Walk into any brewery taproom and you’ll spot two containers behind the bar. One looks like an oversized soda can. The other resembles a giant glass jug with a swing top.
The crowler vs growler question trips up a lot of beer fans, and it’s easy to see why. Both let you carry draft beer home from your favorite spot, but they behave in very different ways once you’re out the door. This guide breaks down what each one actually does, so your next beer run doesn’t end in a flat, warm disappointment.
Quick Answer
If you want the short version, here it is.
A crowler is a 32-ounce aluminum can that gets sealed shut on the spot at a brewery or taproom. A growler is a reusable jug, usually 64 ounces, sealed with a screw cap or swing top and meant to be refilled again and again.
Crowlers win on freshness because they block out light and get sealed airtight with a can-seaming machine. Growlers win on reuse and cost over time, since you’re not tossing the container after one drink.
How Many Beers Are in a Crowler?
A standard crowler holds 32 ounces, which works out to about two pints of beer. That’s roughly the same as two and a half standard 12-ounce beers, give or take depending on the pour.
It’s a single serving for most people, or a shareable one if you’re splitting it with a friend. Some spots offer a smaller version too, so always check the label before you assume the size.
Does Anyone Use Growlers Anymore?
Yes, plenty of people still swear by them. Growlers never really went away, even with crowlers stealing some of the spotlight.
Regular taproom visitors like the ritual of bringing their own jug back for a growler refill. It feels more personal, and it cuts down on packaging waste since the same reusable growler gets used trip after trip.
Craft beer fans also like having a 64-ounce growler on hand for parties or gatherings, where a single crowler just wouldn’t be enough beer to go around.
How Long Will Beer Stay Fresh in a Crowler?
A sealed crowler generally keeps beer fresh for about one to two weeks if it’s refrigerated the whole time. The airtight seal and can material both help block oxygen exposure, which is the main thing that ruins beer flavor.
Once you crack it open, though, the clock resets fast. Drink an opened crowler within a day for the best taste, since it loses carbonation and starts to go flat almost immediately.
Why People Confuse Them
The names sound alike, and that’s really where the mix up starts. Crowler and growler rhyme, share a similar shape purpose, and both show up in the same part of the taproom menu.
On top of that, a lot of people have only ever used one or the other. So they assume the terms are interchangeable, when they’re actually built around totally different materials and use cases.
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Key Differences At A Glance
Here’s a quick breakdown before we dig into the details.
- Material: Crowler is aluminum, growler is usually glass or stainless steel
- Size: Crowler is 32 ounces, growler is typically 64 ounces
- Reuse: Crowler is single-use, growler is a refillable growler
- Sealing: Crowler gets a seamed lid, growler uses a screw cap or swing-top stopper
- Freshness: Crowler blocks light completely, growler depends on the glass color
These five factors decide almost every choice you’ll make between the two.
Meaning And Usage Difference
Beyond the physical differences, the words themselves get used in slightly different ways depending on context.
What Is A Crowler?
A crowler is a draft beer container made from a large aluminum can, filled fresh and sealed shut right at the counter. The word blends “can” and “growler” into one term, and it’s become common crowler meaning in beer culture.
Think of it as a to-go can, built for one trip and one pour, not for coming back and forth.
What Is A Growler?
A growler is a jug, usually made of glass or metal, designed to be filled, emptied, and refilled many times over. The classic growler meaning points back to old-school beer jugs from over a century ago.
It’s the reusable option, the one you bring back to the same brewery again and again for a fresh beer growler refill.
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Material Difference
Crowlers are made from thin aluminum, similar to a regular soda can but usually taller and wider. That aluminum can design makes it fully light-proof, which matters a lot for beer quality.
Growlers come in glass growler, stainless steel growler, or occasionally ceramic growler versions. Amber glass blocks light fairly well, but clear glass growlers let light in and can speed up flavor breakdown.
Size And Serving Difference
A crowler holds 32 ounces, roughly two pints in one can. A standard growler holds 64 ounces, about four pints, though you’ll sometimes see a smaller 32-ounce growler or a mini howler floating around too.
