The Quick Answer
A growler is a reusable jug you fill, take home, and fill again - glass or insulated stainless steel, yours to keep. A crowler is a single-use aluminum can a brewery seals shut on the spot with a special machine, meant to be opened once and recycled. Same job, one trip; completely different object, completely different second trip.
We've been building insulated growlers since 2015, and this exact question shows up in our inbox close to every week.
The lineup, compared
| Question | Growler | Crowler |
|---|---|---|
| Reusable? | Yes - fill it hundreds of times | No - one seal, one pour, then recycle it |
| Material | Glass or insulated stainless steel | Thin aluminum, like a tall beer can |
| Who seals it | You, with a screw cap or clamp lid | The brewery, with a can-seaming machine |
| Typical size | 32 oz, 64 oz, or 128 oz | 32 oz, almost always |
| Keeps it cold? | Yes, if insulated (hours, not minutes) | No insulation - it's a can |
| You bring it back next time? | Yes, that's the whole point | No - there's no "next time" for that can |
What a crowler actually is
A crowler is a beer can that gets filled and sealed to order, right at the counter, using a machine that crimps a lid onto a can the same way a soda factory does. The name is a mash-up of "can" and "growler," and it was popularized as a brewery-counter product, not something you buy and refill - once you crack it open, that specific can is done. You get a fresh one next time.
It solves a real problem for the brewery: no insulation, no washing, no return trip needed, and beer sealed in a can stays fresher for longer than beer sitting in an open growler because there's zero headspace and zero light getting in.
What a growler actually is
A growler is the older idea, and the one that comes home and stays. Fill it, take it, drink it, rinse it, bring it back. The name predates modern breweries by a long way - the story most people repeat is that the term comes from the sound CO2 made escaping a lidded pail on the walk home, though nobody can verify that one and it's told as folklore, not fact.
Modern growlers split two ways: cheap glass jugs, and insulated stainless steel ones (that's us). Glass does the same basic job. Insulated steel keeps what's inside cold for hours instead of minutes and doesn't shatter if it tips off a tailgate.
The real difference that matters: one you own, one you don't
Strip away the material and the size and it comes down to this: a crowler is packaging. A growler is equipment. You don't wash a crowler and use it again next Tuesday - it goes in the recycling bin the same day. A growler is the opposite bet: pay once, use it for years, bring it back every time you want a fill.
That also means the real comparison isn't "which one is better" - it's "do you want to own a container, or not." If the answer is yes, a crowler was never actually competing with a growler in the first place.
Does one keep beer fresher longer
Sealed and unopened, both hold up well - a factory-crimped crowler seal and a growler's cap both keep oxygen out. The gap shows up after you crack the seal. An insulated growler with a tight closure can hold carbonation for a good while once opened if you reseal it properly; a crowler doesn't get a "reseal" option at all, since the whole design assumes one pour and done. If you're not finishing it in one sitting, that's worth knowing before you pick either one.
What we see in the reviews
- People keep the same growler for years, not weeks. "I've had a Drink Tank for a few years now and I absolutely love it. All of my other growlers are collecting dust," one Trustpilot reviewer wrote - which is a strange thing to say about a crowler, since there's nothing to keep.
- Reusable ones ship internationally and still get used the same way. "I just received the 64oz growler. Shipping was swift - only a week to Japan," another reviewer noted - a crowler wouldn't survive that trip sealed, let alone make sense to ship.
- Durability shows up in daily use, not just the first pour. "I have used one of these daily for 8 years that I got from a brewery, and it still works and looks as good as the day I got it," one reviewer wrote about a DrinkTanks cup - the same material logic applies to the growlers.
FAQ
Is a crowler the same as a growler?
No. A growler is a reusable container you fill and refill. A crowler is a single-use sealed can, filled once and recycled after.
Can I bring my own growler to a brewery to fill?
Most breweries will fill a clean growler you bring in, insulated or glass - it's worth a quick check with the specific taproom, since policies vary by state and by brewery.
How long does beer last in a growler vs a crowler?
Sealed and unopened, both hold up for a good stretch. Once opened, a crowler is meant to be finished that sitting, while a resealable growler with a tight closure can be saved for later.
Do breweries still use growlers, or is it all crowlers now?
Both are still common. Crowlers took off because they're faster for a brewery to fill and hand over with no washing - growlers stuck around because customers keep the same one and come back with it.
What size is a crowler usually?
32 ounces is the standard crowler size at almost every brewery that offers them.
Is an insulated growler better than a glass one?
For keeping beer cold on the way home, yes - insulated stainless steel holds temperature for hours where glass has none. Glass is lighter and cheaper up front; insulated steel is the one you're not replacing next year.
Ready to pick a growler that actually comes home with you
If you're going with a growler over a crowler, get one built to be refilled for years, not just for the drive home. The Growlers collection covers all three sizes - 32 oz, 64 oz, and 128 oz - insulated stainless steel, built to be the one you keep bringing back.
Written by Nicholas Hill, Founder & CEO of DrinkTanks. Nicholas founded DrinkTanks in Bend, Oregon in 2013 and has spent 13 years building the growler and personal keg category from the ground up.