Answers.Body: <p>They can, provided that they:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Cover up existing labels</li>
  <li>Add their own label containing the brewery name, beer name, and abv.</li>
  <li>Are a brewery (bars and retailers cannot).</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>You're not alone in being confused, though.  A lot of breweries didn't really know either, and as a result decided not to, just to be safe.</p>
  
  <p>Further complicating the issue is that many breweries just don't want to, either because they make money on <em>their</em> growlers or because it's a pain to deal with the labeling when their bar is busy.</p>
  
  <p>SFGate has <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/wine/brew/article/California-eases-up-on-buying-beer-to-go-4888968.php">a decent article</a> for further reading.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-29T13:32:10.350Z
Answers.Text: You might also end up with questions of open container laws, though these might not be the brewery's responsibility.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Chris Travers
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-31T19:58:45.880Z
Answers.Text: For what it's worth the law is similar in Indiana, except the new label that covers the original only needs to have the brewery's name.
Answers.UserDisplayName: HeyOverThere
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-28T21:46:44.077Z
Answers.Text: Other reasons I've seen given: they're only equipped for their style of growler (sanitation, replacement caps, physical design of the growler fill station) and that they want their beer going home with their full branding. http://russianriverbrewing.com/growler-filling-policy/
Answers.UserDisplayName: freiheit
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-28T21:12:26.563Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-01-28T21:12:26.563Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Fishtoaster
Body: <p>There has been some confusion around the laws regarding "refillable containers" in California.  At times, I have been told that a brewery <em>cannot</em> refill another brewery's growler.  At other times, I have been told that a brewery <em>may</em> (or by their discretion, may not) refill.  I own growlers from at least 3 different breweries, and I have friends who have many more -- it makes sense to me that I should be able to take any clean container to a brewery which offers growlers, and have it filled.</p>
  
  <p>What do the actual laws of California state, regarding who can refill and into what vessels?</p>
  
Tags: <laws><growlers>
Title: Can a brewery in California fill any growler?
UserDisplayName: object88
ThreadText: # Can a brewery in California fill any growler?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-28)
  
  There has been some confusion around the laws regarding "refillable containers" in California. At times, I have been told that a brewery *cannot* refill another brewery's growler. At other times, I have been told that a brewery *may* (or by their discretion, may not) refill. I own growlers from at least 3 different breweries, and I have friends who have many more -- it makes sense to me that I should be able to take any clean container to a brewery which offers growlers, and have it filled.
  
  What do the actual laws of California state, regarding who can refill and into what vessels?
  
  **Tags:** laws, growlers
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2014-01-28. Score: 8 | Accepted answer
  
  They can, provided that they:
  
  * Cover up existing labels
  * Add their own label containing the brewery name, beer name, and abv.
  * Are a brewery (bars and retailers cannot).
  
  You're not alone in being confused, though. A lot of breweries didn't really know either, and as a result decided not to, just to be safe.
  
  Further complicating the issue is that many breweries just don't want to, either because they make money on *their* growlers or because it's a pain to deal with the labeling when their bar is busy.
  
  SFGate has [a decent article](http://www.sfgate.com/wine/brew/article/California-eases-up-on-buying-beer-to-go-4888968.php) for further reading.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_4**: Other reasons I've seen given: they're only equipped for their style of growler (sanitation, replacement caps, physical design of the growler fill station) and that they want their beer going home with their full branding. http://russianriverbrewing.com/growler-filling-policy/  
  > **username_2**: You might also end up with questions of open container laws, though these might not be the brewery's responsibility.  
  > **username_3**: For what it's worth the law is similar in Indiana, except the new label that covers the original only needs to have the brewery's name.  
  
  ---
  
  