Fresh draft beer has a short life once it leaves the tap. A growler is how you take it home, and the good ones do two jobs at once: they keep the beer cold, and they keep the carbonation in the liquid instead of letting it out through a poor seal.
Any kitchen that pours drinks learns the same thing fast. Warm beer goes flat, foam is wasted beer, and a dirty line or lid ruins whatever comes through it. This guide applies those plain rules to choosing the best beer growler, from a simple vacuum bottle to a small pressurized tap. All seven picks here are sold for beer.
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Quick verdict: which growler to buy
For most people, the best beer growler is the Stanley Classic Beer Growler: in Outside’s 24-hour comparison it held beer at 48°F and placed second of five on carbonation, with nothing to maintain. If you want beer to stay fizzy after the first pour, choose the GrowlerWerks uKeg Go. For a full gallon, or to carbonate your own, choose the GrowlerWerks uKeg 128.
Below are seven growlers from four makers, each with one honest reason to skip it.
Five growlers side by side
Five standout picks, one for each kind of beer drinker, with the details each maker or listing states. All seven growlers are reviewed in full below.
| Growler | Best for | Capacity | Closure | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stanley Classic Beer Growler, 1.9 LBest overall
|
Most beer drinkers | 1.9 L (about 64 oz) | Screw lid, no CO2 | View on Amazon |
DrinkTanks Craft Growler, 64 ozBest seal
|
Sealing and upgrading later | 64 oz | Bail closure per maker | View on Amazon |
GrowlerWerks uKeg Go, 64 ozBest pressurized
|
Keeping beer fizzy after opening | 64 oz | Regulator cap and tap | View on Amazon |
GrowlerWerks uKeg 128 Copper, 128 ozBest for big batches
|
Parties and homebrewers | 128 oz | Regulator, gauge, sight glass | View on Amazon |
DrinkTanks Session Growler, 64 ozBest for carrying
|
Hikes and camp | 64 oz | Twist-lock lid | View on Amazon |
Product images from Amazon. Details are as stated by each maker or listing; check the listing before you buy.
Our picks for the best beer growler
The list runs from plain vacuum growlers that are built for a day out to pressurized models that act like a tiny keg. Glass jugs and ordinary water bottles are not here, and the safety section further down explains why.
1. Stanley Classic Beer Growler, 1.9 L – Cold, Fizzy Beer Without Parts
This is the growler to buy if you want to carry fresh draft home from a brewery, or take it to a cookout, and have nothing to learn. It holds about 64 ounces, the standard half-gallon growler fill, in a double-wall vacuum steel body with a plastic carrying handle on the side.
It also has the best independent evidence on this page. Outside filled five 64-ounce growlers with the same beer and left them at 70°F for 24 hours. The Stanley finished at 48°F in the growler and 52°F in the glass, and it placed second of the five on carbonation. Only a Klean Kanteen did better, and that model has no handle. Testers there called the Stanley a close second on temperature, fizz and drinkability.
Hop Culture picked it for campers, saying it is sturdy enough to handle roots, rocks and dirt. Stanley’s listing says the lid holds carbonated drinks safely, which is the line you want to see on any bottle that will carry beer. It does not give a pressure figure.
Care is simple. The listing calls it dishwasher safe. Rinse it soon after you empty it, then let it dry with the lid off, as the Brewers Association advises for any growler.
Why we like it
- Second of five on carbonation in Outside’s 24-hour comparison
- Beer was 48°F after a day at 70°F in that same comparison
- Listing says the lid holds carbonated drinks safely
- Dishwasher safe, according to the listing
Key specifications
| Model | 10-01941-067 |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1.9 L (listed as 64.25 oz) |
| Material | Double-wall vacuum stainless steel |
| Closure | Lid; type not stated in the listing |
| Pressure | Not stated; lid described as safe for carbonated drinks |
| Maker’s temperature claim | 24 hours cold, 18 hours hot |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher safe |
| Warranty | Not stated in the listing; Gear Moose reports a lifetime warranty on Stanley’s growler |
Why we recommend it
Choose it if you drink a growler within a day or so of filling it and want the cold and the fizz to last that long. There is no gas, no tap and nothing to replace, and it has a published result behind it.
Skip it if you want beer to stay carbonated for a week or more after you open it. Each pour lets gas out, and only a pressurized growler such as the uKeg puts it back.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Strong independent result on cold and fizz
- Simple, with no gas or spare parts
- Standard half-gallon size
Cons
- No way to replace lost carbonation
- Listing gives few details
- Listing gives no pressure rating
2. DrinkTanks Craft Growler, 64 oz – A Clamping Lid and a Keg Path
DrinkTanks builds its line around beer rather than water, and the Craft is the model that shows it. DrinkTanks describes a dual-bail closure and a cork-insulated lid on its own page, and the same page says the Craft works with the company’s dispensing line, which turns it into a small travel keg. The steel is passivated 18/8, and laser-etched ounce marks inside help you see how much you have left.
Independent results are good but not the strongest here. In Outside’s 24-hour comparison it finished third of five on carbonation, with beer at 52°F in the growler. The author still liked the clamping top. Hop Culture listed it for the utilitarian and praised the airtight seal. Gear Moose reports that the cap handles up to 60 PSI, a figure the Amazon listing does not repeat.
One point to check before you buy. The Amazon text for this 64-ounce listing describes a twist-lock cap and 24 hours cold, while DrinkTanks describes a dual-bail closure and other DrinkTanks listings claim up to 45 hours cold. Look at the photos and confirm which lid you are getting.
Why we like it
- Bail-style closure per DrinkTanks, a design Outside’s author liked
- Works with the DrinkTanks dispensing line, according to the maker
- Internal ounce marks
- Lifetime warranty, according to the listing
Key specifications
| Model | G-2.0-64-CRM |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 64 oz |
| Material | Double-wall vacuum 18/8 stainless steel |
| Closure | Dual-bail per maker; twist-lock per listing |
| Pressure | Up to 60 PSI per Gear Moose; not in the listing |
| Maker’s temperature claim | 24 hours cold, 12 hours hot (this listing) |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher safe |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Why we recommend it
This suits someone who likes the idea of starting with a plain growler and adding a tap later. It also suits anyone who wants a clamping lid they can see is closed.
Skip it if pure cold and fizz matter most. In the one side-by-side result we found, the Stanley beat it on both.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Airtight seal praised by Hop Culture
- Upgrade path to a small keg
- Lifetime warranty
- Ounce marks inside
Cons
- Listing and maker differ on the closure
- Behind the Stanley in Outside’s comparison
- Keg parts are sold separately
3. GrowlerWerks uKeg Go, 64 oz – Tap and Fizz That Travel
A plain growler starts losing carbonation the moment you open it. The uKeg Go works differently. A small CO2 charger sits in the cap, a regulator holds the pressure, and a tap on the front pours the beer, so the space left behind by each glass fills with gas instead of air.
GrowlerWerks offers a high and a low carbonation setting here, and the tap has locked, unlocked and pour positions. The chargers are food-grade 8-gram cartridges, sold separately. The body is double-wall vacuum stainless steel with a powder coat and a rubber foot.
GrowlerWerks says the system keeps beer fresh and carbonated for weeks. Treat that as the maker’s figure, because we found no independent result for this model that runs that long. Hop Culture calls it the lighter, tougher alternative to the larger uKeg, and Homebrew Academy says cleaning is easy, with warm water and mild soap for the main vessel. Gear Moose covers it as a portable tap-equipped growler.
Why we like it
- Regulator cap with high and low settings
- Three-position tap for pouring and storing
- Rubber foot and powder coat protect the body
- Pours without opening the growler
Key specifications
| Model | uKeg GO |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 64 oz |
| Material | Double-wall vacuum stainless steel |
| Closure | Regulator cap with tap |
| Pressure | High and low settings; no psi figure in the listing |
| Maker’s temperature claim | Cold all day |
| Cleaning | Warm water and mild soap (Homebrew Academy) |
| Warranty | 1-year limited |
Why we recommend it
Buy this if a half-gallon usually lasts you more than one sitting, or if you want to set a tap on a picnic table and let people pour for themselves. It also serves soda, cider and cocktails, according to GrowlerWerks.
