As you explore craft beer and enjoy this incredible craft beer adventure, be sure to take advantage of opportunities to savor fresh, draft, craft beer.
You might recall that, back in January, I talked about cellaring beer and the types of beer that can benefit from aging in a cool environment. Cellaring craft beer is its own subject, but, simply put, cellaring the right beer can enhance certain flavors, mellow others, and give you the chance to enjoy a great beer in a new way.
But in general, craft beer is best when it’s freshest. So beer that has just been bottled, canned, or is currently on draft, gives you the chance to taste your beer of choice at its “best enjoyed by” date.
One great way to enjoy a fresh craft beer is to buy a growler or a crowler filled with draft beer. Growlers are reusable glass, aluminum or ceramic containers and have twist or snap- top lids, allowing you to take fresh, draft craft beer home. The most common growler size is 64 ounces, but there are also 32 ounce and 128 ounce sizes. Unopened, growlers can last 2-3 weeks. But once they’re opened, you should drink the beer within 12-24 hours. And, again, growlers are designed to be reusable.
Over the last couple years, crowlers have become more and more common, allowing us to take home fresh beer, but in a can. Crowlers are aluminum cans, like a large beer can, that are filled with craft beer and then sealed by a special crowler sealing machine. The beer goes directly from the tap into the can and is filled to the rim then sealed, and you get to go home with a 32 ounce can of draft craft beer! And because of how it’s sealed, draft beer in a crowler can be kept for 2-3 months… if you can manage to wait! It’s important to note:
unlike growlers, crowlers are not reusable and should be recycled.
It’s the weekend! Get a growler or a crowler of fresh, draft, craft beer!
Cheers!
Jefferson
The Craft Beer Guy
Email: jward@thebayonline.com
