Can I condition in growlers with screw on lids?

[BrianDuck]

I usually keg all my beer but I have about 10 growlers lying around and my homebrew store sells new lids for them cheap. I was thinking about making a summer ale for a few different people and was wondering how it worked out if anyone conditioned in the growler with a screw on lid.

 

[NedStackey]

I have heard that this could make a glass grenade so I've never done it myself. I keg as well and the only thing that disappointed me is that it's harder to share (unless you like having people over all the time). I have a bunch of growlers that I just fill from my tap just before taking it to some one. Just remember to turn off the CO2 before you start to fill or you'll get nothing but foam. I think you'd have better luck with this than conditioning in a growler.

 

[Cyclman]

+1

 

[harry_the_face]

I have conditioned in a growler a few times with no problems. There is a commercial hard cider maker neat by that sells pre filled growlers among with wine bottles with carved cider. I think your fine with the correct prime amount. I use the metal caps with the rubber on the inside.

 

[BradTheGeek]

It really depends on the quality AND condition of the growler. Even if both of those are optimal, make sure fermentation has really stopped and measure your primer carefully.

Perhaps even bottle a few regular bottles from the same batch+primer. Then you can sample and give the growlers to your friends when complete.

You do not want to give anyone a large exploding glass bomb.

 

[Epimetheus]

You keg your beer, so growlers filled from the keg are a nice gift. They are intended for transporting beer, not carbonating the brew.

 

[Tiber_Brew]

Do NOT carbonate in growlers!

I've done it a couple times about 10 years ago with no issue, but I'm not stupid enough to try it again now. Read this thread for more information.

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

I considered conditioning in growlers for the same reasons as you, and I started a thread on here asking the same. By the end of that thread, I was convinced to NEVER do it. Its not worth it. And consider this, you might be giving something dangerous to someone else. Bad idea.

How bout this option? Keg your beer as you normally do, and then fill growlers on request using the Biermuncher Beer Gun. Its really easy, its cheap, and works great! Search on this forum for the thread, sorry I dont know how to create a link.


"Sometimes Im right half of the time..."

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=24678

The Biermuncher Beer Gun


"Sometimes Im right half of the time..."

 

[ktblunden]

Growlers are NOT designed for conditioning pressures. Glass thickness varies considerably, even within the same growler. You might get lucky and it will work fine...or you might have an explosion that can imbed glass in the ceiling. Not worth it. Fill growlers from your kegs.