Carbing up in howler bottles

[MissingLink]

Okay. So I know about the search bar...But nothing turned up on this. Perhaps because of the vernacular.

Let me start here. When I talk about a growler It's typically the glass 64 resealable type with twist lid. If a growler is 64 oz a 32 oz half growler is called a howler (half-growler). This would be glass and have a pop top. I think this is also called a 'Q' for quart. At least as my local slang goes. Bonus points for calling a 32 oz can a crowler.

When bottle carbonating our homebrew. It's typically accepted that the growler is a bad idea as the strength of the container to surface area is much larger than a 12, 16, or 22 oz bomber.

So my local beer stop has Pacifico 32 oz howlers for $3. Its NOT great beer but has it's place. Note it's proximity to the 40's of OE and Steel Reserve does make me feel dirty making this purchase.

The question: Is it a good deal because I get a nice sized reusable howler... Or is the howler a bad idea for the homebrewer who might over gass one in conditioning?

 

[IslandLizard]

If a growler growls and a howler howls, how does a crowler crowl?

I've never heard of a howler before, in beer context, that is.

I had a 64 oz screw top growler bust on me in the cooler, half full of beer. They can't take much pressure. "Howlers" may fare a little better, but I doubt they can take 3 volumes, especially when the temps rise. Now the pop tops may be thicker glass than the common screw top ones. I guess you could weigh a few to compare?

 

[flars]

Look at their web site for information. I have quart swing tops from Howes Sound Brewery. On their site they state they are heavy glass so that they can be be used by home brewers for bottle carbonating. They believe in recycling. The quarts are sealed with a regular crown cap and have the swing top attached to the neck when purchased.

 

[MissingLink]

I thought weighing them was a sound benchmark. But I suspect that the effect of surface area vs pressure is probably non-linear.

Pacifico bottle weighs ~16 oz.
A bomber weighs ~11 oz
A standard 12 weighs ~7 oz

I've noticed pint swing top bottles are much thicker.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Flippies are usually heavier (thicker) versions of regular .5 liter bottles for beers carbonated at higher pressures.

(I brought back 10+ cases of flippies from Germany).