Drive Through Growler Fills-What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

It has long been a dream of mine, and by long i mean about a year, to be able to provide legally aged consumers of craft beer with a half gallon of Iron Horse’s finest and freshest delivered through the window of a building, into the window of their car. I don’t even care if they open their window.

What stands in the way? W.A.C. 314-11-015 section f. I am not trying to kick dust in the face of the liquor control board or Washington state, so let’s get that clear right away. Iron Horse has had a great relationship with the LCB and the state, with the exception of the Department of Ecology. They can kiss my ass. The LCB has always been attentive and reasonable with us. I dare say, I like them, based on the people I’ve met from there. Unfortunately for them, they must dutifully enforce the rules that have been handed down.

As part of my less-than-thorough campaign to have this rule changed I have repeatedly hassled our fine brewers guild president, Heather Mcclung, of Schooner Exact Brewing. Well, she finally said ‘put your money where your mouth is’. Actually she said ‘if you are serious you should write a convincing paper as to why the restriction should be lifted’. Damn it, that is actual work.

Why am I telling you? I’m trying to crowd-source good arguments and science for allowing drive-thru growler fills.

Here are the sections of the paper as I imagine them:

-Introduction

-Why do we need this?

-Examples of success in other states.

-How many trillions of dollars will be contributed to the Washington economy when dads that cook can obtain the beer they need to complete their planned dinner recipe, without having to hassle with shopping carts, baby bjorns, strollers, and tabloid displays. [you’re welcome] Washingtonians.

-Provisions to ensure sealed container and the stupidity of assuming people would be more likely to swig off a growler while driving than cracking open a bottle. Seriously, have you ever tried to handle a full growler one-handed? Yeah, it is really difficult cuz it weighs about 4 pounds and has a dinky little handle, or in the case of stainless steel growlers; no handles and an opening so big only Mick Jagger could fully lip-lock it, hence, beer all over your frontal.

Did I miss anything? I didn’t think so.

Next steps: jump in there people of the internets, I need your help filling this thing out with fact-like information. I’m too busy writing pointless blogs.

Hugs and Kisses

Greg