Overheard in the Tasting Room last week:
Old Ox Patron: “I want to get a grumbler.”
Old Ox Team Member: “Excuse me. Do you mean growler?”

The term growler is pretty much universal for the 64 oz. version, but the 32 oz. version goes by a variety of names.

Beer history buffs report that that “growlers” (vessels to carry fresh beer home from the local pub) date back to the 1800s when the vessel was a pail with a lid. A variety of theories have been put forth as to why these pails were called growlers…

• The sloshing of the beer in the pail and the escaping carbon dioxide was said to give off a growl. (Maybe that was after a fair amount of beer had been consumed AT the pub.)
• The growling that took place between the bartender and the bar patron about the amount of beer that went into the pail. (The 2 qt. pail was filled with 1 qt. of beer and “head” room. The pub patron wanted more beer and less head room.)
• The grumbling of the children who were sent to “rush the growler” home.

The smaller version of the growler, however, goes by a variety of names:

• Grumbler
• Grenade
• Half growler
• Howler (half growler)
• Growlette
• Mini growler

Whatever you call it…Old Ox offers 32- and 64-oz. growlers for “Rushing the Growler” for your New Year’s celebration. We’re open New Year’s Eve from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Find more growler history here.