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The best part of fall, in my humble opinion: seasonal beers. And the best way to transport beers to a campsite? A growler. But not just any old jug. To pick the top performer, I tested products from six major brands, rating them on their ability to keep brews cold and carbonated.聽
The Test
First, I filled each growler with 38-degree Wolf Tree Spruce Tip Red Ale at my local watering hole, Gil鈥檚. To measure how well they kept the beer frosty, I put them in the back of my car for six hours on a 77-degree day, then聽took the temperature of the beer inside聽each vessel. Next, to test carbonation, I poured the brew from the growlers into a pint glass held at a 45-degree angle,聽measured the head, and tasted the beer. I聽also took notes on the ease of pouring and cleaning after the beer was gone.
The Results
(Sarah Jackson)
#1. DrinkTanks 64-Ounce Insulated Growler ($74)
Insulation: 4/5 Carbonation: 4/5 Ease of Use: 5/5
聽was the second-best insulator here (it delivered solidly cold 44-degree beer) but came out on top for its ease of use and carbonation retention. It was a close contest with the Klean Kanteen, but the DrinkTanks鈥櫬爓ider opening made it easier to fill and empty, plus simple to clean. I found the聽lid a bit complicated鈥攖wo hinged metal clips fasten it down鈥攂ut it鈥檚 hard to聽complain too much about that聽since those clips are what enabled聽the beer to keep its suds. The DrinkTanks is also one of the best-looking growlers, with throwback styling that belies the modern double-walled insulation.
(Sarah Jackson)
#2. Klean Kanteen Insulated Beer Growler ($55)
Insulation: 4/5 Carbonation: 5/5 Ease of Use:聽3/5
retained carbonation better than any other growler here and kept the beer just as cold as the DrinkTanks. But the smaller opening made it hard for me to聽get a hand inside for scrubbing. I also docked the Klean Kanteen聽a point聽for not having聽a handle, which made pouring the beer a bit more difficult.
#3. Miir Stainless Growler ($42)
Insulation: 3/5 Carbonation: 4/5 Ease of Use: 5/5
Miir聽is known for sleek designs and its growler falls nicely in line. The subtle ergonomic聽handle made pouring beer a breeze. Thanks to that and the wide聽mouth, tied for first with the DrinkTanks in usability. But the carbonation and temperature retention were a notch below, leading to a somewhat tepid, slightly flat beer after all those hours in my trunk.
(Sarah Jackson)
#4. Hydro Flask 64-Ounce Growler ($65)
滨苍蝉耻濒补迟颈辞苍:听3/5 Carbonation: 4/5 Ease of Use:聽4/5
was a聽favorite among my friends for its streamlined aesthetics:聽classy powder coating, plain black lid, and small black handle. It was at the same level as the Miir for insulation聽and carbonation, but that small handle does have its downside; pouring beer with one hand was a touch harder.
(Sarah Jackson)
#5. Stanley Go Growler with Ceramivac ($70)
滨苍蝉耻濒补迟颈辞苍:听4/5 Carbonation: 3/5 Ease of Use:聽4/5
looks like it could survive a nuclear war. But despite the stout build, it didn鈥檛 hold carbonation as well as the others here. It did, however, maintain a refreshingly cold temperature over six hours in the heat.
(Sarah Jackson)
#6. Otterbox Elevation 64 Growler ($70)
滨苍蝉耻濒补迟颈辞苍:听5/5 Carbonation: 2/5 Ease of Use:聽3/5
Otterbox聽makes bomber coolers, so it was no surprise that the 聽had best-in-test insulation,聽delivering a crisp聽42-degree beer. Unfortunately, the brew was also almost flat. Coupled with the skinny opening and lack of a handle, that fact earned it last place on this list. But if you don鈥檛 need fizz, the beautiful and burly Elevation 64 will do just fine.