Skip it if you finish a growler in one evening. You would be paying for a system you do not need, and buying chargers to run it.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Keeps a pressurized gas blanket over the beer
- Tap makes serving a group easy
- Simpler than the larger uKeg
Cons
- CO2 chargers are extra and ongoing
- No gauge or sight glass
- Weeks-long freshness is a maker claim
4. GrowlerWerks uKeg 128 Copper, 128 oz – A Full Gallon on Tap
This is the uKeg for a full gallon. Where the Go has a simple high and low setting, this one has a regulator you dial from zero to 15 psi, a pressure gauge you can read and a sight glass that shows how much is left. That matters when you are serving a crowd, or when you want to carbonate beer yourself.
Homebrew Academy gives the most useful account of this size. The reviewer carbonated a Belgian IPA at 15 psi in about three days, drank it over the next seven, and found that the carbonation held up. He cleaned the vessel by pushing a cleaning solution through the tap with leftover gas. His one mechanical complaint was that the tap drips a little after you shut it.
BestReviews also reports no loss of carbonation in its testers’ experience, but says the cold-retention claim of eight hours came closer to six for them. Plan on ice or a fridge for a long day. The 128-ounce size takes the larger 16-gram chargers, and the Homebrew Academy reviewer used one to carbonate and another to dispense.
Why we like it
- Regulator dials from zero to 15 psi
- Pressure gauge and sight glass
- Carbonation held for seven days in Homebrew Academy’s account
- Holds a full gallon
Key specifications
| Model | uKeg 128 CU |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 128 oz |
| Material | Double-wall vacuum stainless steel, copper finish |
| Closure | Regulator cap with tap |
| Pressure | 0 to 15 psi |
| Maker’s temperature claim | Not stated in the listing |
| Cleaning | Solution pushed through the tap (Homebrew Academy) |
| Warranty | 1-year, from an authorized seller |
Why we recommend it
It suits people who host, and homebrewers who want to carbonate and serve from the same vessel. The gauge and sight glass take the guesswork out of both jobs.
Skip it if you need something to carry far. A full gallon of beer in a steel vessel is heavy, and the 64-ounce Go is the better traveler.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Carbonates as well as dispenses
- Gauge and sight glass show what is happening
- Serves a group from one fill
Cons
- Tap drips a little, per Homebrew Academy
- Uses more CO2 chargers
- Cold time fell short of the claim in BestReviews’ report
5. DrinkTanks Session Growler, 64 oz – Lighter, Simpler Carry
The Session is the smaller-framed sibling of the Craft. DrinkTanks says it has the same double-wall vacuum insulation in a more compact, lighter body, and Hop Culture recommends it for the adventurer on those same grounds. It holds the same 64 ounces as the Craft.
The lid is the main difference. Instead of the bail closure DrinkTanks describes on the Craft, this one uses a twist-lock insulated cap that the listing says is leakproof and holds carbonation. That is one less piece of hardware to catch on a bag.
Inside you get the same passivated 18/8 steel and laser-etched ounce marks. The listing calls it dishwasher safe and claims 24 hours cold or 12 hours hot, which is the same figure on the Craft’s 64-ounce listing. We found no independent cold or carbonation result for the Session itself, so the Outside numbers for the Craft should not be read across to it.
Why we like it
- Compact body with the same insulation as the Craft, per DrinkTanks
- Twist-lock lid with fewer moving parts
- Ounce marks inside
- Dishwasher safe, according to the listing
Key specifications
| Model | SSN-64-GLC |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 64 oz |
| Material | Double-wall vacuum 18/8 stainless steel |
| Closure | Twist-lock insulated cap |
| Pressure | Not stated |
| Maker’s temperature claim | 24 hours cold, 12 hours hot |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher safe |
| Warranty | Not stated in the listing |
Why we recommend it
Pick the Session if you plan to carry your growler on foot and do not care about adding a tap later. It keeps the maker’s beer-first design and drops the extras.
