From time to time companies that have beer-centric products reach out to me and offer to send me samples. Whether these items are beer, accessories or books, I sometimes accept their offers when the product is of particular interest to me. That said, a few months ago I received an email from Jam Collective a public relations firm representing Miir Labs. The email introduced me to Miir’s recently updated growler.
Fast forward to this week when a box appeared on my front door step from Miir. Eagerly I opened the box to find that the beautiful matte black growler I had requested arrived.
The first thing I noticed about the growler was the construction. Made of 18/8 medical grade stainless steel, the growler was sturdy yet relatively light-weight – far lighter than a typical glass growler. Next I noticed the sturdy and convenient handle, perfect for easy pouring. Finally, the buckle seal on the mouth impressed me with how securely it held the lid closed. An added surprise was the lid lock that holds the lid open while either pouring or filling the growler. The handle, buckle closure and lid-lock are all new features over Miir’s previous product that they call the Heritage growler.
In comparison to more traditional growlers – of which I own many – the new Miir Growler has several advantages.
Wide Mouth
Anyone who has poured beer from a growler without a handle knows how awkward that can be. The mouth on most growlers is narrow causing beer to “chug” when it pours making it hard to pour beer without spills. The Miir growler has a two-inch opening that minimizes the chugging effect.
Large Handle
The typical glass growler has a tiny loop for a handle that usually can only accommodate a finger or two – that is, if it even has a handle, many do not. The Miir growler has a long, comfortable handle similar to what you would find on a pitcher. The handle makes it much easier to transport the growler and provides greater control when pouring to avoid spillage.
Buckle Closure
Most growler have either a screw on lid or a swing-top – a looped wire that holds the lid in place – these types of closures can get lost in the case of the lid or bent in the case of the swing-top. In addition, the seal made by either of these types of closures can weaken over time allowing for carbonation to be lost or air to get in to the growler. In either case, the beer in the growler can easily be ruined. The Miir growler has a very solid buckle that hooks on to the lid and snaps in place for a tight air and leak-tight seal.
Lock Back Lid
Filling a growler with an attached lid can be a hassle. Often the lid gets in the way and the bartender has to hold it back. The Miir growler has a lid the swings back and then locks preventing it from swinging forward until intentionally moved.
In addition to these features, the Miir growler employs a double-walled vacuum insulation technology called Thermo 3D. This breakthrough insulation keeps cold liquids cold for more than 24 hours without refrigeration and hot liquids hot for 12 hours.
To test the growler, I filled it with ice water and left it sitting on my kitchen counter for a full 24 hours. When I returned, the growler had not sweat on the counter. As I picked it up I could hear that it still had ice in it. Before I opened it, I gave it a good shaking to see if it would leak. Not a drop came from the seal. When I finally did open the growler, the water inside was still ice cold after 24 hours.
Miir uses a crowd-funding model that helps determine the products to be produced. Prototypes are placed on Miir Labs, the company’s crowd-funding platform where they are discounted 25% for a limited time. If the product meets its pre-determined funding goal, it is manufactured and delivered to investors before going to retail.
Miir also guarantees a portion of every purchase is given to clean water and health initiatives worldwide. Customers can track the impact of their purchase via a “Give Code” included with each purchase. In the case of the growler, 5% of each sale goes to Splash in Kolkata, India. This initiative ensures clean water, clean hands and clean toilets for students in 10 schools.
The Miir growler holds 64 ounces (1/2 gallon) of fluid, is available in four colors (black, white, blue and stainless steel) and retails for $59 and can be purchased at: https://www.miir.com/collections/growlers.
Disclaimer: I received a growler from Miir to evaluate. I was under no obligation to write this review nor will I make a commission off any sales generated by the above link.
Advertisements
