Located within Sydney's Newtown Wine Shop, the Newtown Growler Depot is now home to Rosie, a custom built machine capable of cleaning, sanitising and filling growler bottles.
Sam Taylor, founder of the Newtown Growler Depot and organiser of the Sydney Craft Beer and Cider Festival for the past three years says that Rosie is a world first, and that no other machine is currently capable of sanitising and pressure filling the re-useable growler vessels.
“Growlers are two litre glass bottles that are immensely popular amongst micro brewers and in the craft beer world, particularly overseas,” says Taylor.
“Traditionally, growlers are filled directly from a tap, which means that the beer must be consumed within hours of purchase. Then there is the problem of reusing bottles and keeping them clean. This is where Rosie comes into her own – no other machine is capable of sanitising and pressure filling growlers – which ensures that the beer stays great for weeks, and also enables a swap and go service.”
Taylor says that Rosie is effectively like visiting five mircobreweries at once. Rosie is connected to up to 12 kegs at any one time and all kegs are delivered direct from the brewery, and kept under cold storage in a cool room next to the innovative machine.
The Newtown Growler Depot currently features beers from Young Henrys, Batch Brewing, Shenanigans, Dennis, Grifter, Willie the Boatman and Little Creatures.