Growlers are a great way to bring the taste of fresh draft beer home with you. These half-gallon glass containers which are filled at a bar or brewpub have surged in popularity among craft drinkers in recent years.

Growlers first emerged in the late 19^th century. They were an easy way of transporting the day’s ration of beer back home from the local pub for use by the whole family. Back before modern sanitation practices beer, not water, was what the average person drank for refreshment and hydration. Water, especially in urban areas, was far too dirty and contaminated for healthy consumption, so beer was what the common folk drank. Since the six pack was still many decades away and most local breweries didn’t have the facilities to bottle beer, a large, reusable container was the way to go.

It was usually children who would fetch the family’s daily supply of beer, Referred to as “rushing the growler”. The idea of having children making daily visits to seedy barrooms was a source of much concern for those in the prohibition movement and was a key factor in the eventual passing of the 18^th amendment banning alcohol in the US. The sloshing and gargling the beer would make as it was carried haphazardly by the little ones is what gave the growler its name.

Today growlers serve a very different purpose. Rather than being the daily source of hydration for families, they are more commonly used by savvy beer lovers who are looking for a way to take their favorite draft-only brew home. It can also be a convenient way of taking beer on the go. Thanks to the resealable caps almost all growlers come with, you can have some now, and then save it for later. Once opened it should probably be consumed in two or three days, otherwise you run the risk of the beer going flat. Because growlers are reusable- they can be refilled time and time again – they are also one of the most environmentally beer containers around.

There are a lot of reasons to give growlers a try. What do you think of these handy containers? Are they available in your area? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter.