Growler filling

[beermkr]

So the owner and I were having a discussion concerning filling outside growlers. He is concerned about the possibility of outside contamination coming into or going back out with our beer.

Do any of you have any guidance. We are thinking that a liability waiver for a refill or an outside growler fill may be the way to go.

All thoughts appreciated!

Mike

[BlackandGold]

I personally think a contamination is highly unlikely but if you're really worried rig a piece of tubing to the spout and wash after using.

[BrewinLou]

One question, are you guys filling for outside sales in the brewing area, or just filling for customers at the bar?

[JimBrennan]

A liability waiver? Really? For what, bad beer? The people who fill growlers are normally pretty serious.

This is simple... bartenders can check the growler to see if it's clean. If not they can clean it. DONE. Unless, of course, lazy bartenders just fill any growler without as much as a look or a whiff. That goes to management.

I'd be more concerned about local laws regarding those bottles, and making sure they have the government warning on them and such.

[beermkr]

Brewinlou. Customers at the bar.

Jim. Not to be over reactive but... what about a bottle contaminated on the outside with H1N1 Influenza. Two problems, one it brings it into the bar and gives direct contact to my employees and two, how do I prove that it was not my employee that contaminated it.

Look I know that these are reasonably far fetched things but my owner is worried about things like this.

R/
Mike

[beerking1]

No known pathogens can survive in beer, due to acidity and alcohol levels. It may come in on the growler, but cannot survive in the growler once filled.

As for an employee getting contaminated from the growler, I seriously doubt that would be an issue, unless your bartender is sucking on the growlers before they are filled. Much more likely for the bartender to catch it from the customer than the growler itself, IMHO.

[JimBrennan]

H1N1 living on the outside of a glass bottle? Maybe you should have all customers that enter bring a doctors note that they've had a recent check up.

If your owner is concerned about these things, you'd better start looking for another job.

[beermkr]

damn Jim... talk about being over reactive. Are you concerned about someone cleaning their growler with soap and the bartender visually inspecting it. It has soap residue and now the beer you worked so hard at tastes like soap. The customer gives this beer to 10 of his friends and they all hate it and never decide to even check your brewery out.

Oh and the pinkeye virus can survive on a door knob for over 30 days...

I and NOT that over reactive but I am realistic enough to know that bad experiences are talked about more than good ones.

My question now is how many people fill other peoples growlers? How many people only fill their own and do a swap when a growler comes back?

Lyle, I know that no pathogen can live in beer... you know me personally cut me some slack.

R/

[BeersmithMT]

You always have the option of sanitizing and rinsing growlers prior to filling. We have always done it that way and it does reduce the concern of beer going funky in the growler and being shared with others.

[beermkr]

You always have the option of sanitizing and rinsing growlers prior to filling. We have always done it that way and it does reduce the concern of beer going funky in the growler and being shared with others.

Problem is I have to figure a way to do this that the bartenders can understand... I am leaning this way with our triple sink that is not used now.

R/

[BrewinLou]

If you are not using your triple sink now how are you washing your customers glasses? I have to assume you have a washing machine. So why not just run every growler through the wash machine? Otherwise if you are going down this road I would, set up the sinks normally, beer clean, rinse, sanitizer. Use them excusively for growlers. Here is the thing, if you start cleaning growlers, your customers will more then likely be less inclined to rinse them out. Then you will get the really ugly growlers, which I refuse to fill. Kind of a slippery slope. Then you will need a bottle jet and some hot water.

[REV]

If someone comes in with an outside(not ours) growler that is seriously funky, I tell them to buy a new one, yours stink, hand the growler back to them and have them wiff it!

If it is ours, I get them a new one and put the stinky one in the "growlers that need a serious soaking" pile and tell them next time rinse it out when your done.

Most times they simply need a rinse.

As for h1n1 and pink eye? Whatcha gonna do? Live in a plastic bubble?

Put down the lysol and take a deep breath, you'll be OK!

[beerking1]

The first warning is when the growler goes "HISSS" when you open it. Probably not worth filling that one without a serious wash!

[burlybeer]

How do you protect your employees now from H1N1 and pinkeye? Presumably they are touching glass, silver and dishware handled by your germ laden customers. Perhaps you should require your servers and bartenders to wear surgical gloves for their protection.

Really common sense should rule the day here. Whiff test, a quick rinse (pretty easy to rig up a sanitation station). Maybe just swap them out with a "reminder" to the customer to not bring nasty growlers in house. Or maybe you just swap them out + a new cap anyway just for your own piece of mind.

[Rosie]

I like the approach Rev!

People here have the habit of bringing plastic ones from other breweries for us to fill. I've started refusing (and suggesting ours) as I find I waste a lot of beer trying to fill them. The surface must not be as smooth as the growlers (we're simply filling from the font/tap). Some people are really attached to their little plastic jugs....

What instructions do you guys give to new Growler owners? I usually just advise: enjoy, finish and immediate good hot rinse, invert until dry then reseal. Is this sensible or are you guys telling people to start putting dishwashing implements inside, etc?

Thanks,
Jeff