growlers

Has anybody used growlers for bottling? I usually use a couple. The company I bought replacement caps from does not recommend this. I have not had a problem with them exploding yet. Am I skating on thin ice by doing this? Thanks.. Kevin.
I use priming sugar to carbonate.

 

This is one of those topics that sparks sometimes fierce debate.

Growlers are not meant to hold pressure and can explode under the pressure associated with bottle conditioning. When they explode, it's not a little crack - it will explode with enough force to send glass through the drywall or your eye, or your dog, etc.

Lots of people do it,though. Just like lots of people drive without a seatbelt, ride a motorcycle without a helmet, or neglect to always point a firearm in a safe direction. Sure, 9 times out of 10 nothing bad will happen, but when it does go bad, it goes REALLY bad.

 

+1

 

I tried it before and never had any breakage issues......however the one issue I have had is flat beer. Growlers caps are not good at holding carbonation for long ( at least the poly capped ones).

 

I've bottled into a pretty stout flip-top growler twice with no issues. That said, I try to make it one of the first to open.