The history of the Growler

To date, and for certain, the origin of the English word Growler is unknown; some scholars claim that the word imitates the growl produced by CO2 leaks during the transport of the first lidded pails filled with beer.

In the 19th century, in the United States, beer was sold in taverns to go in pails brought by the customers themselves; these first pails were recycled from other products or were everyday household buckets. The popularization of the Growler led to the start of selling vessels exclusively for beer.

Over the years, the industry created countless models of vessels, made of zinc, ceramic, or wood. These beer-filled Growlers were consumed at all hours—at home, on the street, at work—causing major public order issues due to indiscriminate consumption. Finally, and after a few decades, the use of the Growler fell into decline, due to the low cost of industrial beer and the ability to keep beer cold at home.

The emergence of the Craft movement in the 1970s triggered a resurgence of the Growler, appearing once again in Tap Rooms across the country and becoming a great source of revenue for breweries today.

Currently, the Growler concept is expanding throughout the world, but there are a series of indications to keep in mind, as suggested to us by Stone Brewing: