Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Stale beer direct from brewery  (Read 3659 times)

Offline ethinson

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 561
  • Why is the beer always gone?
    • River Pirate Brewing Co.
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #15 on: February 13, 2019, 03:28:54 pm »
I don't like crowlers because they are notoriously bad for this.  They are a very temporary packaging at best. If I ever get one filled I drink it as soon as I get home.  Honestly, glass growlers are better since they have a smaller opening (less O2 pickup) and as long as the lid gets screwed on tight you're golden.  Crowlers with crimped on lids can get all kinds of messed up, especially with bar staff doing it.  And by no means am I disparaging bar staff, but when it's the kind of thing you do 2-3 times a shift you may not notice if something gets out of alignment, whereas a dedicated can line, as mentioned above, where you have thousands of cans going through you're going to notice a problem right away.
SE Portland - AKA Beervana
Captain and Chief Deck Swabber - River Pirate Brewing Co.
Certified BJCP Beer Judge
2015 Oregon Brew Crew Member of the Year

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10678
  • Milford, MI
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #16 on: February 14, 2019, 10:03:25 am »
The better canning and bottling lines will Purge the package with CO2 a couple of times before filling. Bottling lines can pull a vacuum before and between purges.

Crowlers? I will just say that some places squirt some CO2 in. More for show than effective. Don't get me started on the barstaff picking up the cans with their fingers in the can.
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline ethinson

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 561
  • Why is the beer always gone?
    • River Pirate Brewing Co.
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #17 on: February 18, 2019, 11:38:40 am »
The better canning and bottling lines will Purge the package with CO2 a couple of times before filling. Bottling lines can pull a vacuum before and between purges.

Crowlers? I will just say that some places squirt some CO2 in. More for show than effective. Don't get me started on the barstaff picking up the cans with their fingers in the can.

I have the same reaction when I see someone filling a glass with the end of the tap in the glass letting it overflow all over the outside of the tap. It makes me cringe. I don't understand why EVERYONE does that.  It doesn't make any sense.  It obviously doesn't help with foaming if your just gonna hold it there and let a full pint pour out. You're wasting beer and getting your taps filthy and I can guarantee they don't get cleaned very often.  When every beer from a taproom has the same sour/diacetyl off flavor that's the reason why.
SE Portland - AKA Beervana
Captain and Chief Deck Swabber - River Pirate Brewing Co.
Certified BJCP Beer Judge
2015 Oregon Brew Crew Member of the Year

Online BrewBama

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6049
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #18 on: March 28, 2019, 02:11:39 pm »
Just saw this video. THIS is the way to purge and fill a to go container   

https://youtu.be/jQsc0vEEaLo


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Offline Robert

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4214
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #19 on: March 28, 2019, 02:20:11 pm »
Just saw this video. THIS is the way to purge and fill a to go container   

https://youtu.be/jQsc0vEEaLo


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
That's awesome.  I presume it's pulling a vacuum and charging with CO2 for a couple of cycles just like a proper bottling line.  I wonder if it's a custom build for Victory, or if it's commercially available to other taproom operators.  And whether it costs more, or less, than a typical 3 bedroom house.  (I'm going with more.)
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.

Offline joe_meadmaker

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 399
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #20 on: March 29, 2019, 08:23:22 am »
I wonder if it's a custom build for Victory, or if it's commercially available to other taproom operators.

They have a very similar growler setup at Tröegs.  At least I'm pretty sure.  It's been a few years since I was there.

Offline KellerBrauer

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 808
  • Bottoms Up!
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #21 on: March 30, 2019, 06:24:32 am »
Just saw this video. THIS is the way to purge and fill a to go container   

https://youtu.be/jQsc0vEEaLo


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

That is quite unique indeed.  I’m guessing the growler is purged with CO2 as opposed to a vacuum.  Very cool setup!
Joliet, IL

All good things come to those who show patients and perseverance while maintaining a positive and progressive attitude. 😉

Offline a10t2

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4696
  • Ask me why I don't like Chico!
    • SeanTerrill.com
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #22 on: March 30, 2019, 09:39:11 am »
I wonder if it's a custom build for Victory, or if it's commercially available to other taproom operators.  And whether it costs more, or less, than a typical 3 bedroom house.  (I'm going with more.)

I haven't gotten a quote on one that size, but they're surprisingly affordable: https://www.micromatic.com/micro-matic-growler-filler/growler-filler-gf-14515-g2
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.

Offline Robert

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4214
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #23 on: March 30, 2019, 09:54:33 am »
I wonder if it's a custom build for Victory, or if it's commercially available to other taproom operators.  And whether it costs more, or less, than a typical 3 bedroom house.  (I'm going with more.)

I haven't gotten a quote on one that size, but they're surprisingly affordable: https://www.micromatic.com/micro-matic-growler-filler/growler-filler-gf-14515-g2
So your friendly taproom is basically making a choice between fresh beer or a used Skee ball machine.  Hmm, that should not be so hard.   But apparently it is for some.
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.

Offline a10t2

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4696
  • Ask me why I don't like Chico!
    • SeanTerrill.com
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #24 on: March 30, 2019, 10:55:58 am »
So your friendly taproom is basically making a choice between fresh beer or a used Skee ball machine.  Hmm, that should not be so hard.   But apparently it is for some.

Do you know how much money the Skee-Ball machine makes us?!

But to bring the topic back around, that's why crowlers seem like such a solution in search of problem to me. It's just so much less expensive and better for beer quality to rig up a way to counter pressure fill growlers.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.

Offline Wilbur

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 876
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #25 on: April 09, 2019, 08:37:05 pm »
So your friendly taproom is basically making a choice between fresh beer or a used Skee ball machine.  Hmm, that should not be so hard.   But apparently it is for some.

Do you know how much money the Skee-Ball machine makes us?!

But to bring the topic back around, that's why crowlers seem like such a solution in search of problem to me. It's just so much less expensive and better for beer quality to rig up a way to counter pressure fill growlers.
I like crowlers if I'm traveling-I don't want to buy a glass growler and shove it in my luggage. Plus you can't take glass to the beach or camping.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


Offline Steve Ruch

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1743
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #26 on: June 15, 2019, 05:23:17 pm »
If you don't want to name the brewery can you name the N. CA. town?
I love to go swimmin'
with hairy old women

Offline Richard

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1012
Re: Stale beer direct from brewery
« Reply #27 on: June 16, 2019, 06:32:41 pm »
Fort Bragg, CA. I think there are only 2 breweries there, so you can probably figure it out.
Original Gravity - that would be Newton's