Please tell me about beer in Growlers

[Paa Langfart]

My wife got me a growler full of a local brewers beer - it has a screw top lid - how long can I expect it to stay carbonated ?  And I am assuming once I crack the lid I better consume it all before it goes flat ?

[Arroz con Panther]

Depends on if it has preservatives in it or not, but I would say you generally want to drink a growler pretty quickly.  Don't drink it all in one day (unless you're trying to have a good time), but I wouldn't let it go over a week either.

[PandaPancake]

How was it filled? Some growlers last longer than others. What type of beer is in it? I've drank from a growler for 3 days

[Arroz con Panther]

Yea, you intrigued me with the question, so I started Googling.  Here's the best line I've read: "Beer in a growler is like milk from the market.  Get it home quick, keep it cold, and don't let it sit around too long."

[Kettle]

48 hours is all I woukd let one last regardless of style. Ive got several growlers, and any longer than that will lead to a loss of good carbonation which will lessen the flavor. 

[Paa Langfart]

How was it filled? Some growlers last longer than others. What type of beer is in it? I've drank from a growler for 3 days

This one is a cream ale.

[GrowlTap]

My wife got me a growler full of a local brewers beer - it has a screw top lid - how long can I expect it to stay carbonated ?  And I am assuming once I crack the lid I better consume it all before it goes flat ?

You can drink it slowly over many weeks if you can wait that long if you have a GrowlTap.Check it out at growltap.com.  It turns your growler into a mini keg!

[Paa Langfart]

You can drink it slowly over many weeks if you can wait that long if you have a GrowlTap.Check it out at growltap.com.  It turns your growler into a mini keg!

Nice invention dude !  Just wish it was cheap AND high quality.

[o803oVaDeR]

If a growler is filled properly (so to not let oxygen, or as little as possible, in). It can last for a very long while as long as it is not opened. I have kept them for at least a month to a month and a half. Once they are opened the quality of the beer deteriorates the longer it sits. Introducing oxygen to the beer is very bad for it. Any time I open a growler I drink it that day. It will last for a day or 2 maybe, but it starts to change drastically after a day.