If you have seen crowler on a brewery menu, beer can, or craft-beer website, you may wonder what the word means. A crowler is a large metal beer container, usually a 32-fluid-ounce can, that is filled with draft beer and sealed by machine. Cambridge Dictionary defines it as a large metal container for beer that is usually 32 fluid ounces and can be machine-sealed. 

The term is especially common in the craft-beer world, where breweries use crowlers as a convenient beer-to-go option. Unlike a traditional glass growler, a crowler is an aluminum can that is sealed after filling. This makes it portable, lightweight, and suitable for taking draft beer home while maintaining a familiar canned format.

What Is a Crowler?

A crowler is a large-format beverage can designed to hold freshly poured draft beer. A brewery or taproom fills the container from its draft system and then seals it using a can-seaming machine.

The standard crowler is commonly 32 fl oz (946 mL).  The sealed aluminum format gives breweries a convenient way to package draft beer for customers who want to take it away rather than drink it at the taproom.

The word crowler is closely associated with the combination of the traditional growler concept and a can. However, it should not be confused with a regular 12- or 16-ounce beer can: a standard crowler is substantially larger.

What is a crowler of beer?

A crowler of beer is simply draft beer that has been filled into a crowler and sealed.

For example:

“I bought a crowler of IPA from the brewery.”

This means the customer purchased a large sealed can containing beer that was filled from the brewery’s draft system.

How Big Is a Crowler?

The standard crowler size is 32 fluid ounces, which is approximately 946 milliliters. 

That makes a standard crowler equivalent to:

• 32 US fluid ounces
• 946 mL
• 2 × 16-ounce servings
• Approximately 4 × 8-ounce servings
• About 2 US pints, using 16 fl oz per US pint

However, not every container marketed as a crowler must have exactly the same capacity. Some breweries and suppliers use other large-format cans, including 750 mL formats. The 32-ounce size is the standard most commonly associated with the term.

32 oz crowler

A 32 oz crowler is the most familiar format.

Oktober Can Seamers lists 32 oz / 946 mL Crowler cans specifically for large-format craft-beverage packaging. 

So when someone searches for 32 oz crowler cans, they are usually looking for the large aluminum cans used by breweries and taprooms for draft beer.

How Does a Crowler Work?

A crowler is filled directly from a draft system and then sealed with a machine called a can seamer.

The basic process is:

1. The brewery prepares the draft beer.
2. A suitable crowler can is selected.
3. The beer is filled into the can.
4. A compatible can end is placed on top.
5. A seaming machine seals the can.
6. The sealed crowler is given to the customer.
7. The customer keeps it cold until ready to drink.

The exact filling and sealing procedure varies between breweries and equipment systems. Oktober’s equipment documentation shows that its crowler-compatible seamers are configured for 32-ounce Crowler cans and appropriate can ends. 

Crowler vs Growler | What’s the Difference?

The biggest difference between a crowler and a growler is the container itself.

A traditional growler is usually a reusable glass or other rigid jug, while a crowler is a single-use aluminum can that is sealed using a can-seaming machine.

Cambridge defines a growler as a jug or large bottle that can be filled with beer and says a growler usually contains 64 fluid ounces. 

Crowler vs growler comparison

Feature	Crowler	Growler
Typical size	32 oz	64 oz
Material	Aluminum can	Often glass or other reusable material
Closure	Machine-seamed	Usually cap/closure
Portability	Lightweight	Heavier
Breakage	Does not shatter like glass	Glass can break
Reusable	Generally single-use	Usually reusable
Beer source	Commonly draft beer	Commonly draft beer
Packaging style	Large beer can	Jug/bottle
Best known for	Beer-to-go	Beer-to-go
Recycling	Aluminum can can be recycled where accepted	Depends on material

The standard size difference is particularly important: 32 oz for a crowler versus about 64 oz for a typical growler. 

Why Do Breweries Use Crowlers?

Crowlers give breweries a convenient way to package fresh draft beer without relying on a reusable glass growler.

A sealed aluminum container is also convenient for customers who are traveling or carrying beer to an event. Oktober describes its Crowler cans as a large-format take-home packaging option and highlights their lightweight aluminum construction. 

Main advantages of a crowler

• Lightweight compared with many glass growlers
• Easy to transport
• Large enough for multiple servings
• Machine-sealed
• Convenient for beer-to-go
• Less likely to break than glass
• Can be labeled for identification
• Suitable for brewery taproom sales
• Available in a standard 32 oz format
• Aluminum can be recyclable where local facilities accept it
• Convenient for festivals and events
• Does not require customers to return a glass container

The exact advantages depend on how the brewery fills, seals, stores, and sells its crowlers.

How Long Is a Crowler Good For?

There is no single universal shelf-life number for every crowler. Freshness depends on the beer style, filling process, oxygen exposure, seal quality, storage temperature, and brewery practices.

For example, Stone Brewing recommends opening a sealed growler or crowler within 7–10 days, while another brewery recommends consuming its CROWLER beer within two weeks for best quality. 

Other breweries give longer windows, so the most reliable advice is to follow the date or storage guidance provided by the brewery that filled the crowler.

