The Mother of All Growlers

Meet the uKeg pressurized growler, aka the Mother of All Growlers.

According to us. And we have plenty to say about it.

We were stoked to use and enjoy this growler for the noble purpose of reviewing it. Over the course of a few weeks we learned enough to allow us to share a personal account of the uKeg's features. It is awesome.

But first - two sentences in lieu of product introduction and background.

A few short years ago, a couple of friends came up with the idea of a pressurized growler that can do what a keg can - essentially a portable mini keg. Based on their sleek prototype they convinced an impressively large group of people to help them fund the idea and in the process of obtaining the funding gained insane popularity for the product.

Today GrowlerWerks are pretty well known and their uKeg pressurized growlers line up and nifty accessories list are growing. Here is why.

uKeg Review

Order Experience - even though we didn't pay for the uKeg, our order was executed through GrowlerWerks' regular order fulfillment process so I feel that I can speak about the actual experience their customers have. In short - a well executed order process, with timely system generated (and excitement building) order and shipping updates. Totally on top of things. Our growler was delivered within 4 days of shipping by our friendly UPS guy and Chris and I got to open the box together.

First impressions - packaging was solid, no way for the product to get damaged in transit - strong corrugated outer box and and equally strong product box. Essentially a double carton configuration. The growler comes in a protective non-woven, branded bag and with two CO2 cartridges. (Extra cartridges as well as any parts that the end consumer could've misplaced (what you never loose the caps to your water bottles? 🙂 can be ordered from the company's site). Actually, inexpensive food grade CO2 cartridges work just fine.

Very detailed product information. After the initial cleaning of the product (recommended prior to first use - cannot let that beer spoil, all 128 oz of it) Chris fearlessly inserted the first CO2 cartridge (just kidding, no bravery needed, it is super easy and intuitive).

Craftsmanship -  two words here - perfect execution. As someone who has navigated the murky and mostly upstream waters of product development and manufacturing I must compliment them on a job well done. Impeccable. I don't know about you, but Chris and I love using products that are so well crafted that the actual use creates a pleasurable experience in addition to solving the problem they were intended to solve. The uKeg is one such product. Just look at the thing!

Ease of Use  - following the instructions we didn't encounter a single issue. It is very intuitive to use and the craftsmanship totally elevates that. Knobs turns flawlessly, it is comfortable to carry, fits in our beer fridge, the pressure gauge works, the dispenser tap has a well functioning taplock, we can totally tell how much beer we have left... Not a single thing to complain about.

Tip - at the end, when you read zero pints left as per the sight glass and pretty much only foams comes up, there are still about 5-6 oz of perfectly fresh and cold beer inside! So I just open the cap and pour it into my glass. Not a drop goes to waste at the Perrine household.

Coolness factor - obviously it is a sleek looking product. Hence a total conversation starter. We have already taken our uKeg to several Fort Collins breweries and inevitably have had to answer all kinds of questions by numerous admirers. The bartenders fill it up with a smile... I mean - happiness all around.

Price - who isn't afraid of price tags and who doesn't shop around to find a cheaper substitute for something... Well, maybe there are a select few, but certainly not us or most of the people we know. At the same time, we are increasingly becoming minimalist. As in we are tired of having things, replacing things, being slaves to things.

Think about it - instead of five different items you could have one well made product that makes you happy because it is so well made and functions just as intended. Like a pair of boots that after three Colorado winters are still your favorite and you wear them all the time because they are super comfortable, have a classic look, keep you warm and seem indestructible. I will not name the company or the price tag, but I do own the boots. This coming winter will be their fourth one.

In the world of growlers, the uKeg pressurized growler is that pair of boots I adore. Check out the prices of the full line-up for yourself and keep in mind that this kind of craftsmanship and sheer joy of usage are like a four leaf clover. uKeg products are also available on Amazon, including the exact one we are reviewing.

We have approximately 19 growlers and no longer counting.

Our top reason to have a uKeg Pressurized Growler

If you have been reading this blog or if you follow us on Instagram (you should:), you know that going from brewery to brewery to sample beers is among our favorite things. We strongly favor smaller operations or established larger breweries that brew a lot of experimental or small batches. That's how we get to taste real gems. Small batches of barrel-aged creations or Brett fermented beauties. Kombucha brews. Weird brews like Tiramisu tasting porters with actual lady fingers in the boil. So small that they are never something that gets canned or bottled. The only way to bring them home is to use a growler.

Non-128 oz stainless steel pressurized growlers have complications. Ranging from beer impossible to keep fresh past a few days & beer losing carbonation, hard to clean, uncomfortable to carry, fragile, too small (between the two of us 64 oz get depleted fast)...

Looking ahead

One of them main reasons Chris wanted the 128oz uKeg pressurized growler was to use it for his home brews. Presently, we still bottle all of his creations after the second fermentation. This means that the carbonation happens in the bottle and it takes a few days after we bottle until we can drink the beer. We are not into kegging yet. It will happen for sure, we have decided to get a keggerator after we purchase a complete all grain brewing system with higher capacity than the equipment we have now (Chris typically brews 5-6 gallon batches). It is how we roll, baby steps to brewing greatness and practice makes perfect kind of deal:)

Until that day comes, Chris wanted to be able to place part of his batches into the 128oz uKeg pressurized growler so we could have the beer at the time we bottle the remaining quantity. Basically a shortcut. The uKeg is designed to cover that base. It can totally force carbonate home brew.

I on the other hand was quite thrilled to find out that I can pretty much put any liquid base inside the uKeg and get a perfectly carbonated drink in an instant. Enter my love for craft beer cocktails.

With winter coming all kinds of ideas are taking shape in my mind as to various sangria like concoctions featuring craft beer, attempting to make a dragon glass cocktail (don't laugh, I will succeed, soon)... Now that we have a uKeg...watch out!

In conclusion - you will be hearing more from us on the subject of the uKeg pressurized growler. Not only is it a product we firmly stand behind in result of a month of diligent use, we are stoked to continue using it and have fun with it. Do not be surprised when you see our stainless steel beauty make an appearance in the visuals of future posts!

uKeg Pressurized Growler Review - Demonstration

Leaving you with a cute ease of use video I took nearby our home on a hot afternoon:) The uKeg is a breeze to operate.