If you’re buying for one person on the go, the crowler size usually makes more sense.
Sealing Difference
Crowlers get sealed with a can-seaming machine, which presses an airtight seamed lid onto the can right there at the counter. There’s no opening it without cracking that seal completely.
Growlers rely on a screw cap or swing-top stopper instead. Both work fine, but neither creates the same tamper-evident closure you get from a crowler’s seam.
Freshness Difference
This is where the two really part ways. The crowler’s aluminum shell blocks all light exposure and creates a genuinely airtight seal, which slows down beer oxidation significantly.
Growlers, especially clear glass ones, let some light through and rely entirely on the cap for a seal. That means growler freshness tends to fade faster than crowler freshness, particularly once you factor in oxygen exposure during the fill itself.
What Happens After Opening?
Once either container is open, beer starts losing carbonation right away. An opened crowler should be finished within a day, refrigerated the whole time.
An opened growler behaves about the same, maybe slightly faster since the seal usually isn’t as tight. Neither container magically preserves beer once that seal is broken, so plan to drink up soon after opening.
Tone, Context, And Formality
In everyday conversation, both words show up pretty casually. Nobody says “I purchased an aluminum draft beer vessel” at the bar. They just say “give me a crowler” or “fill up my growler.”
Crowler tends to sound more modern and trendy, since it’s a newer term tied to newer breweries. Growler carries a bit more old-school, traditional weight, especially among longtime craft beer regulars.
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Which One Should You Choose?
Honestly, it depends on what you’re doing with the beer once you leave the taproom.
Grabbing a quick beer to drink tonight and tossing the container after? Go with the crowler. Planning to make regular trips back to the same brewery for refills? A reusable growler pays for itself pretty quickly.
When One Choice Works Better
Let’s get specific about situations where each container clearly wins.
Choose A Crowler For Portability
Crowlers are lightweight, compact, and don’t shatter if you drop your bag. That makes them a solid pick for travel, hikes, or tossing in a cooler without worrying about broken glass.
Choose A Growler For Reuse
If you visit the same taproom often, a growler saves money and cuts down on waste. You’re not buying a new container every single time, just paying for the growler refill itself.
Choose A Crowler For Light-Sensitive Beer
Hoppy styles like IPAs are especially prone to damage from light exposure. Since crowlers block light completely, they’re a smarter pick for hop-forward beers that skunk easily in clear glass.
Choose A Growler For Gradual Pouring
Hosting friends over a few hours? A growler lets you pour smaller amounts over time from one larger container, instead of opening and finishing a sealed can all at once.
When One Choice Sounds Wrong
Calling a glass jug a “crowler” sounds off to anyone who knows beer terms, since crowlers are always aluminum cans. Same goes in reverse, calling a sealed can a “growler” just doesn’t fit the traditional growler definition.
Using the wrong term at a taproom isn’t a huge deal, but staff will usually gently correct you, since the two containers really do work differently behind the scenes.
Common Mistakes And Quick Fixes
Here are the slip-ups people make most often, along with quick fixes for each one.
Mistake 1: Assuming Crowler Is A Misspelling
It’s not a typo. Crowler is a real, established term, blending “can” and “growler” into its own word in the draft beer world.
Mistake 2: Calling Every Large Can A Crowler
Not every big beer can is a crowler. The term specifically means a can filled and sealed fresh at a brewery counter, not something mass-produced on a store shelf.
Mistake 3: Assuming Every Growler Holds 64 Ounces
Most do, but not all. Some spots offer a smaller 32-ounce growler or a compact howler, so always check before assuming size.
Mistake 4: Believing A Crowler Stays Fresh Indefinitely
Sealed crowlers last one to two weeks refrigerated, not forever. Treat that seal date as a real deadline, not a suggestion.
Mistake 5: Reusing A Crowler
Crowlers are a single-use container. Once opened, that seal is gone for good, so don’t try to reseal and save it for later.
Mistake 6: Bringing A Dirty Growler For A Refill
Breweries expect a clean growler cap and jug before refilling. A dirty container can pick up off flavors from the last batch, ruining your fresh pour.
