Got me a growler

Last week, I stopped at Southern Spirits and after throwing caution to the wind, picked up a growler of Olde Mecklenburg Brewery's Copper Amber Ale.

I'd heard about growlers before but never about this particular brewery. For those not familiar with growlers, it's approximately the equivalent of six pints of beer in a big jug. It supposedly has a special cap to keep the beer fresh for longer to avoid the problems that occur to a 2-liter of soda a day or two after it's been opened. At least that's my layman's take on growlers...

For the Copper Amber Ale, I shelled out $20 with $10 to be returned when I return the jug. Not a bad price to pay for six 4.5 pints of quality beer. An employee at Southern Spirits claimed that once cracked, the special cap would keep the remaining beer fresh for 90 days. This seemed dubious, but I wasn't particularly concerned since I'm confident six pints of beer would never last that long in my house.

My final verdict: the beer's real good (that's as detailed a beer review you'll get from me), but the growler will not keep it fresh for anywhere close to 90 days. By day 4, there was noticeably less fizz.

But a growler is definitely a cheap way of enjoying a quality pint of beer without paying bar prices. I plan to pick them up when entertaining out-of-town guests; it's a good way to share a good local brew without leaving the house.

UPDATE 11/4: I had to correct some poor math. A growler is the equivalent of 4.5 pints, not six. It's still a good deal in my opinion, but sorry for the mistake.