How long does a crowler last after opening?

Once opened, a crowler cannot provide the same sealed environment as before opening. Air exposure can affect flavor, while carbonation can decline.

Stone Brewing recommends consuming growler or crowler beer within 24 hours after opening for the best experience. 

For the best flavor:

• Keep the unopened crowler cold.
• Avoid unnecessary temperature changes.
• Check the brewery’s recommended consumption date.
• Open it when you are ready to serve it.
• Avoid storing an opened crowler for several days.
• Pay attention to unusual odor, appearance, or flavor.

How Many Ounces Are in a Crowler?

A standard crowler contains 32 fluid ounces or approximately 946 mL. 

So:

1 crowler = 32 oz

That is approximately:

32 oz ÷ 16 oz = 2 US pints

Therefore, a standard crowler can provide roughly two 16-ounce servings, although the actual number of servings depends on the serving size and foam.

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Crowler Beer vs Regular Beer Can

A crowler and a normal beer can are both metal beverage containers, but their typical sizes and uses are different.

A regular beer can is commonly much smaller, such as 12 or 16 ounces. A crowler is generally 32 ounces and is specifically associated with draft beer filled and sealed at a brewery or taproom.

Oktober lists 32-ounce Crowler cans separately from standard 12- and 16-ounce beverage-can formats. 

The key distinction is therefore not simply “can versus no can.” A crowler is a specific large-format beer-to-go packaging concept.

What Is a Crowler Machine?

A crowler machine is equipment used to seal a filled crowler can. More technically, the machine performs a can-seaming operation that attaches the metal end to the can body.

Manufacturers such as Oktober produce can seamers configured for 32 oz Crowler cans. 

A brewery using a crowler machine needs equipment that is compatible with the particular can and end format being used. Equipment specifications can differ, so breweries should follow the manufacturer’s compatibility and operating requirements.

Crowler canning system

A crowler canning system may include several components used to fill, handle, seal, label, and package the cans.

Depending on the brewery, the setup can involve:

• Draft beer source
• Filling equipment
• Crowler cans
• Can ends
• Can seamer
• Labels
• Can carriers
• Cold storage
• Packaging materials

Oktober, for example, offers 32-ounce Crowler cans, compatible ends, seamers, and can carriers as part of its packaging ecosystem. 

Crowler Labels and Labelers

Crowler labels identify the beer inside the can and can provide information such as the brewery, beer name, style, or other product details.

Some breweries use pre-printed or custom-labeled cans, while others apply labels themselves. Oktober offers custom pre-labeled 32-ounce Crowler cans and lists multiple label-material options. 

A crowler labeler is therefore equipment or a labeling setup used to apply identifying labels to crowler cans.

The exact labeling method depends on the brewery’s production volume and packaging design.

Can You Reuse a Crowler?

A typical crowler is designed as a single-use aluminum beverage container, rather than as a reusable growler.

After consuming the beer, the empty aluminum can may be recycled where local recycling programs accept that type of container. Oktober describes its Crowler cans as recyclable aluminum packaging. 

This is one of the practical differences between a crowler and a traditional reusable growler.

Crowler vs Growler vs Howler

You may also see howler when researching crowlers.

A howler is another beer-container term. Cambridge defines a howler as a jug or large bottle that can be filled with beer and says it usually contains 32 fluid ounces. 

A simplified comparison is:

• Crowler: commonly a 32 oz sealed aluminum can
• Howler: commonly a 32 oz beer jug or bottle
• Growler: commonly a 64 oz beer jug or bottle

These terms can vary by brewery and market, so the container’s actual size and material should be checked rather than relying on the name alone.

What Does “Crowler Beer” Mean?

Crowler beer does not describe a particular beer style.

It simply means beer packaged in a crowler.

You can find many different beer styles in crowlers, depending on what the brewery has available. For example, a brewery might offer:

• IPA
• Pale ale
• Stout
• Porter
• Lager
• Pilsner
• Sour
• Wheat beer
• Seasonal beer
• Specialty releases

The word crowler describes the packaging, not the beer style.

Crowler Meaning: 10 Quick Facts

1. A crowler is a large beer container.
2. A standard crowler is usually 32 fluid ounces.
3. 32 fluid ounces is approximately 946 mL. 
4. Crowlers are commonly made from aluminum.
5. Draft beer is commonly filled directly into the crowler.
6. A machine seals the can after filling.
7. A crowler is different from a traditional glass growler.
8. A typical growler is around 64 ounces. 
9. Freshness depends on filling, storage, beer style, and sealing quality.
10. Once opened, crowler beer is best consumed promptly because carbonation and flavor can decline. 

Conclusion

The crowler meaning is straightforward: it is a large-format beer container, usually a 32-ounce aluminum can, filled with draft beer and sealed by machine. It gives breweries a convenient way to offer fresh beer to customers in a portable take-home format. 

The main difference between a crowler and growler is the packaging. A crowler is normally a sealed aluminum can of about 32 ounces, while a traditional growler is commonly a reusable jug of about 64 ounces. For the best quality, keep a crowler cold and follow the brewery’s recommended consumption window, especially after opening.