Skip it if you might want a keg setup, since the dispensing line is described for the Craft and we did not see it offered for the Session.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Lighter design than the Craft, per the maker
- Simple twist lid
- Hop Culture recommends it
Cons
- No independent cold result for this model
- No keg path that we could confirm
- Listing gives no pressure rating
6. GrowlerWerks Element Growler, 64 oz – Pours With the Cap On
The Element is what GrowlerWerks makes when you take the gas away. It has no regulator or tap. It is a double-wall vacuum growler with a twist-lock cap and a built-in spout, so you can pour without taking the cap off, plus a carry handle on top.
That pour cap is the reason to look at it. Lifting a full lid off, setting it down and screwing it back on between glasses lets more of the cold and the gas out. The powder coat and rubber foot are the same protective details GrowlerWerks uses on the uKeg Go, and the maker pitches it for beer, seltzer, water and coffee.
We should be plain about the evidence. Our search found independent reviews of the uKeg but none of the Element, so this pick rests on the listing and on the maker’s record. GrowlerWerks gives no hours for it either, only that it keeps drinks cold or coffee hot for hours.
Why we like it
- Pours without removing the cap
- Top carry handle
- Rubber foot and powder coat against dents
- Made for beer and seltzer, according to the maker
Key specifications
| Model | Not stated |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 64 oz |
| Material | Double-wall vacuum stainless steel |
| Closure | Twist-lock cap with pour spout |
| Pressure | Not stated |
| Maker’s temperature claim | Cold or hot for hours; no figure given |
| Cleaning | Not stated |
| Warranty | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
This suits someone who shares a growler across a table and wants to pour quickly, and who likes the GrowlerWerks build without paying for a CO2 system.
Skip it if you want proof before you buy. The Stanley has a published result, and this one does not.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Quick one-handed pouring
- Tough outer finish
- No chargers needed
Cons
- No independent review found
- Listing gives no hours, cleaning or warranty details
- No carbonation control
7. Kegco The Grizzly Flip-Top Growler, 64 oz – A Wide Mouth for Clean Fills
Kegco is a draft-beer equipment company, and the Grizzly reads like it came from people who fill growlers at a tap. The opening is 2-1/8 inches wide and the shoulder slopes, which Kegco says keeps the beer from being agitated and reduces foaming during the fill.
The flip top stays attached, so there is no lid to lose, and it swings out of the way when you pour. The body is double-wall 304 stainless steel with a black finish and a metal handle. Kegco says on its own site that it keeps drinks cold for about a day, which is a modest claim and a believable one.
A wide mouth also helps at the sink, because a bottle brush can reach the bottom and air can dry the inside. Our search found no independent review of this model, so treat it as a maker-described pick. The listing gives no pressure rating.
Why we like it
- 2-1/8-inch opening and sloped top to reduce foaming
- Flip top stays attached
- Metal handle
- 304 stainless steel
Key specifications
| Model | FD-64B |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 64 oz |
| Material | Double-wall 304 stainless steel |
| Closure | Attached flip top |
| Pressure | Not stated |
| Maker’s temperature claim | Cold for about a day (Kegco) |
| Cleaning | Not stated |
| Warranty | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits regular brewery visitors who care about a clean fill, and anyone who has lost one screw lid too many.
Skip it if you want independent evidence on seal and cold, because we could not find any for this model. The Stanley or the Craft are safer bets there.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Wide mouth fills and rinses easily
- Lid cannot be lost
- Designed around a tap fill
Cons
- No independent review found
- No pressure rating listed
- Listing gives no hours or cleaning details
How to choose a growler for draft beer
Decide how long the beer has to last
This is the first question and it settles most of the rest. If you will finish the beer the day you fill it, a good vacuum growler is all you need. If a half-gallon will last you a week, only a pressurized growler replaces the gas that escapes each time you pour.
Look for a closure made for carbonation
Beer pushes back against its lid. Choose a closure that the maker describes for carbonated drinks, and read any pressure figure as useful rather than essential, since most listings here do not give one. In Outside’s comparison, a general-purpose bottle without a beer-specific lid probably lost carbonation for that reason, even though it kept the beer cold.
