Stop! Growler Time.

Another victory! Arkansas is trying hard to keep up with the rest of the craft beer world. The latest bit of good news is that growler sales have been approved for places other than breweries/brewpubs (i.e. liquor stores), and I've heard it's effective July 1st.


Here's some highlights:

The Growler Endorsement may be added to the following permits:

• Retail Beer
• Native Retail Beer

(Native Brewers and Micro-Brewery Restaurants are not required to obtain a growler endorsement; however, they must comply with all other growler regulations.)

A Growler Endorsement permits the sale of the following:

• Retail Beer Permit holders may sell malt products, not in excess of 5.0% abw / 6.3% abv, in growlers for off-premises consumption.
• 
  Retail Beer Permit holders who also hold a Retail Liquor Permit may sell malt products, not in excess of 21% abw / 26.3% abv, in growlers for off-premises consumption.
   
• Native Beer Retail Permit holders may sell any malt product, not in excess of 21% abw / 26.3% abv, produced by an Arkansas-licensed Native Brewer or Micro-Brewery Restaurant in growlers for off-premises consumption.

Growler sales may occur on days and within the operating hours as dictated by the current permit.

No Growler sales on Sunday

Growler is defined as any glass, can, bottle, vessel, or receptacle of any material whatsoever used for holding alcoholic beverages. The container shall bear a twist-type closure, cork stopper, or plug.

A growler must have a minimum capacity of 32 ounces.

At the time sale, a paper or plastic adhesive band, strip, or sleeve shall be applied to the container or bottle and extended over the top of the twist-type closure, cork, stopper, or plug forming a seal that must be broken upon opening of the container or bottle.

At the time of sale, the growler must identify the date of sale, the name of the retail outlet, name of the product, the name of the producer brewery, and the alcohol content, by volume, of the product. This information may be printed on the container or affixed to the container by label or tag.

Customers may not open a growler on the premises.

Customers may not consume product from a growler on the premises.

Growlers may not be given to customers by the retail outlet.

Growlers may be sold to customers by the retail outlet.

Retail outlets may re-fill growlers at their own discretion.

Retail outlets may create a “growler exchange” program allowing like empty growlers of the same size to be exchanged for a full one without the necessity of purchasing a new growler. Signage explaining the exchange program must be prominently displayed in the outlet.