?

Here is my idea to solve the problem and boost the economy:

Step 1 – a “Made in California” growler. It could be sold by Chambers of Commerce or by the California Brewers Association or other outlets. I would refrain from having the breweries themselves sell them so as not to impinge on their own growler sales.

Step 2 – Create a label / sticker that can be filled out on the premises at the time the growler is filled with a link to the beers information on the brewers website. (Maybe via a barcode?)

A California growler would be accepted by whichever brewery wanted to make a $10 sale vs. a sale of $0.00. At least from my standpoint. I couldn’t buy (though I was tempted) a growler from Hangar 24 to bring home some of their Polycot beer (which was great) but if I had a California growler at home, I could have and Hangar 24 would have received $15.00 from me. The same at Stone in Escondido or 50-50 in Truckee. And for those establishments that cannot afford to get approved growlers, this would be entree to a new customer set.

It would also be a great way to promote the great beer you can find in this state. You could do a a great promotion about a growler tour of California breweries. The beer community makes pilgrimages to Russian River and The Bruery. Why not incentivize them to stay a little. You can even promote a design contest for the growler (see my design below). So many possibilities.

That’s my two cents. Poke holes in it. Add to it. Let’s get a discussion going.

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Limbo from Eagle Rock Brewing

erb_logo
2 great pieces of news from Eagle Rock
From the press release, “After all the waiting, we FINALLY have our Growlers! Hooray!
Also we will be releasing our newest seasonal beer. Limbo is a Citra-Hopped Saison, bursting with tropical fruit character, and perfect for this hot summer weather. This beer also marks another collaboration project with a local homebrewer, this time fellow mug-club member, beer writer, homebrewing author, and Saison expert Drew Beechum. Congrats to Drew, and thanks!”