Match the size to the trip
Sixty-four ounces is the standard fill, and it is about five 12-ounce pours. Remember that a full vacuum growler is heavy. A 128-ounce vessel is for a table or a tailgate, not a long walk.
Think about pouring
Every time you take a lid off, you lose some gas and some cold. A pour cap or a tap reduces that. A plain lid is fine if the growler empties quickly.
Check how it cleans
Old beer leaves a film that spoils the next fill. A wider mouth lets a brush reach the bottom. The Brewers Association, writing on CraftBeer.com, says to clean, sanitize, rinse and air-dry a growler right after you empty it, and to store it with the lid unsealed.
Filled growlers are under pressure, so treat them that way
The Brewers Association’s advice is direct: every filled growler is a pressurized container. Warming and freezing both raise the pressure inside, so do not leave a filled growler in a hot car or let it freeze, and leave about 5 percent headspace when you fill it. In a Houston summer, the hot car is the one to watch. Carry beer straight home in a cooler and put it in the fridge.
That advice is why we left glass jugs off this page. The same guidance says chipped, cracked, engraved or etched glass growlers should not be filled, and Hop Culture calls brown glass growlers prone to shattering. Glass jugs are also often sold for home brewing and kombucha, and we did not find a pressure rating for the ones we looked at, so we could not recommend one for carbonated drinks.
Ordinary water bottles are out too. In July 2025 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of Walmart’s Ozark Trail 64-ounce insulated water bottles. CPSC said the lid could forcefully eject when the bottle was opened after food, carbonated drinks or perishable drinks had been stored inside over time. None of our picks is that bottle. It is a good reason to keep beer in a vessel that is made for it, to drink it soon and to open any sealed bottle that has been forgotten slowly, pointed away from your face.
We searched CPSC’s recall database for each maker here and found no recall naming these growlers.
How we chose these seven growlers
We looked at what a working kitchen cares about in a drink container: seal, temperature, cleaning and whether it is built for the job. We then read the Amazon listings, the makers’ pages and published reviews from Outside, Hop Culture, Gear Moose, Homebrew Academy and BestReviews. Those outlets did the measuring, not us. We have not used these growlers ourselves. Where we found no independent review, the pick says so and rests on the listing and the maker’s details.
Each pick was in stock when we wrote this. Some well-known growlers were not, or were in short supply, which is why the Hydro Flask, MiiR and the newer Stanley Easy-Pour are not on the list.
Growler questions, answered
How long does beer stay fresh in a growler?
Treat an ordinary growler as a same-day or next-day container, especially once it has been opened. Pressurized models last longer. In Homebrew Academy’s account, a uKeg 128 held its carbonation across seven days of drinking, and GrowlerWerks claims weeks.
Is an insulated growler better than glass?
For carrying beer, yes. Steel blocks light, keeps beer cold and does not shatter, and an insulated growler stays cold without a cooler. Glass lets you see inside, but the safety guidance above applies.
What is a pressurized growler?
It is a growler with a CO2 charger and a regulator in the cap, usually with a tap. As you pour, gas replaces the beer that left, so the carbonation holds. The uKeg models on this page work that way.
Can I carry coffee or cold brew in a beer growler?
Yes, several makers here say so, and vacuum steel handles hot or cold. Wash it well between uses, because coffee oil and beer do not mix. For drinks in the hand, see our tumblers for cold drinks.
Can I put a growler in the dishwasher?
The Stanley and both DrinkTanks models are listed as dishwasher safe. The uKeg and Kegco listings do not say so, so hand wash those. Whatever the method, let it air-dry fully with the lid off.
The growler we would point you to
Start with the Stanley. It has the best published result, it has nothing to go wrong and it will hold a brewery fill in good shape for the day. Move up to a uKeg only if you know the beer will sit for longer. Pour it into something that does it justice, using our guide to the best beer glasses, keep it cold on the way with a good cooler bag, and see our notes on Mexican bottled drinks for something else to serve. For more on keeping cold drinks cold, go back to our cold-drink tumbler guide. If you would rather leave the pouring to someone else, see the Julia’s drinks list and call to order.