Mistake 7: Assuming A Closed Growler Restores Freshness
Screwing the cap back on doesn’t undo oxygen exposure from opening it. Once it’s open, freshness starts dropping no matter how tightly you reseal it.
Mistake 8: Ignoring Local Alcohol Rules
Local regulations and alcohol laws vary by state and country when it comes to sealed beer-to-go containers. Always check your area’s rules before assuming a filled crowler or growler is fine to transport anywhere.
Everyday Examples
Seeing the words in real sentences helps everything click faster.
Examples With Crowler
“I grabbed a crowler of the new IPA before heading out.” “This taproom seams every crowler right at the counter.”
Examples With Growler
“Bring your empty growler back for half off refills.” “My glass growler has survived three years of weekend trips.”
Examples Showing The Difference
“I wanted something quick, so I got a crowler instead of filling my growler.” “The crowler blocked light better, but my growler holds double the beer.”
Cleaning And Storage
Keeping either container in good shape isn’t complicated, but it does take a little routine care.
How To Store A Crowler
Keep unopened crowlers cold and upright in the fridge the whole time. Avoid warm car trunks or direct sunlight, even though the can already blocks light on its own.
How To Clean A Growler
Rinse a growler with hot water right after each use, before residue dries and sticks. A bottle brush handles the inside, and avoiding soap residue matters since leftover suds can flatten your next fill.
How To Transport Either Container
Keep both upright and cold using a cooler or insulated bag on the way home. Sudden temperature swings speed up flavor loss in both a sealed crowler and an open growler alike.
Are Crowlers Recyclable?
Yes, and this is one spot where crowlers actually have an edge. Since they’re aluminum recycling friendly, empty crowlers can go straight into your regular recycling bin without much thought.
That said, they’re still built as a single-use crowler, meaning you recycle the can rather than refill it like you would a growler.
Dictionary-Style Word Details
For anyone curious about the grammar side of these two beer terms.
Verb
Neither word is commonly used as a verb, though you’ll occasionally hear “crowlering” jokingly used among brewery staff during a busy shift.
Noun
Both words function primarily as nouns, naming a specific type of beer container used for takeaway draft beer.
Adjective
You’ll sometimes see “crowler-sealed” or “growler-style” used descriptively, though neither has become a fully standard adjective yet.
Synonyms
Close synonyms include beer-to-go container, draft beer to go vessel, or simply beer container, though none capture the exact meaning as precisely.
Example Sentences
“The bartender filled two crowlers for our road trip.” “She’s had the same growler since her college days.”
Word History
Growlers date back over a hundred years, originally tin pails carried home from saloons. Crowlers are much newer, appearing around 2013 when a can-seaming machine made fresh, sealed cans possible at the counter.
Phrases Containing
Common phrases include “growler refill,” “crowler fill,” “growler cap,” and “crowler seal,” all tied directly to the filling and sealing process.
How To Remember Crowler vs Growler
Here’s a simple trick that sticks. Crowler starts like “can,” and it is a can. Growler rhymes with “howler,” and both are jugs you hold and reuse.
Picture the can getting crushed shut with a machine, that’s your crowler. Picture the jug getting refilled at the counter, that’s your growler.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between a crowler and a growler?
A crowler is a sealed aluminum can. A growler is a reusable jug you refill.
Which keeps beer fresh longer, a crowler or a growler?
A crowler generally keeps beer fresher, thanks to its airtight seal and full light protection.
Can you reseal a crowler?
No, a crowler cannot be resealed once opened. It’s built strictly for single use.
Can breweries refill growlers?
Yes, most breweries happily refill clean growlers, often at a discounted refill price.
How many beers are in a crowler?
A standard crowler holds 32 ounces, roughly two pints of draft beer.
How many beers are in a growler?
A standard growler holds 64 ounces, about four pints of draft beer.
Conclusion
So, crowler vs growler really comes down to how you plan to drink your beer. Crowlers win on freshness and portability. Growlers win on reuse and bigger servings for groups.
Neither container is objectively better across the board. Next time you’re at a taproom, think about your trip home, pick between a crowler or growler based on that, and you’ll walk out with beer that actually tastes the way it should.
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