Grab Your Growlers, Michigan: Gov. Signs New Law

Michigan beer drinkers, rejoice. Especially, if you like your craft beers at home or away from the bar scene.

Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday signed a bill that will enable legal beer drinkers get their growlers – jugs made of glass or brushed metal for carrying beer – filled by "eligible" merchants.

"Michigan has a growing beer industry and this legislation will be a great perk for beer retailers and craft beer fans statewide," said Snyder in a statement.

The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Tommy Brann, will revise the definition of “eligible merchant” to allow retailers that hold specially designated licenses to sell and fill growlers with beer for consumption off the licensed premises.

But there are caveats. According to Snyder's statement, the filling and selling of growlers can be done under the following conditions:

• The location where the filling of growlers takes place complies with Michigan food laws;
• The growler is sealed and has a label that includes the brand name, the class of the beer, the net contents of the container, and the name of the retailer filling the growler;
• The eligible merchant or the merchant's agent or employee does not fill a growler in advance of the sale;
• The growler is a clean, refillable, resealable container that has a liquid capacity that does not exceed one gallon; and
• The eligible merchant only fills growlers from a container that has a capacity of five gallons or more and complies with all of the applicable promulgated rules of the Liquor Control Commission.

Growlers have become popular popular among craft beer connoisseurs, who find a beer they like at a restaurant or craft brewery. The patron can have the growler filled and enjoy that beer later home.

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