New Twist On Take-Out Beer Available At Some Local Taverns
By Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Growlers are popular among craft beer lovers, but did you ever hear of crowlers?
Jeff Lavin, owner of the Hulmeville Inn, was demonstrating what he calls his "shiny new toy" -- a manually-operated machine that allows his bartenders to fill and seal 32 ounce cans for take out.
It's called "the Crowler" and it's the brainchild of Colorado brewery Oscar Blues. Lavin says it's a game-changer:
"We ordered a pallet of cans, just shy of 2,500, and we already sold about a fifth of the cans. So 500 cans in a month, I guess."
Now that the word is out, Lavin says Oscar Blues is struggling to keep up with demand:
"You can't get one now for almost half a year. That's how far behind they are in orders."
The cans have a longer shelf-life than growlers, and Lavin says they're a great backup for people who forget to bring their big bottles:
"One of the customers, he said, 'well gee, I would really love to get that beer, but I don't have my growler in the car today.' Now he can get. He calls it 'an impulse buy'."
And no doubt there will be plenty of impulse buying with the holidays upon us.
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