Growlers - the best way to drink beer at home

If you have been following my blog lately you will have noticed a lot of growlers purchased and reviewed. Most growlers are sold directly from the brewery at times convenient for the brewers. This is beer that comes straight from the kegs into a 64 ounce glass container, capped and sent home with you and in my opinion the very best way to enjoy craft beer at your home, family gathering or other event. I have growlers from most of the Maine breweries that offer them and refill them as often as possible. They store well in the refrigerator and will last 7-10 days if unopened (in theory they could last a lot longer but somehow they never do in my fridge as they opened and consumed shortly after purchase). Once opened you have a couple of days to finish. 64 ounces is 4 pints of beer so for me 2 pints a night for 2 nights and it is gone. Below is a recap and photos of growlers from several Maine breweries.

Oxbow Brewing Company - Newcastle Maine

Oxbow is one of my favorite breweries and if you want to enjoy their beer at home you have to visit their brewery between 2:00 and 6:00 on a Friday afternoon / evening. This is the only time the brewery is open for growler fills. I do not recall the cost for growlers but I believe it is $15 for a new growler and $12 for a refill. Whatever the cost is this is money well spent as every beer from Oxbow is top notch and unlike anything else you will get in Maine. They also distribute kegs to bars and restaurants in Maine and Washington DC so keep an eye out for their clear tap handles and if Oxbow is on tap give it a try. 

Tim & Geoff are great and you will enjoy the time you spend at Oxbow checking out the artwork and brewery. I believe sales are cash only so make sure you plan ahead.

Rising Tide Brewing Company - Portland Maine

Rising Tide only recently started selling growlers after moving their brewery to Fox Street in Portland. They have installed a tasting room and will be filling growlers from 4-7 on Tuesdays and Thursdays / 12-3 on Fridays and Saturdays with tours at 1:00 on most Fridays and Saturdays. Nathan and Heather have an excellent brewery and are great people, again you will enjoy your time at the brewery and certainly will enjoy the beer.

Cost was around $17 for the first full growler and I believe it was $11 for refills. Cash is preferred however they will run a credit or debit card if needed. I will be down there on Tuesday and will update this post with the accurate cost then. 

Read more after the break

233. Geaghan Bros Smiling Irish Bastard

Recently took a trip to Bangor to meet with some clients and decided to have lunch at Geaghan's Pub which includes Geagan Bros Brewing. I sampled the 4 beers they had on-tap and decided on a growler of Smiling Irish Bastard to take home. Beer pours a nice orange with solid white head. Minimal aroma but some light malts.


Taste is solid with a nice balance of malt and hop flavors. Very easy to drink and would go well with just about any meal. Looking forward to my next trip to Bangor so I can grab another growler from Geaghan's. Oh and the food was good too. Be sure to give them a try if you make it up that way. 

Pros: Easy to drink and very well balanced

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: % ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Geaghan Bros Brewing

Brewers Description:Our brewer's favorite staple beer is copper in color with moderate maltiness and features grapefruit hop character. This pale is brewed with traditional Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest that linger on your palette. The name says it all: American strong, like Officer Bernie Welch, a legend in the Bangor Police Force. From Freeses’ Department Store through “Devil’s Half Acre,” with his billy club in hand, he wiped the smile off more than one hooligan’s face while keeping Bangor’s downtown safe.