Have you ever heard of a crowler? Do you love skiing and beer? Do you live in Maine? If you answered yes or no to any of these questions, I suggest you keep reading. This week’s beer news will keep you up to date on all the latest inventions, collaborations, and learning opportunities in the craft beer world. Sit back, relax, and crack open a cold one while you enjoy this edition of the Weekly Growler Fill.

Maine Brewers’ Guild Starts Beer School

Breweries across Maine will be hosting a series of events to promote the craft beer industry in the Pine Tree State. The first semester of this ‘Beer School’ will begin after the new year with the first event being held at Maine Beer Company in Freeport (heck yes!). Enrollment will be event specific (costing about $25 to $45 each) so students can hand pick classes that fit into their schedule/location. Typically, Portland has been the hot spot for Maine craft beer events and festivals but the Maine Brewers’ Guild hopes to put on learning opportunities across the state.

Crowlers Becoming Popular in Texas

If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering, “What in the world is a crowler?” Let me explain: it is like a growler in the sense that you can pick out whatever beer you want and take it home but instead of glass, it’s in a can! Mind = blown. Lone Star Taps and Caps of Lewisville, Texas is the first retail location in the country to fill the 32 oz. aluminum packages to go. These bad boys, an invention of Oskar Blues, are filled and seal on the spot. This is pretty amazing to me, especially since I sometimes can’t drink my whole growler fast enough. The crowlers are also sanitized when the come to the location, unlike growlers which may or may not have been properly cleaned by their owners. I can’t wait for this amazing invention to spread across the country.

Winter Park and New Belgium Team Up for a New Beer

New Belgium Brewing Company and Winter Park Ski Resort have teamed up to create a mountain-inspired beer. ‘Mary Jane Ale’ is a hoppy creation named after the back bowel region of the resort. Not only will you find this brew pouring soon, you will also find New Belgium products throughout bars and restaurants in the area. Winter Park will also host a few New Belgium events such as the release of Slow Ride IPA.

Odell’s Fernet Porter Returns in January

Over the weekend, Odell Brewing Company offered its tap room patrons a sneak peak of Fernet Aged Porter. This collaboration brew between Odell and Leopold Bros (a distillery) is a, “a rich imperial porter aged in retired Leopold Bros. Fernet barrels.” This aging process gives the beer a chocolatey-mint flavor….yum. You’ll be able to find 750ml bottles hitting the shelves any day now so be on the look out.

The Highest Rated Beer From Every State

This article pulled data from BeerAdvocate to find the highest rated beer produced by each state in the grand old U.S. of A. To be included, each beer considered had to have at least 50 reviews on the site. Click the link to see how many of these highly regarded brews you’ve had the opportunity to drink.