Is it legal in the state of Colorado for a brewpub or brewery to refill a growler from another brewpub or brewery?
I have had a couple growlers from different breweries, and never had an issue with another brewery refusing to fill it. If you’re worried about it, put some tape over the name and/or logo.
Yes.
I have had breweries cover the other name with their own sticker. And some just fill away.
Sean do you know if it is a state-wide thing or local?
I should have clarified. It’s legal to fill another brewery’s growler as long as it’s done at the time of sale. Pre-filled growlers have to have labeling consistent with their contents, just like any other package. It’s actually a federal law (27 CFR 7), but Colorado has no overriding statute.
That said, were it my brewery I would not fill other’s growlers (or would put stickers over them). That’s just common sense when running a business.
I don’t know, the way it goes in WA everyone fills everyone else’s growlers, no stickers needed. They’re all friendly competitors too, it’s not unusual to give each other yeast or ingredients or whatever help they need. One brewery even stored another brewer’s equipment (a complete 7bbl system) for more than a year while he was looking for space to set up shop.
It’s a growler filled at the time of sale - the people drinking it will know whose beer it is.
That’s completely different IMHO. I want all craft brewers to succeed, but I’m not going to give my direct competitors free advertising.
What if someone takes a growler to a party and their friends really like the beer, but never find out who actually made it? Admittedly, it isn’t the likeliest of scenarios, but for a small brewery every single customer counts.
I see your point. But I guess around here we don’t assume that the beer in the growler came from the brewery on the label, so mostly everyone asks. 
???
Are breweries in the glass selling business, or the beer selling business?
It’s also about image and branding. You can make great beer, but to sell it well you need people to know where that great beer came from. I can totally understand this.
A better way to deal with this, however, is instead of slapping a sticker on someone’s property, get custom-made brown paper bags with your logo on them, and put the growler in that after filling. It’s a fun image, you get the branding, and the customer doesn’t have the annoyance of either not having a growler filled or having a sticker put on his glassware. It’s like this: http://revbrew.com/store/product/5001 except in a paper bag.
I think this is a great idea.
If you like that, you should see the growler coozies I’m having made for Doughboy:
(NOT the actual product, but you get the idea. Stamped with the logo.)
That is very slick. What a great idea!
Love it!
Or a pre-printed cardstock ring that is placed around the neck of the growler, like those around the bung of a Sanke keg.
I understand branding for sure, but the craft industry also has an image of working together and you don’t want to appear like the only grouchy kodger who won’t play along. Growlers are also marketed by many as a green alternative to disposable bottles, but forcing them to buy a new one is counter to that. And many customers do want, do not have the space, or do not want to spend the money on more growlers and you’ll loose those sales.
Well, I’m not talking about forcing anyone to buy anything. I’m talking about refilling their growler and giving them a free sticker. ;D
yeah but that just sounds bad!
“Do you mind if I put a bung ring around your growler neck?”
Thems fightin’ words! 
I don’t know, depending on your predelictions they might be loving words :o
I was refering to forcing a customer to buy a brewery growler.