Mikey wrote:Ian - now I remember the name of the scotch for which I developed a taste at a certain upscale taproom. It was Laphroaig, and IIRC it was their fairly-exclusive quarter-cask single malt.
OK, so thanks in large part to this conversation I finally went down to Rinn Duin this evening to buy a six of their Irish-style red. I didn't have great expectations, as I'm more a drinker of bottom-fermented brews (beers) than top-fermented (ales,) of which most British styles are examples. However... I did end up leaving with my six-pack, 45 minutes and three drafts later. Not only are the people working the taproom just the best, but the beers are phenomenal. Their Scottish 70 ("Trinity") is a peaty, malty treat - hoppier than most heavier styles, but I can't wait to get a growler of it when the nights turn cold - their brown ale ("Sandpiper") is as good as any, and their seasonal autumn brew ("Ichabod's Return") is a Belgian-style dubbel (a departure for them) which sips easier than any porter I've had yet still has an understated hops presence, full body, and an autumnal finish of (sorry Ian) currants and raisins. I foresee myself spending plenty of time in that taproom. Also have to wait until December until their next seasonal offering - an Imperial stout, and have to go back to try their saison before the warm weather ends.
Question for our experienced beer drinkers: is there really a benefit to be realized from paying a little more and getting growlers instead of bottled beer?
*EDIT* Get this - there's a brewpub in my town that offers, in addition to its own brews, an actual Danish braggot. Sure, it's $18 a glass, but if they didn't have it I might have gone my entire life without drinking a braggot.
I think that you meant lagers/ales, not beers/ales.
A growler (fill) should cost less than 64 ounces of the same beer in bottles. In your calculation are you including the price of buying a new growler glass bottle as well? For the normal screw top growlers, most of the brew-pubs and microbreweries around me charge between $3-$5 for the bottle itself. I have seen some bars get a little crazy with the bottle though. One place near DC wanted $20 just for the bottle. The fancy flip-top growlers with handles and such can get a bit expensive... but they are no better that the screw top. If they try to tell you that the flip top seal is better for keeping the beer fresh, blah blah blah... they are just trying to get you money.
The growler holds 4 pints, and a fill tends to cost about what the place would charge for 3 pints if you were drinking there. Prices for fills can get a little high when you are talking about bigger beers that tend to be served in 10 ounce snifters and such. But, a fill should cost less than a 6 pack of the same beer at a store. If not, your bar is screwing you.
In PA, places do not have to require that you use one of their growlers and deny filling what you bring in. (May vary in other states) If I buy a growler at one place I can legally go to any other brewery, brew-pub or bar (that offer growlers) and get that original growler filled. If a place tells you that it is their policy, then you can't do anything about it. If they tell you that it is illegal they are just lying and trying to get more $ from you (buy the growler and skip the tip and give them they 2 finger salute).
The vast majority of craft drinkers will tell you that a brew on tap tastes "better" than the same from a bottle/can. There will be mild differences, but taste is subjective so the difference might be in that they thing that you liked is lessened and the thing that you wished was not in the flavor profile is accentuated... which means that you would prefer the bottle/can version. I tend to fine drafts to be more flavorful than bottled/canned. Another thing to consider is where you are getting the draft from and how often they clean their lines. (There is a bar in the Southside (Pittsburgh) that has a large and varied draft list... but they have questionable line cleaning schedules, so their stuff sometimes is not as good as it should be.)
Ugh... do not thump the Book of G'Quan...