Yes, I know, big bottles have been around for years - and not just those familiar 40s of malt liquor. Rogue and Stoudt's, to name two craft breweries, made their mark 20 years ago with oversized bottles.
But take a look at your friendly takeout store and you'll find even more space is being devoted to the big boys - 22-ounce bombers and 750 ml bottles seemingly more fit for Champagne. Some are boxed, many are corked and more than a few cost something north of $15.
In most cases, they are the brewer's best ales and lagers.
Vermont's Otter Creek, for example, produces a decent line of classic styles in 12-ounce bottles - an amber ale, a porter, the usual suspects. But its World Tour series, a collection of unique one-offs representing unusual styles from around the globe, cranks it up two or three notches.
Its current offering, Sphinx, is a complex, refreshing golden ale made with honey, chamomile and no fewer than six different grains. Next in line: the Belgian abbey-inspired Otter's Dubbel.
The same goes at New Hampshire's Smuttynose, whose seasonal release of Big Beers is one of the highlights of my calendar. (Admittedly, the only other thing circled on my calendar this month is the opening of "Quantum of Solace.") S'muttonator double bock and Wheat Wine Ale are permanent favorites.
The trend is remarkable because most breweries are not equipped to produce large packages. Often, these bottles must be filled, capped and labeled by hand.
Moreover, they are intended to be sold as singles - a daunting obstacle in Pennsylvania, where most beer is sold in cases of 24 or 30. Some distributors flatly refuse to handle large bottles because a case can run $100 or more.
Not all big bottles, however, are pricey.
