If you’re into craft beer then you know all about growlers. In fact, you probably have one in the fridge right now. But have you heard of the crowler? If not, stop in to Split Rail Tavern in West Chester, which has been happily offering crowlers to patrons for about three months.
Imagine 32 ounces of your favorite on-tap craft beer coming home with you in a can. The masterminds at the Oskar Blues Brewery taproom and their development partner Ball Corporation pioneered the “American craft beer in-a-CAN movement.”
“The crowler is another step of innovation to take advantage of what the can package has to offer from behind the bar. [It provides] more beer options in more cans,” said Jeremy Rudolf, the man behind the crowler at Oskar Blues.
The crowler is a one-time use recyclable 32-ounce can that Split Rail Tavern can fill for you right at the bar in a matter of seconds. First, the CO2 purge station purges the cans of all beer-degrading oxygen before filling them. The lid is then applied, the can is raised up and locked under pressure on the seaming pedestal. Press “go” and the can is seamed in seconds.
Because of Pennsylvania state law, patrons can carry out a six-pack at a time or singles, which are priced at $9, $12 or $16, depending on the ABV. Crowlers are only available for take-out and are a great option for an at-home night-cap when closing out your tab or finishing dinner with the family and heading home.
“People are starting to come in just for the beer for take out, and therefore we’re seeing fresh faces. [The crowler] is starting to bring in a new wave of people, like younger families who still want to be involved in the craft beer movement,” said Split Rail manager John Day.
With about 20 beers to choose from, Split Rail is happy to set you up with your favorites in a six pack or just one in a single can. In particular, Split Rail Saison, a signature Belgian-style Farmhouse ale, is always on tap and always available in a crowler. One tip from Day: if you find a beer that you love, stocking up is a good idea because the beers rotate almost daily. Also, sometimes finding your favorite beer on draft as opposed to a bottle can be a challenge.
“For all the specialty craft beers that we get in, people can’t always find them in bottles and have to travel to a specialty store. A bottled beer is not as fresh as a draft beer, which you essentially are getting with a crowler,” said Day.
All crowler cans come with the Split Rail Tavern label and space on the back where the type of beer, the ABV and date can be written.
So why a crowler and not a growler? Growlers are often brought back to the pub or brewery without being properly cleaned, which can affect not only cleanliness but also taste. Growlers also do not have a seal like a can and allow light in. The crowler eliminates the concern of “light-struck or skunky beer.”
“Cans are en vogue again,” said Day. “And when we set it up and crowl one, we know we’ll end up crowling a few.”
Stop in to the Split Rail Tavern and check out the new crowler machine—let us know what you think!
Find Split Rail Tavern at 15 N. Walnut St. in West Chester; phone: (484) 999-8805.
This article sourced information about the crowler from https://www.oskarblues.com/crowler.
- Photography: Alexandra Whitney Photography
