Crowler guys

The latest wrinkle in canned beer has come to Spokane.

A growler alternative called the Crowler – a 32-ounce can that’s custom-filled and sealed on the spot – arrived Wednesday at the South Hill Growler Guys.

“We’re canning beer here, basically,” says store manager Sean Kirkpatrick. “You can get canned beer from a brewery that doesn’t can.”

The concept was developed by Colorado’s Oskar Blues, a pioneer in canned craft beers, which distributes the table-top sealing machines to other brewers and retailers. It went into operation at the Growler Guys home base in Bend in June, and is being made available to franchisees elsewhere.

Crowlers take about the same amount of time to fill as a regular growler, and are sold at Growler Guys for the price of a regular 32-ounce grunt, plus $1 for the can.

They can go places where glass growlers aren’t practical or allowed, and will keep beer fresher since they're fully sealed.

“They will last longer than a growler, and there’s no chance of light damage,” Kirkpatrick says. “It’s all about freshness.”

Pint guys: Spokane’s other Growlers Guys franchise on the North Side isn’t planning to add crowlers at this time, but it has another project in the works.

The Newport Highway store is rearranging its space to add six tables with seating and start serving pints, says manager Alex Arent. No beer will be consumed at the main bar, so kids can still come in.

He’s hoping it all will be in place by the last weekend in August.