Every growler run starts the same way: pick a beer, get it filled, get home before the head goes flat. What decides whether your next growler run tastes just as good is what you do with the growler in between fills — and that’s where a lot of people cut corners. Knowing how to clean a growler properly between fills is really the difference between a fill that tastes like the tap it came from and one that tastes like the growler it sat in.
We fill growlers all day at the shop, and the ones that come back looking rough almost always have the same story: rinsed once after the first use and never touched again. A growler isn’t a one-and-done container like a can or bottle — it gets refilled again and again, and whatever gets left behind in it carries straight into your next pour.
Why Cleaning Your Growler Between Fills Matters
Skip a proper clean and your next fill will taste like the last one — stale hop oils, a faint soap film, or a sour, musty note that has nothing to do with the beer itself. A growler is a reused vessel, and any residue clinging to the glass or hiding in the threads near the cap sticks around long after you’ve poured the last glass.
That residue does more than dull the flavor. Leftover film can flatten carbonation, so a beer that should pour with a nice head comes out nearly flat instead. A growler that gets capped while still damp develops a musty smell that no amount of good beer can cover up. That’s exactly why how to clean a growler properly between fills is one of the first things we walk new growler customers through at the shop — it matters as much as picking the right beer to fill it with.
How to Clean a Growler Properly Between Fills
The short version: rinse it immediately with hot water, skip the dish soap, and let it air dry completely before you cap it back up.
Rinse It Right Away
Rinse your growler the moment you finish it — not the next morning, not right before your next fill. Beer residue that’s had time to dry onto the glass is far harder to break loose than residue that’s still fresh. Fill it with hot water, swirl it around to loosen anything clinging to the bottom or sides, and dump it out. A bottle brush helps you reach the shoulders and the base, where residue tends to settle.
Skip the Dish Soap
Regular dish soap is the one thing you shouldn’t use on a growler. Even a trace of soap left behind in the threads or along the glass will kill head retention on your next fill — you’ll notice it as a beer that pours flat with barely any foam. Hot water and a bottle brush handle routine cleaning just fine. If hot water alone isn’t cutting it anymore, that’s usually a sign you need more than a rinse — more on that below.
Dry It Completely Before You Store It
Never cap a growler while it’s still wet inside. Trapped moisture is exactly what breeds that musty smell, and left long enough, it turns into mold — which isn’t just unpleasant, it can be a health concern, so don’t fill or drink from a growler once you spot it. Set it upside down on a drying rack or a towel with the cap off until it’s bone dry — that can take a full day — and only cap it once you’re sure there’s no moisture left. Stick to that routine — rinse immediately, skip the soap, dry it out completely — and you’ve basically nailed how to clean a growler properly between fills every time.
Signs Your Growler Needs More Than a Rinse
A quick hot-water rinse won’t cut it if you’re noticing cloudiness inside the glass, a sticky residue ring near the bottom, or a musty smell that lingers even after the growler’s fully dry. Any of those mean it’s time for a deeper clean, not just another rinse. If you spot dark or fuzzy spots anywhere inside, especially around the threads, stop using that growler until it’s been properly cleaned out.
For a deeper clean, fill the growler with hot water, add a handful of uncooked rice, and swirl vigorously — the rice acts like a gentle scrubber that gets into corners a bottle brush can’t reach. A cleaning tablet made for growlers or homebrew equipment works well too; just follow the soak time on the package and rinse thoroughly afterward so no residue is left behind. This is really where growler maintenance goes beyond the everyday rinse-and-dry habit and into an occasional deeper reset.
Growler Maintenance Between Uses
Beyond the rinse-dry routine, the rest of growler maintenance comes down to two things: the cap and where you store it. Check the rubber gasket or seal on the cap every so often — if it looks cracked, hardened, or won’t sit snug anymore, it won’t hold carbonation even if the growler itself is spotless, so it’s worth swapping out. Store your empty growler with the cap off rather than sealed shut, so air can actually circulate and it doesn’t trap odor between uses. Keep it somewhere it won’t pick up smells from its surroundings, too — a garage shelf next to gasoline or cleaning chemicals will find its way into your next fill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Reuse a Growler for a Different Beer?
Yes, as long as it’s been cleaned and dried properly between fills. A thorough rinse and a full dry get rid of the last beer’s leftover flavor and aroma. If you’re switching from something intensely hoppy or dark and roasty to a lighter style, an extra rinse cycle helps make sure none of that carries over into the new fill.
How Often Should You Deep Clean a Growler?
Give it a deeper clean — not just a rinse — every few fills, or any time you notice cloudiness, a residue ring, or a smell that a normal rinse doesn’t get rid of. There’s no strict schedule to follow; let what you actually see and smell in the growler be the guide.
Can You Put a Growler in the Dishwasher?
It’s best to avoid the dishwasher for a growler. Dishwasher detergent leaves the same soap-residue problem as dish soap, just harder to rinse out completely, and the heat cycle can be more than some caps and gaskets are built for. Hand-washing with hot water keeps you in control of exactly what’s touching the glass.
Why Does My Growler Smell Musty Even After I Rinse It?
That smell almost always means moisture got trapped somewhere before the growler fully dried out, usually right after the last fill. Capping it while even slightly damp is enough to let that smell set in. A deeper clean with the rice-and-hot-water method usually resets it — and going forward, always let it dry completely with the cap off before you put it away.
How Long Can You Leave Beer in a Growler Before Cleaning It?
Don’t let an empty growler sit around uncleaned for more than a day or two. Rinse it out as soon as you’re done, even if you’re not planning to fill it again right away — the longer residue sits, the harder it is to get out later.
Keep Every Fill Tasting Its Best
Once how to clean a growler properly between fills becomes second nature, you’ll notice the difference in every fill you bring home — better head retention, no stale or musty notes, just the beer you picked out tasting the way it’s supposed to. It pairs well with knowing how long beer actually stays fresh once you’ve filled a growler, so you get the most out of every trip to the growler station.
Next time you stop in to fill up at our growler station in Warrington, bring a clean, dry growler and you’re already ahead of the game. Check out our growler menu to see what’s currently on tap and ready to fill.