Growlers: a sidenote within a subculture

The Growler
(or 'flaggin' as my British co-worker refers to.)

My wife and I recently moved into a new rental and I found a growler in the fridge. This prime piece of real estate (the growler I mean) was the excuse I was looking for to get started in the world of growler refills. Over the past few years I have become increasingly dependent and trusting on bottled beer. Getting excited about beers on draft seemed amateurish to me; there were just too many variables with draft that I did not want to deal with. Buying draft was something you did because the bar had a special on it.

I knew that growlers were popular to collect and refill. Someone, in my mind, who was religious about getting a growler filled probably was more into growler culture than they were beer culture. Novelty and inconvenience came together and I decided I was not interested. Given the choice between Sierra Nevada Pale on draft and in a bottle, I would always choose the bottle for taking home.

Since a couple of years ago in Nashville the local beer scene has exploded and growlers have become a convenient medium to support local business. Many young breweries cannot afford to bottle which limits their availability to bars and consumption at the brewery. With a strong undercurrent of growler buyers and a renewed interest in buying local smalltime breweries can distribute to a wider audience.

I have been to Craft Brewed and Woody's in Franklin so far to get my new growler refilled. I have gotten the beer to last a couple of days and I have not found myself rushed to finish the beer before it expires. The average size of a growler is $10 and Craft Brewed offers a wide selection and a free growler with the first fill. Woody's has a better price on refills 8$ and allows you to drink the beer on their porch--they also keep at least two local beers on tap at a time. Craft Brewed cannot by law allow customers to drink out of growlers on premise in their beautiful new beer-garden and deck. They can sell you a pint and you can drink that on premise.

I had mine filled at Craft Brewed with Jackalope Rompo Red (pictured above) and am currently very pleased.

In Tennessee you can get fined for an open container in your car. I err on the side of caution and have the business wrap my growler in tape or with a sign and a receipt and just take it home in the back-seat or in the trunk.

A full growler is a great house warming gift and a good size for parties or a casual get-together. I look forward to more refills and taking more local beers home to be enjoyed with a book or with friends.

--AS

Wine and Beer Hybrids: How Blue Moon is Saving Us Trips to the Kitchen One Vintage at a Time

     Beer/Wine hybrids, I know, sounds like a bad X-file but this is the latest project by Blue Moon and the results are surprising. The big-time craft brewer responsible introducing a wide audience to Belgium style beers on a pop level is now going after the high-gravity drinkers. Blue Moon is also negatively associated with purists who insist that fruit does not belong in beer. I had this mind set for a brief period but now I think a lot of things belong in beer like espresso, cherries, Cascara, peppers, lime wedges and now grape juice.  

     

     The "Vintage Ale Collection," which debuted with "Proximity," is a line of beers crossed with juice from common wine grapes.  The concept is odd and highly suspicious but not entirely out of the question. Here in Nashville we have to buy our high-gravity beer at wine shops so it seems more like two friends we see all the time who, when no one was looking, were slipping off together and later we find out they are in a relationship. The "Proximity" is a beer which was allowed to ferment with the juice from Sauvignon Blanc grapes and has been available since late last year. I imagine during all this fermenting the grape juice turns into something wine-like and the flavors marry—marriage is the right metaphor for the "Vintage Collection."

     
      The first is the Golden Knot which is a beer and Chardonnay crossbreed. I do not consider myself a Chardonnay guy but I could make an exception for this beer. The "Golden Knot" is a dry and refreshing experience with some distinct pear notes on the pallet. The carbonation is just right and somehow makes regular old Chardonnay taste flat and lacking.

     
The second release is Crimson Crossing which is fermented with Merlot juice. When I first tried the "Proximity" and heard about the Vintage series I dreamed of a red hybrid* and this one is not a disappointment. First of all the beer is a beautiful medium dark red and has a light fruit nose. The Merlot flavor comes across nice and clear with a dry tannic finish. This is a beer for fans of beer and good red wines. The carbonation is nice for the summer and perhaps you can put a couple of bottles away for fall or just later this summer.

If you are still suspicious you should try them for yourself, don’t take my word for it. The "Vintage Collection" is a lot of fun and may also serve to attract wine shoppers over to the beer isle. Your usual beer nerd may have a hard time reconciling the "Vintage Ale Collection" in their hearts but I am looking forward to seeing and tasting future Beer/Wine crossbreeds.   

--AS

*a brief look into my rich dream life.