Here Come the Growlers
Decatur Metro | August 12, 2011 | 2:01 pm
For a few months now, the guys at Ale Yeah! have worked diligently to keep up with demand for growlers at their Decatur location. Long lines at lush hour (Before you scold me for name-calling, I readily admit I have observed these lines firsthand), and occasional growler outages were the most obvious signs that the desire for “fresh” beer in the DEC was bigger than most could have imagined.
But where there’s demand, there’s inevitably more supply around the corner. In fact, in just the last couple weeks, the Oakhurst Market has started filling growlers from 3 rotating taps.
And that was it. Until today.
Let it be known, years from now, when a joyful little growler is added to the city logo, “Growly the Growler” is seen dancing on the Square during the Beer Festival, and the city’s riotously successful bike share program attributes its success to the custom-made growler holder across the handlebars, that August 12, 2011 was the day of the growler explosion.
What has happened? Two things.
Today, The Beer Growler opened in Avondale Estates with 40 rotating taps. Patch has got the goods on that one.
And also a little closer to home, Cooks Warehouse & Sherlock’s Wine Merchant tells us that as of today the shop has 4 rotating taps installed and are filling their own growlers.
And just like that, there are growlers within walking distance of thousands – if not millions – more Decatur residents!
Picture courtesy of The Beer Growler
Thrilled to have growlers at Cook’s since I can walk there. I was in the group that had experienced a growler outage at Ale Yeah, but I will give them a try again soon.
I am not sure I quite understand the Growler thing. It seems like a fad.
The volume and cost of a growler is about the same as a pitcher of beer, so there isn’t a real economic benefit vs. drinking a pitcher at a restaurant except you avoid the tip.
Having worked in the restaurant business, I know the margins on draft beer are huge, so when I first heard about growlers I figured the business model was based on providing cheaper draft beer as an alternative to going to a pub.
From my perspective, unless I can get a growler of beer for less than a 4 pack of Guinness “draft in a can”, I’ll stick with the Guinness because it wont go flat.
I’m not sure how you are looking at the pricing model because you didn’t provide any numbers. Most of the growler fills at Ale Yeah! are in the $8.59-$12.59 range. Those same beers at a local pub would probably be in the $15-$21 range. Looks like a savings of over 40% to me!
I’ll admit I haven’t made a growler purchase yet, mainly because I haven’t had the occasion to drink/share a whole growler in one sitting. However football season is almost here and I will probably pickup one for tailgating.
Jason–The Beer Growler in Avondale Estates will be the first place in the state to sell 32 oz. growlers! So, you don’t have to commit to drinking an entire gallon of beer by yourself. The 32 oz. growler is the equivalent of 2 pints at the pub.
Obviously it depends on what bar you frequent, but I’m guessing many of the growler choices are not sold by the pitcher, but only by the 5 to 6 dollar pint. It’s been a long time since I ordered a pitcher, but if memory serves you get about 4 pints out of one. If they don’t offer pitchers of Bell’s Two Hearted, for example, that’s about twenty dollars by the pint, plus tip.
This topic got me to wondering: What pubs in Decatur sell beer by the pitcher? I know Twains and Taco Mac do, but I don’t recall seeing any elsewhere (and yes, I admit to being a lush who has spent time at pretty much every pub in Decatur, except for Ujoint and Steinbecks.)
Steinbecks is awful, so definitely avoid there. If you do go, please don’t take my seat.
Haha! Feel the same way.
U-Joint, Big Tex, Corner Tavern, Raging Burrito, and Thinking Man sell beer by the pitcher. Although not on the menu, Square Pub will also sell by the pitcher.
I’ve also gotten pitchers at Zucca, though I guess it doesn’t really count as a pub…
Oh, so YOU’RE the guy who buys Guinness in a can. I always wondered who that was.
😉
You get 4 pints per growler, which would cost you about $25 at Steinbecks or Brickstore, all in. So it’s a 60% discount to the usual alternative for real draft beer.
On the Guinness front, you can get 18-packs at Costco for $21. The day I found out about that was like Christmas and my birthday all in one.
Christmas, birthday, AND the day you were married…
It may be a fad, but I think the advantage is having the opportunity to try brews that may not be available in bottles or cans as well as being able to do so in the comfort of your own home (or someone else’s). Going to a bar is not only an added expense of a tip. It’s also the cost of food if you are eating, the time/effort to get to the bar, etc. Perhaps I’m just and old, curmudgeon, but I like the option of having friends over for dinner and being able to pop open a growler of something new in the same way one would pop open a new wine to share. And I know all would appreciate the time my hubby and I stopped by Ale Yeah! on the way home from a very hot day at a Habitat for Humanity build, which allowed us a fresh draft of a wonderfully refreshing summer beer on our own porch instead of inflicting our rather ripe selves on other bar goers. I’ve rarely been as happy as I was with that first sip of beer. I’m positively giddy about The Beer Growler – lots of new beers to explore and all within walking distance! Woohoo! Oh, and about the concern about going flat… The Beer Growler gives a choice of 32 or 64oz. growlers.
