‘What the feck is a growler’ has been the most popular question we’ve been asked on our socials over the past few weeks. If you remember Bo Selecta then it may have a different meaning to what we’re using it for right now!
A growler is a container used to transport fresh beer from the tap at a bar or brewery to the drinker’s home. They come in all sizes and can be glass, ceramic or steel but they all serve the same purpose. Once it’s empty you take it back, get it filled and drink it again. It’s probably the most environmentally friendly way of transporting beer and is said to have been around since the late 1800’s.
The beer growler supposedly got its name from the sound of a full covered pail of carbonated beer sloshing about, rumbling and "growling" as the carbon dioxide escaped and rattled the cover.
Other similar theories based on a "growling" sound suggest it comes from the grumblings of a cranky, impatient person waiting for the beer or the moans of the kids who had to go out against his or her will to fetch it for their parents.
Photo credit: Grand Teton Brewing
The bartender has also been the subject of speculation. Did the beer pourer short the customer by quickly filling the growler in a way that created more foam than necessary, in the end leaving the container less than full and the customer less than satisfied?
What these stories all suggest is that it is likely this sense of growler, referring to a container of beer poured from a tap at a bar or brewery and taken home, is of imitative origin, but who used it first and in what context remains a mystery.
What we do know though is that we are now delivering 2 litre growlers of fresh Manchester Union Lager direct to your home, if you live in Greater Manchester for you to pop open and enjoy. Once it's empty, we will replace it with a fresh one for you to do it all over again.
Each 2-litre fill is just £10, which is an absolute bargain, plus a £10 deposit for the growler. Orders need to be made by 9pm on Thursdays and we will deliver it the following day, ready for the weekend - order here - manchesterunionbrewery.com/shop/
General Stores in Ancoats, Stretford Food Hall and The Assembly in Urmston are also offering growlers. Get in touch with them direct to check info