Hydro Flask Beer Growler Review
Active Gear Review is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
If the thought of a cold craft beer makes your face look like a Saint Bernard after staring at a raw steak for an hour, a quality beer growler is just as important as good running shoes are for someone training for a marathon. With the craft brew industry taking the beer market by storm, there is good reason why bottle companies are racing to come up with the next best beer growler. The Hydro Flask beer growler is an double walled insulated growler that is sure to keep your beer cold for hours upon hours.
Technology in the Hydro Flask Beer Growler
Hydro Flask Beer Growler + Beer = LOVE
The Hydro Flask Beer Growler uses a double walled insulation which helps keep the beer temperature consistent from when it was poured into the growler until the time it hits your mouth. As stated on the Hydro Flask website, this growler can hold cold temperatures constant for up to 24 hours depending on the outside temperatures. If you happen to use this growler for warm liquids such as coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, the liquid temperature will stay the same for up to 12 hours.
The material used on the inside of the Hydro Flask Beer Growler is a 18/8 food grade stainless steal. As it is extremely important to keep beer away from bacteria, this is definitely a big selling point in my book. This also helps keep the smells of the liquids from penetrating the inside walls. This means that you can change from coffee in the morning to beer at night without your coffee tasting like beer and vice versa. Just be sure to give it a good washing in between… To wash out, I’ve found it easiest to pour about a cup of warm water and a squirt of dish soap in the container. Seal the container, and shake the hell out of it. After about 15-30 seconds of shaking, rinse out the soap and you are all set to go. Be sure to clean out the cap as well, otherwise everything you put in there will taste like soap.
Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Beer Growler – Easy to pour in and easy to pour out.
The wide mouth of the Hydro Flask Beer Growler is one of the best features in my mind. I find that when pouring the beer into a pint, it’s almost like you’re pouring water. This means that less carbonation is lost in your pour. Speaking of pouring the beer, it can be a tad tricky when trying to pour one handed which is the case if you are holding your pint with the other hand. The growler itself is too wide and heavy for most people to hold with one hand, so you have to hold the lid strap and trust that it will hold. In a traditional glass growler, you typically get a little glass handle to hold onto. This is a feature that would be good to see if they come out with a new version.
Side by Side Beer Growler Comparison
Can you take this Growler camping?
If you’re thinking about taking the Hydro Flask camping, I recommend using it for car camping only. The growler itself weighs 1 lb. and 11 oz. For backpacking, this is a little heavy and I recommend you might want to stick to boxed wine, beer in cans, or consider bringing along Pat’s Backcountry Beverage which the review can be seen here if you need your booze in the backcountry. For car camping, this is an excellent choice as you don’t have to worry too much about the growler taking up too much room in the cooler as it pretty much takes care of itself, at least for the first 24 hours.
Taking the Growler to your local Brewery
Hydro Flask Beer Growler getting filled up at my favorite local watering hole
Depending on the brewery that you take your growler to, it is hit or miss as far as whether they will accept it or not. Some breweries only let you fill up with their branded growlers. This in my mind is kind of lame from a consumer standpoint, but I might think different if I was the person that owned the brewery. All that said, I’ve been able to fill up my Hydro Flask Beer Growler with no issues at the local breweries.
Government Warning on Beer Growler
One thing that was pointed out to me about the Hydro Flask Beer Growler is that it doesn’t have a “Government Warning” telling you not to drive if you’re too drunk to drive a car and don’t drink if you’re pregnant. As I filled this up, one of the patrons at the local brewery mentioned to me that technically they have to have that on the side of the growler to fill it. I honestly don’t know and my local brewery has never said anything so I am going to continue with my fills.
Final Thoughts
At it’s price point, some people might try to argue that they only have to pay $5 or $10 for a glass growler at their local brewery. They are right, this growler costs more. The nice thing with the Hydro Flask Beer Growler is that you don’t have to worry about dropping it or breaking it. This growler is sure to keep your beer cold for more than an hour which your glass growler can’t compete with. Last, this is a multi-purposed growler, so if you want to use it for something other than beer, you won’t have any issues. Overall, it is a quality beer growler that is worth its price tag. For more information, please visit www.hydroflask.com or www.amazon.com/hydroflask.
