Craft Beer + Growlers = Perfect Roommates

(L-R: Clay Krieg, Bill Johnston, Aaron Keen)

Microbrews are popping up all over Huntsville. On the heels of the craft beer explosion is a lesser known product - the Growler. And Growlers are everywhere beer flows from a tap. If you've been to any of the local suds spots, you've seen the ceramic jugs lining the tap room walls. What is a Growler? Why are they called Growlers? Who makes them? Do you need a Growler? Let's quench our curiosity.

A GROWLER is a 32- or 64-oz. jug used to carry draught beer from the bar to your home, with a rubberized, clamped lid (similar to those used on cheeses and jellies) to contain the carbonation. 

"In the late 1800's fresh beer was carried form the local pub to home by a small galvanized pail. The term 'growler' is rumored to come about when beer sloshed around the pail; it created a rumbling sound as the CO2 escaped the lid." -via: The Growler Station (http://growler-station.com/about/history/)

The Growler has experienced a resurgence, and, like craft beer, growler demand isn't waning. Even so, there are only three companies in the entire US that make growlers - one in North Carolina, one in Portland, Oregon, and the third, in the back room of Huntsville's very own neighborhood Liquor Store & Pub:  Liquor Express.

Liquor Express owner Bill Johnston says the business has evolved. 

"It's been a labor of love. We worked the first year and half tirelessly jot to get the molds right. Clay and Aaron are ceramicists. They have fine arts degrees. They're the 'Machine.' We had so many internal issues with simple mistakes that Aaron figured out. We're kind of like a little fraternity back here."

The two artisans work tirelessly to perfect their craft. They also teach classes for those who'd like to create their very own growler. Look for Aaron and Clay at local music festivals or follow their work here: Southern Growler