To the professional beer drinker, there is no denying that draft beer is superior tasting to it’s bottled or canned alternative. The only downside is typically access or rather the convenience of obtaining draft beer. While I highly recommend getting a keg for your tailgate, it’s not always practical. Be it the size of your crowd or legal/campus restrictions. Luckily, the rise of the craft beer movement in the US has also brought about the growler renaissance. A growler is typically a half gallon (64 oz) glass container that allows you to get draft beer to go. The immediate benefit is obviously the ability to drink sweet wonderful nectar of the gods draft beer while not being reliant upon a bar/keg. If you’re looking for another justification, the reusable glass bottles are environmentally friendly.
Once filling up your growler, it should stay fresh if unopened for easily a week. Once opening, I suggest keeping that baby cold and finishing it within about 48 hours to maintain good carbonation. Filling up your growler on a Friday and drinking it on Saturday before kickoff is not a shabby way to pregame. If you don’t want to throw it in your cooler you could also pick up an Insulated Beer Growler Bag. Below I’ve included some places around the South where you can pick up a growler before the game. If you have a favorite local fill up station please let us know in the comments.
Athens, GA: The Beer Growler
Atlanta, GA: Hop City
Birmingham, AL: Highland Package
Columbia, SC: Green’s
Fayetteville, AR: Hog Haus
Gainesville, FL: Tipple’s Brews
Lexington & Louisville, KY: Liquor Barn
Knoxville, TN: Bearden Beer Market
Nashville, TN: Midtown Beer & Cigar Store
Folks in Mississippi appear to be battling Johnny Law but can join the fight. All I could find in Louisiana was the Abita Brew Pub. But based on drinking laws in that state, I’m sure just about anywhere would fill up a growler.
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