Craft beer is, perhaps, one of the most popular hobbies right now. Brewing beer at home that is, not just drinking it.
Brewing beer combines passion, science, and a bit of art to make the perfect hobby – one that you can even use to make some money down the road if you want to.
What could be somewhat of a deterrent for aspiring craft brewers is how overwhelming it can feel. There are countless beer styles, tools, ingredients, homebrewing equipment and techniques; not only is it confusing, but it can also make it a bit hard to find quality products.
Luckily, that’s why we’re here: making your life easier while saving time and frustration. Our product for today will be the pressurized growler from Craft Master, a craft beer staple brand.
The Craft Master CO2 Series tap can swivel 180 degrees making it easy to pourf rom either side. All components food grade 304 Stainless Steel, industrial grade insulation. Integrated CO2 Regulator Cap includes PSI gauge, gas regulator, safety valve, pressure release zipper tap, and CO2 cartridge holder.
Let’s take a look at what are growlers and whether or not this is a good one.
Growlers: What are they?
Essentially, beer pressurized growlers are containers people use for beer storage and transportation. They’re not really hard to find and often come in either glass or stainless steel. Of course, they do more than just containing beer: they help brewers transport and preserve their beverage for longer, diminishing its degradation.
Depending on your growler, this preservation can extend your beer’s life for a few days or even weeks; it varies between products and features. Another important factor determining this length is whether or not the growler has been pumped with CO2 before adding beer.
They are nothing new, either: they’ve been around for a while, and the first time “growler” was used to refer to beer containers goes all the way to the end of the 19th century. By the 20th century, growlers were already a staple in many bars, and these products have been evolving since their inception.
Why is a Growler called a “growler?”
There are two popular theories about this and it’s difficult to tell which one is true, so I’ll let you decide. One theory is that when the beer is pumped into the glass container, after putting a loose fitting lid (early days of the 1900’s) that the beer would slosh around inside and as the CO2 escaped the lid it would make a growling noise. Trying to finda source for that one is next to impossible.
The other theory, that I personally think is more plausible it this. Before there were glass containers with lids, there were different sizes of buckets used to transport beer home from the local pub. So the bartender would “fill the bucket” with what he thought was the equivalant to a pint (or two), and the customer would “growl” or “grumble” that it wasn’t all the way full. So they would call the customers the “growlers.” And when the glass jug was invented, the name was too stuck to change.
Reasons To Get A Growler
Well, the first advantage is obvious: making beer last longer without losing its features. That’s their main purpose, after all.
Beer inside growlers can last several weeks with minimum degradation, including their CO2 levels. However, that’s only as long as a regular growler remains closed. Once you open one, any beer left inside will flatten in a few hours – still longer than if left in a glass, though, and it could even last more than a day. By re-pressurizing the growler (thanks to a handy CO2 cartridge) that is no longer a problem. Fresh carbonated draft beer will stay fresh and fizzy for up to 2 weeks.
Another advantage of all types of beer growlers is that they offer what many consider the best drinking experience: straight from the tap. Combine this with its virtually unaltered carbonation, and you can feel as if you were inside a bar right in your living room or out on the back porch.
Craft Master’s Pressurized Growler
As for Craft Master’s take on the pressurized growler, they have a solid product that can make your beer last for 2 whole weeks. That’s not everything, though: you can store your beer early in the morning and still have a cold drink for your dinner. Every component of the Craft Master is food grade, and its 304 stainless steel offers insulation with nothing less than an industrial grade. You get CO2 regulating caps full with PSI gauges, safety valves, gas regulator, cartridge holder, and zipper tap for releasing pressure.
Its tap also comes from the mind behind Craft Master, and it can swivel for a full 180°. You can pour from the front and sides of your growler, so you can keep it on your fridge door and serve from there. Here a look at the overall dimensions of both the 64oz and the 128oz pressurized growler models.
Advantages
Straight from the tap
You can drink in the same way many experts agree is the best. Not only is it a great experience, but it’s also a highly convenient one thanks to the rotating tap from Craft Master.
You don’t have to rearrange your fridge or counter to fit a static tap, and the fridge door is just an example of how practical this feature is.
Lengthen your beer’s life
Not only do you get a growler that can make your beer last longer, but it’s also one of the best products at that. You won’t have to settle for a few days, and the preservation from Craft Master sits near the top of the spectrum: 2 weeks.
Easy to clean
The cap can be easily disassembled when you need to clean your growler. Additionally, there’s no need to worry about re-assembling it since Craft Master has made this an intuitive process. You can have your growler cleaned and ready in minutes.
Disadvantages
Little variation
While you do have variety, it’s just a couple of sizes and designs. If you’re looking for a more personalized product, you might have to look elsewhere. Stickers and etching.
Can be expensive
If you ask for a growler with a tap, you can expect to pay up to a couple of hundred dollars. Luckily, it still sticks to industry-standard prices, and either ordering the smaller growler or removing the cap can save you quite a bit of money.
Cleaning is vital
While it’s an easy process, you can’t forget about cleaning your growler. Failing to keep strong hygiene with your product makes you susceptible to spoiling your beer a lot faster or even catching a disease, just like with any other food container or piece of brewing equipment. Cleaning is always essential.
But, should you go with the original? Like the Ukeg or the NEW UkegGo?
Double wall stainless steel vacuum insulation keeps beverages cold all day. Streamlined regulator cap allows you to choose high or low carbonation setting to match the beverage you're serving to keep your beer carbonated for days.
Automatically regulates pressure to optimally carbonate beer. Choose desired carbonation level, from zero (off) up to 15 psi.
Summary
Overall a very quality product. It feels sturdy enough to handle knocking around the truck to and from the local brewpub. No dents or dings or even ever having to worry about a glass growler hitting the concrete floor in my homebrewing space.
I go through plenty of glass hydrometers, why bother with anything that doesnt have to be glass?
Lead marketer, brewer, dad, and husband. Pretty much an all-round awesome guy.