It’s official. Beer is definitely the most popular alcoholic drink in the U.S., ahead of wines and other spirits. But competition among beers is intense, and small-batch craft beers are grabbing a significant market share. This represents a generational shift, with Millennials who prefer to drink beer according to the season driving the change. Craft beers typically have a shorter shelf life, and this feature has led to the growth of accessories like growlers to store and carry small-batch beers. A variety of growlers, from more traditional glass and ceramics to insulated stainless steel growlers, make it easier to share and gift your favorite craft beer.
Small batch beers are big news
As of 2016, beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in the U.S. A Gallup poll found that 43% of all drinkers prefer beer to wine and spirits. Craft beers are one of the fastest growing sectors of the market, now accounting for about 12% of all beer consumed. They are typically brewed in small batches and are meant to be drunk within a few months of the date of production. Until recently they were available in cans and bottles, with unique and witty labels and logos.
Now many pubs and even liquor stores keep popular brands and types of craft beer on tap. This has led to the return of a unique beer accessory: the growler. Growlers were used in early modern times to carry beer back home from the public but fell into disfavor in the reformist nineteenth century. The popularity of craft beers has revived the use of growlers to transport tap beer, and to even store it for a few days while maintaining its freshness.
The perfect beer gifts
Growlers are essentially jugs to carry beer, with a narrow neck and an airtight cap. They can also store beer for a few days while preserving its freshness and taste and keeping it from going flat. They have gained quite a following among craft beer drinkers. It’s not too much of a stretch to say that a growler full of your favorite craft beer, fresh from the taproom, makes the ideal gift for fathers, brothers, colleagues, and friends.
Growlers can be the best way to share your home brews as well. This brings us to the next question: what is the best beer growler? Ceramic and glass are more traditional, while newfangled versions like insulated stainless steel growlers are more versatile. Insulated beer growlers will even keep you supplied with your current favorite brew on camping trips and road trips.
Craft beer has quickly established itself as popular favorite, with a market share worth around $23.5 billion. Typically meant to be consumed within a few months of brewing, it is now available on tap in many pubs and stores. Craft beer drinkers have adopted growlers as their preferred way to transport small batch beer and to keep it fresh for a few days. Growlers are also perfect beer gifts with a variety to chose from, such as ceramic and insulated stainless steel growlers.