“Oh, and about the concern about going flat… The Beer Growler gives a choice of 32 or 64oz. growlers.”
That’s good to know. The biggest “problem” for me with the growlers is that I mostly only like IPAs, which my wife hates, and she only likes wheat beers, which I can tolerate but don’t care much for. Beer Growler seems to have solved some of the problems.
All I can say is “Growly the Growler” where is my t-shirt?!!!
+1
I have a growler etiquette question.
If you take a growler to someone’s house for dinner, do you leave the bottle? This is for a casual dinner at a pretty good friend’s — not a housewarming or celebration of anything. There will be no beer left in the growler before we leave…
Thanks!
Keep the bottle. That way, when you go back to refill with more beer at the store, they won’t charge you for a new bottle.
yes, i want to keep the bottle, but is it bad form?
+1 If you brought a casserole in a glass dish, you’d take it home with you. This is a similarly reusable container. Now the problem comes when there is beer left in it. I’ll leave you to fight it out with your friends.
I have many growler friends so the bottle might stay, but I will end of with one of theirs soon enough.
I think you do not have to leave your growler bottle any more than you would leave your casserole dish or appetizer platter or whatever. However, if you have more bottles than you really need — say from out of town purchases — then your hosts might appreciate inheriting your bottle. I have a few spares ($10 for a growler of Green Man ESB from a grocery store in NC!) I might consider giving away but I wouldn’t leave my growler with growler coozie behind at a party!
When I was very young, I would often tag along with my dad as he delivered Auto Traders every Wednesday morning. Afterwards, we would go to the Kroger on Briarcliff and buy a gallon of milk. We would drink as much as we possibly could as we walked across the street to the Pitch n’ Putt, where the nice man who worked there would refill the jug with beer. I always had to drink the milk, but never got to drink the beer.
Now it’s MY time.
Welcome to Avondale Estates, The Beer Growler!
In an odd way I can’t explain, this may be the most heartwarming story of all time!
Yep. We stopped by Pitch N Putt before every Braves game for a jug off the keg.
Brought a tear to my eye as well.
I’m now sipping on my very own 32oz Jailhouse Stout, for $6. Cheers, dad! Maybe I’ll take him one tomorrow, for old time’s sake.
+1
My husband has always claimed that you could once drive through the pitch n putt with a milk jug and get a gallon of beer to go. So he was actually telling the truth!
Well, fad or no fad I for one am glad The Beer Growler opened in Avondale. Especially considering the HUGE selection they have. Growlers are great for filling up and trying new and unique beers from around the world. It is best to plan for a growler – they won’t go flat if they are drunk the way they are intended – basically open them up and keep pouring until it is empty! It is only like a half gallon of beer – my wife and I have started a thing we call our Sunday Growler – get one filled on Saturday and enjoy it on Sunday. Once the ridiculous law of no Sunday alcohol gets overturned we will come up with a new tradition or fad – as it were.
Now if only stores could fill bottles from other stores like they do in other places.
I have a real nice Growler from Cape Cod I can’t get filled here.
Ale Yeah! fills the Hop City growler I got for my birthday. Just filled it up last weekend.
As I’ve heard, both Ale Yeah! and the Beer Growler will fill any growler, regardless of how it’s branded, so long as it has the government warning on it.
+1
hmm, maybe that’s more than a plus one. Ale Yeah fills my Growler with gov warning on it, as they said they would when I called and asked. It differs from store to store and I haven’t tried others in atl yet.
My understanding is that Ale Yeah! will refill growlers from other places as long as it has someone’s logo on it.
The fella at The Beer Growler today told me that my Stone Brewery growler was the nicest one he had ever seen.. I’m just tickled that it’s not a souvenir anymore.
I’m not sure the comparison to what you pay at a restaurant or bar is apt. I think the comparison is better to what you’d pay for the same beer in 6 pack form as growlers are 64 oz.
Because the margins on draft (keg) beer are so huge, I feel like the price per fill up should be a buck or so cheaper than the six pack equivalent. So far, I’m not seeing that to be the case.
Of course, you can always feel good about re-using your growler and reducing the burden on our recycling programs everywhere.
But the cheap ass in me wishes it was a better deal.
That’s a good point. But I imagine the risk of a keg not selling is part of the pricing, which would have a different impact than a 6 pack not selling. I have to admit, though, the novelty is more of an appeal than the price, at this point anyway.
1. Many of the beers offered on tap are not available in packs (bottle or can).
2. Many of the beers offered on tap, whether available in packs or not, taste better from the tap.
3. Buying by the growler practically guarantees you’ll have a more social time drinking it. Healthier for the psyche and the environment!
