GrowlerWerks
A new in-growler carbonation system keeps beer cool and fizzy all day long
In Portland, Oregon, nearly every neighborhood boasts its own brewery, and the takeout container of choice is usually the cheap, refillable and readily available growler. However, the growler has one fatal flaw: its screw-on cap lets in air. Unless you’re prepared to drink all 64 ounces of your highly anticipated, limited release, fresh hop ale in one sitting, your beer will likely go warm and flat before you can finish it.
Shawn Huff, Chris Maier, Evan Rege and Brian Sonnichsen of Portland-based GrowlerWerks brought their engineering backgrounds to bear on a solution. Their uKeg system turns the growler into a miniature keg, with an interchangeable tap handle and pressure gauge attached to a stainless steel, double-walled and vacuum-insulated growler. The biggest innovation is their patent-pending cap, which has a holder for a carbon dioxide seltzer cartridge. After filling the growler with beer, just set the cap to the desired carbonation level to keep the beer bubbly.
Although the setup looks formidable, the taste is worth the added effort. The early-bird price for a 64-ounce growler is a reasonable $79, with a 128-ounce version available for $119 from their Kickstarter program.
Image courtesy of GrowlerWerks
