Editor's Notes

Amber glass is the industry standard for craft beer packaging for a specific technical reason: UV light breaks down iso-alpha acids in hops, producing the sulfurous compounds responsible for skunked beer. Amber glass filters the UV wavelengths responsible for this photodegradation, preserving hop character in the beer for a longer period than clear glass allows under the same light exposure conditions. For craft breweries filling growlers with heavily hopped IPAs, pale ales, and hop-forward lagers — the styles most sensitive to light exposure — the amber growler is the correct vessel specification from a beer quality standpoint.

Beyond the technical specification, amber glass is the aesthetic associated with craft beer culture — the brown glass of a growler is as recognizable a symbol of the craft brewery ecosystem as the chalkboard tap list. For craft breweries whose brand identity is built around the craft beer aesthetic, the amber growler is the format-appropriate branded vessel. For brewery accounts building their first or primary growler fill program, amber is the default specification that customers expect and that communicates technical knowledge of the product. As a branded piece, the amber glass provides a warm, natural-toned canvas for screen-printed or etched logos. Contact our wholesale team for confirmed capacity, closure type, imprint area, decoration method, minimum order, and production lead time.

Buyers comparing glass growler options should review the 64 oz. Clear Growler (GR64Clear) for the clear glass alternative appropriate for lighter beers and non-beer beverages, and the 64 oz. Stainless Steel Growler (ICWPD-JVDWC) for the insulated stainless premium format.

For confirmed specs and to place a wholesale order, contact our team at 877-334-5323 or email wholesale@winebags.com.