Growler Nation

A few days ago, I was in the Coburg Road neighborhood, and decided to check out Growler Nation, a place I'd often passed by but never visited.

Growler Nation's claim to fame is that they were the first growler-fill station to open in Eugene, way back in spring of 2013. Now, with half a dozen competitors, they're offering lots of cider, kombucha, and wine to round out the beer.

The space itself is pretty small, with a few large, well-appointed tables, a wall-length chalkboard, and a couple TVs. I went during a slow part of the afternoon, and so had plenty of time to take in the atmosphere.

Like most of these spots, Growler Nation offers flights, and that's what I opted for. Here's what I tried:

Boring Oatmeal Stout: A sweet and acidic take on the style, with a winning roasted finish. But it's a little thin, and the flavors before the finish don't really gel.

Pfriem Winter Ale: Surprisingly disappointing - very thin and watery, with some strange malt notes.

North Coast ACME California IPA: Super sweet and juicy, with perfume-like hops. I didn't think much of this one initially, but it grew on me.

Caldera Dry Hop Orange: This was actually less citrus-heavy than the North Coast, and it was noticeably buttery.

Ecliptic Arcturus IPA: A very balanced and dangerously drinkable NW IPA.

Georgetown Oharov Imperial Stout: Definitely on the sweeter side, with a medium body and smooth roast on the finish. A worthy representative of the style.

The beer didn't taste as fresh as I would have expected. There aren't many options for craft beer on Coburg Road - Sidebar is the only other place I can think of, and it's a much more traditional bar atmosphere. I wonder if the disappointment I felt towards some of the beers was due to their being served from old kegs. With 40 taps (12 of which are set aside for cider and kombucha), it's possible that they don't have enough business to turn over kegs fast enough to keep everything fresh.

Pricing is fairly standard for Eugene - growlers run $11-14, pints are generally $4.50, and flights are $6 for 4 or $8 for 6. There's some food on offer, too - light snacks and pizza imported from the excellent Mezza Luna. Happy hour runs 3-6 M-F, with a dollar off pints, and Tuesday and Thursday nights offer $1.50 off flights.

All in all, Growler Nation's a well-run place that probably deserves more attention than it gets. It's worth dropping by if you're in the Coburg Road area.