Bill would remove restrictions on growlers of beer

A member of BeerAdvocate posted that state Sen. Dave Aronberg has introduced a bill, SB 2062, that would remove the restrictions on the sizes of growlers of beer.

What's a growler?

It's a re-sealable bottle* (screw cap or swing-top) that is filled with beer from the tap. You typically buy a growler at a brewery and have them fill it with beer. Then you can take the empty bottle back for refills. A typical growler in other states is 64 ounces. But in Florida, growlers can only be 32 ounces or less or 128 ounces (a gallon) or more. Aronberg's bill would allow vendors (maybe even bars and brewpubs) to sell any size growler they choose.

Why would you want to buy a growler of beer?

Growlers are a great way to take home beer that's only sold on draft. For example, Cigar City bottles a minority of the beer they brew. Most are only sold on draft at their Tampa brewery. So you can go there and buy a growler and take it home, or to a party, to enjoy later. I once bought a growler of beer at the late, great Austin, Texas, brewpub The Bitter End and carried it on a flight back to Sarasota.

BeerAdvocate has a good article on growlers, with a picture of a very cool 64-ounce swing-top growler, here.

* Beer in growlers does not keep very long once opened. I would suggest drinking it all within a day or two after opening it for the first time, otherwise it will be flat and the oxygen in the air will dull the flavor.