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

253. Black Bear Brewing IPA

On a bit of a growler kick lately, visiting lots of breweries and I just cannot seem leave empty handed. Left with three growlers last time I went to Black Bear Brewing in Orono including this classic growler with their old art work and even has the old address for the brewery.

Beer pours a nice orange with nice white head. Aromas are minimal but what there is smells great. Taste is very solid for an American IPA nothing over the top like many other IPAs try to do, just a very drinkable refreshing IPA. Finishes clean and makes you want another glass. Black Bear Brewing makes some excellent beer and I am looking forward to trying their Red, Stout and whatever else is available when I visit the brewery next.
Pros: 

Cons: Only available at the brewery in a growler 

Alcohol Content: 5.3% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 11
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Black Bear Brewery

Brewers Description: Not listed on the website

247. Black Bear Brewery Liquid Sunshine

Met with Tim at Black Bear Brewing last week and got a chance to check out the new 8 tap keg cooler for the tap room he is opening at the brewery. The taproom will have some of your favorites from Black Bear as well as some one off options that will only be available at the brewery. Looking forward to seeing the finished area from this experienced Maine brewer.


While there I picked up 2 growlers of Liquid Sunshine which is Black Bear's Hefeweizen. I dropped one off to my brother-in-law and took the other home for the week. Beer pours a nice pale yellow with solid white head. Aroma has plenty of clove and banana which draws you into the beer. Taste follows with lots of crisp fruity taste. Very easy to drink and refreshing on a warm summer day. One of the better hefes I have reviewed and something most any beer drinker would enjoy. If you find yourself in the Bangor, Maine area take the extra time to visit Black Bear Brewery in Orono, chat with Tim, try some beer and buy a growler. 
Pros: Light and refreshing

Cons: Only available at the brewery in a growler 

Alcohol Content: 5.3% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 11
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Black Bear Brewery

Brewers Description: Liquid Sunshine is a Bavarian style Hefewiezen. This beer has the traditional clove aroma with a touch of lemon peel, but there are no spices added. The unique flavor comes from a traditional yeast selection which has been used in Germany for centuries.

228. Black Bear Brewery IPA (Single Hopped with Centennial)

Visited Black Bear Brewery again on Monday and Tim was nice enough to set aside a growler of his single hopped IPA for me. IPAs generally use at least 3 and as many as 10 different hop varieties to increase the hop aroma and flavor. It is always interesting to taste an IPA that uses only one hop variety in the brew process. I know Samuel Adams did a variety pack of their Latitude 48 IPA using each individual hop variety.


This one looks like your typical IPA with a nice orange color and slight white head. Aroma is not overpowering but has some citrus notes. Taste is a solid IPA with a fair amount of bitterness but definitely not overpowering. This beer is easy to drink as most Black Bear brews are and the growler was finished in a couple of nights. Overall this is a quality beer although not as big as many of the IPAs have reviewed in the past. I don't think that was Tim's goal in brewing this one so overall great job and I look forward to the next growler from Black Bear. 


If you ever go to the Bangor area be sure to take the few extra minutes and go to Orono to visit Black Bear Brewing, a small but very capable brewery located in a college town. 
Pros: Easy to drink

Cons: Only available at the brewery in a growler 

Alcohol Content: ??% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 
 Brewers Website: Black Bear Brewery

Brewers Description: Not on website as this was a one off brew.

196. Black Bear Brewery Dry Hopped Pail Ale

Had the opportunity to stop by Black Bear Brewery yesterday afternoon and talk to owner/brewer Tim Gallon. Sampled the four beers he had in the tasting room including the dry hopped version of his Pail Ale. After trying all I decided this was the one to take home in a growler. $9 for 64 ounces of fresh beer is a real bargain. Color is an amazing cloudy orange with minimal head. Aromas of citrus hops and taste is a very pleasant light bodied ale with a nice hop kick. It has been a while since I had a true session beer and this one certainly falls into that category. The 64 ounce growler will certainly be finished off tomorrow evening. If you happen to be in Orono, Maine be sure to stop by and talk to Tim, super nice guy that really enjoys what he does. Looking forward to trying their Hefe this summer.
Pros: Color, drinkable

Cons: Only available at the brewery in a growler 

Alcohol Content: 4.8% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Black Bear Brewery

Brewers Description: This is a dry hopped version of their Pail Ale. Pail Ale is a hoppy American pale ale. Large late American hop additions give a big aroma and flavor balanced with a sweet malty backbone for a very drinkable pale ale.