4. Some of the pricing is good, some of it is OK. Due to the above points, you’re still ahead even with just OK pricing.
All good points. Is there any prohibition to decorating your growler?
Probably not unless you go to one of those stores that requires you to use their label and you obscure it. Just don’t cover up the government warning.
Just returned from The Beer Growler and the place is hopping! Picked up Ode to Mercy (with 2 matching Wild Heaven glasses) and Southern Tier Creme Brulee’ (which smells like heaven!). Get thee to the Beer Growler now!
“Southern Tier Creme Brulee’ (which smells like heaven!).”
_________________________
And tastes like hell….
Me to – just came from there – awesome selection! It was great to see them doing so well on their first day. Picked up a Peak King Crimson and a half growler of Lagunitas Pilsner. Also got two very cool beer glasses for $3.00 each! Thanks for coming to Avondale!!
Thanks for the info everybody.
I guess the growler is a deal if you compare it to retail “Bar” prices, but no so much if you compare to bottle/can beer prices
64 oz growler = 3.2 “20 oz” draft beers
Bar price for 3.2 “20 oz” draft beer = $5.50 x 3.2 x 1.20 = $21.12
Publix price for 4 “16 oz” Guinness cans = $8.00
Question – would any Growler place consider taking a deposit for the growler container and refunding it when you return the bottle? I don’t feel the need to own the bottle.
Probably best for you to just stick to your Guinness from the package/grocer –
NPNG, this is why I have stayed away from the growler craze (see the new season of Top Gear…), one more thing TR, AYHSMB.
{to remember, as you have some more beer}?
I noticed the Whole Foods on Ponce is selling growlers. Looked like they 3 or 4 on tap.
Why is it called a “growler”?
Here’s a great little history from BeerAdvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/articles/384
Growler Etiquette Question:
After drinking from a growler, should i wipe the lip of it with my shirttail before passing it to our dinner guests, or is that considered gauche?
Perfectly acceptable, as it’s cleaner than the rag you wiped your hands on after tuning up your ’77 Camaro.
Oh, good heavens, no! Everyone knows you should use the edge of the tablecloth, NOT your shirttail! Please re-visit your Emily Post, sir.
I don’t believe growlers are a fad. Once the excitement calms down, they’ll just be another aspect of living here. If you want to grab a sixer, fine, but if you want to take home some of Twain’s house brews to share with friends over dinner, you are now able to do that.
Just bought our first growler from Oakhurst Market today. I’m super excited about this thing taking a foothold here because eventually I’ll be able to bring thome the Wrecking Bar’s Trappist Dubbel, and that is the real triumph here. Growlers are meant for the local brews–the stuff that you can’t necessarily get bottled. Sure, you may be able to get a half gallon of Bud if you’re some kind of jerk or something, but this is ultimately another way to support local business. I’ll drink to that.
Did the local brewers find a way to make this happen? I thought Georgia law made it illegal to sell alcohol for consumption off-premises unless it went through a distributor.
My understanding of the law is that a restaurant/bar cannot sell growlers, only retail establishments. Therefore, Oakhurst Market can sell them, but UJoint cant.
just made a visit. Nice operation, great selection, though I’m afraid their
having St. Bernardus on tap may be the end of me.
Good for Avondale, but Ale Yeah still has more taps than any other Decatur store, and they’re within walking distance. Also, they rotate their taps regularly so you never get the same thing twice.
Ale Yeah? Hell, yeah.
Ale Yeah is an awesome place for sure – love going in there. Plus they have a huge selection of regular bottles/canned beers as well and even some meats and cheeses! The Beer Growler has the only advantage for me of being closer to my house in Avondale and an astounding 40 taps compared to Ale Yeah’s 8 taps. I am wondering though, will they be able to keep that amount of selections moving out the door in growlers. It is their second store though and I would like to think they have the business model down. I am very happy to be living so close to some of the best beer establishments in the city.
WHAAAAAAAAA! And all this happens the month after I get diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Darn you karma! Darn you to heck!
Don’t lose hope! There’s a good chance one of the growler places has a gluten free beer:
http://www.suite101.com/content/gluten-free-beer—on-tap-in-stores-online-a209636
(An ex of mine wouldn’t deal with his celiac disease until we found a beer he could drink!)
Growlers are definitely not a fad. They’ve been on the West Coast and East Coast for well over a decade. The South is finally getting into the beer scene, and growlers are a great way to sample beers that taste best from the tap. Trust me, you’ll love them! Easy way to bring good quality beers to parties and such, too.
I bought growlers in northern Illinois in the 90’s. Still have one or two of the bottles somewhere…unless they were part of the Great Marriage Purge of ’09!
[…] live in Decatur, so I was really excited to read this article today. The Beer Growler is just down the street from me, and Sherlock’s is a five minute drive. […]