You are now good to go and share with friends – and if you can’t finish the keg in one sitting, place it in the refrigerator for another time. Remember to clean it thoroughly after use by hand. I drank my Belgian IPA over the course of seven days to see how the carbonation would hold up. It was perfect! And there was even some juice to spare. The one thing any growler needs to do is protect the beer inside from oxygen. A good airtight seal can be as simple as a screw-cap and can last for days, but as soon as you open it for the first time and release the seal, the beer can go flat. The history of the growler, however, is much more recent. The name most likely comes from the late 1800's when a metal pail was referred to as a growler by bartenders and patrons. The pail was used to transport beer from the bar to an individual's home. The origin of the growl moniker is disputed. One theory is that the bartender is growling because the patron got more than a pint to take home. Another source insists that the growl is the hiss of Carbon dioxide escaping the pail when it is being transported.

If you're going to take the time and effort required to make your own beer at home, you ought to keep that beer in pristine condition. That's what the luxury uKeg is all about, with the ability to maintain your homebrew's freshness and bubbliness for weeks. It also lets you precision-carbonate your beer by dropping in a standard CO2 canister and dialing up the pressure you want from 0 to 15 PSI. (You could use a nitrogen canister instead, for a putting a creamy head on a dark beer like a stout.) There's even a gauge on the outside of the opaque container that lets you know exactly how much brew is left. As the name suggests, it's kind of a keg in growler size. Growlers of beer will stay fresh for several days (some say up to 10 days) if left unopened. Once opened, however, leftover beer will be flat within 36 hours at best. If a growler is filled with a full counter-pressure system, it is possible for the beer to remain fresh for up to several months. Of course, beer in growlers is susceptible to the same perils as bottled and canned beers. Keep away from sunlight, store cold if possible, and store upright. This makes it a great gift for men who like beer and enjoy brewing their own. Just make sure to follow the instructions and guidelines provided by Growler Werks to ensure optimal performance. Is the uKeg a Good Gift for Someone Who Likes Beer? Not necessarily. You should definitely keep your beer growler indoors and out of the sun, but it doesn't have to be in the fridge at all times. Many beer aficionados enjoy their brews best at about 55 degrees, which is not quite fridge-cold but definitely cooler than room temperature.Other growlers can store beer under pressure, with carbon dioxide and truly airtight seals to keep oxygen at bay. These gadgets can keep beer fresh and tasty for as long as two months.

The benefits of the growler are plentiful. While their popularity waxed and waned in the past century, the resurgence of home brewing and the craft beer revolution have consumers considering growlers once again. The obvious advantage is that a growler allows you to take beer on the go. If you cannot commit to purchasing a keg of beer, but you demand a large volume, this is the best option. Also, some beers are only available on draft at a brewery. This is usually because the beer is a small batch or seasonal brew. This allows the consumer to have the brewery experience outside of the establishment. Additionally, you can also customize your carbonation level using the beer carbonation chart provided by Growler Werks, which is a feature you won’t find in standard growlers. What’s the Difference Between the uKeg 64 and the uKeg 128? While the common glass growler is much the same as it was in 1989, growlers do continue to evolve, but each one’s purpose remains – transport beer from brewery/brewpub/bar to some other place, and keep beer from going bad for a reasonable amount of time. But how does that happen? The fun aspect of the NutriChef keg is that is gives you lots of control over the level of carbonation, with the ability to pump up to 30 PSI into the contents. That lets you play around with existing beers in fun ways, like cranking up the bubbles in a brown or amber ale to make it more refreshing, or using a nitrogen canister to put a rich, creamy head on a light lager. Growlers must have a lid to guarantee freshness. Whether a screw-on or gasket cap, the lid is designed to seal in carbonation and to protect the beer from unwanted bacteria.Allison Wignall and Jason Horn are both The Spruce Eats staff writers who updated this roundup. Both have spent years writing about food, drink, and travel, and you can find their work featured in publications like Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, Playboy, and Serious Eats.

There are two uKeg sizes: a 64-ounce (1/2 gal) model and a 128 oz (one gallon) model. Both sizes are available in either stainless or copper-plated, meaning you have a total of four options for the uKeg you choose. VPR cap: automatically regulates pressure to optimally carbonate beer. Choose desired carbonation level, from zero (off) up to 15 psi.

Growlers have two very important benefits for a beer fan. One, they provide a way to source seasonal, limited beers that likely are not distributed. Secondly, the growler itself is something personal, as if a statement about one’s brewery allegiance or taste in art or one’s lifestyle. Growlers are used again and again. They travel, they get passed around, they get admired.