Growlers, crowlers now available for sale straight from breweries

Craft breweries can now sell their beers straight from the tap in more than just a pint glass.

As of June 1, Alabama craft breweries are able to sell beer in growlers, “crowlers” and six-packs for off-premise consumption in addition to in the taproom.

“We started Cahaba years ago, and the tasting rooms were allowed and the higher gravity beers were allowed, but the thought that we would ever be able to sell growlers or package out of the brewery was just a dream,” said Cahaba Brewing Co. co-owner Eric Meyer.

Gov. Robert Bentley signed HB176, also known as the Growler Bill, into law in March. The legislation removed restrictions on breweries and brewpubs and allows both types of businesses to sell up to 288 ounces of beer per customer per day for off-site consumption. The brewery will be able to fill growlers, glass or ceramic jugs, and crowlers, 32-ounce aluminum cans that are sealed on-site, for people to take out of the taproom.

Breweries can also donate up to two kegs to charitable events, and the bill removes location restrictions that limited brewpubs to opening in historic buildings or districts or in economically distressed areas.

Sen. Bill Holtzclaw, R-Madison, co-sponsored the Growler Bill in the senate and helped push it through the Legislature. Holtzclaw was previously involved in the Brewery Modernization Act and the Homebrew Act, and said the Growler Bill was a natural next step.

“I’m a less government is better kind of guy in my belief system, and there’s no reason why we were limiting them [breweries] from being able to sell on premise for off-premise consumption,” Holzclaw said.

The ability to sell growlers, crowlers and six-packs out of the taproom at a brewery opens a new way to connect with consumers, said Trim Tab CEO Harris Stewart.

“It helps establish a relationship with the brewery, and being able to strengthen those relationships is what I’m most excited about,” Stewart said.

People passing through Birmingham or calling in to ask about buying beer from the brewery previously had to be turned away due to the state’s three-tier system, which required beer to be sold from a brewery to a retailer through a licensed distributor. 

“I have people who call us from whole different regions of the country who don’t understand the three-tier system that we have,” Stewart said. “It’s just disappointing for a lot of people, and it’s definitely hurt our business. People are excited about trying our beer.”

Anyone who was not local was also limited with what they could purchase at stores. While breweries have small-batch beers on tap, the run is normally too small to sell through a distributor.

“The other thing that’s going to make it good for us is the ability to do some one-offs and do some really special beers that we will be able to sell out of the tasting room itself,” Meyer said.

Growlers provide customers the option to take home some of those limited release beers and open up a new line of revenue for the breweries. While breweries expect off-premise sales to help business, Stewart said overall, this legislation offers another way to connect with craft beer lovers and allow breweries to share their beer with a wider market.

“It’s about growing our business. It’s about something that’s larger,” he said. “It’s about growing the lifestyle and culture of what we’re all about.”