Klean Kanteen’s 64 ounce Insulated Stainless Growler is the big brother to the 32 ounce growler that Andy reviewed here. And while the 32 is just fine most of the time, when you visit your favorite brew pub, you’ll want the bigger one.
To make our point, we hopped in the car, and made a quick 500 mile trip to Boulder, Colorado. Well, we really went to Colorado Springs first, but we also spent a day in Boulder. Our destination there was Avery Brewing Company. A local insider had told us that Klean Kanteen was already the official growler of Avery, so we knew that it would be no trouble to have them fill it. We just needed to choose which beer to take back to our temporary home base. This was not an easy choice, and it was only after 14 different tasters that we settled on their Gored, described as a 7.0% ABV “Smooth, spicy, sessionable pumpkin ale”. (Note that I was driving, so only had a small taste of each, while my brave son was kind enough to find the bottom of each and every 4 ounce glass, over the course of 3+ hours)
So why trust our precious cargo to Klean Kanteen? Their growler is 18/8 food-grade stainless, with an electropolished interior. Combine that with their Swing Lok® cap, and you have a growler that boasts a 100% stainless interior, so whatever you put in it will only ever taste like whatever you put in it. This week’s beer will have no trace of last week’s kombucha, and next week’s cold-brew coffee will never even know about the previous occupants. There is one non-stainless bit, which is the gasket that seals it tight, and does not leak. And unlike glass, this double wall growler will keep your drink cold for up to 24 hours.
For those that care about numbers, here are the full details on the growler. It has a capacity of 64 fluid ounces, which is 1900 mL for our metric friends, or four pints, for our friends waiting at home to share. With the Swing Lok® cap in place, it stands a proud 11.8 inches tall, and is 4.65 inches wide. It weighs a mere 28.3 ounces when empty. Filling with ice or liquids is made easy by the 1.75 inch (44 mm) opening on top. Fun fact: a glass growler can be dropped once, and only once, before it likely shatters into hundreds of small pieces. A double wall stainless growler will merely gain character with each drop.
Needless to say, this growler performed well, and was fun to test. Klean Kanteen lists the price as $69.95, which is a small price to pay for being able to enjoy your favorite beer days after visiting the brewery. And don’t forget, it will keep your non-alcoholic beverages just as cold, so you can take them with you on your next trip to the beach, mountains, zoo, or backyard BBQ. KleanKanteen.com.
– Brian
A special thanks to KleanKanteen for providing their growler for our review. And also to the folks at Avery Brewery Company for their fine beers and excellent hospitality.