Cans are in Vogue in the Craft Beer World

From Bottles to Cans

Since the conception of this blog in early September I have had the opportunity to savor many a'good brews. Some of the craft beers I've enjoyed were poured from draught at local breweries and bars. Many others were bottled beers and ales bought from Happy's Wine and Spirits and HyVee. Thursday evening marked the occasion of the first canned craft beer I've purchased.

Cans are on the rise in the beer industry especially in smaller craft beer businesses. Cans vs. bottles has been a debate for years. In the past consumers viewed cans as containers for cheap generic beer and that bottles held the higher end craft beers. And in the past this made sense. Before canned technology reached the point it's at today bottles were better at preserving the integrity of the beer's flavor. There was also a perception of sophistication that came with drinking out of a bottle. The heftiness and solidity of the bottle in your hand made you feel what you were drinking was good quality. However the only thing in this world that is consistent is change and the beer industry is no exception. Cans are now made with better quality than in the past and are superior than bottles at preserving the flavor of the beer.

Perks of a can

Cans protect the beer from sunlight and air, both of which can damage the integrity of the beer's flavor. Nothing is worse than drinking a bottle of skunky beer after it's been sitting in the sun too long. Cans also have the advantage of being lightweight, don't break as easily, and are easier to stock than bottles. You can take cans with you to places bottles would be less ideal for such as hiking, biking, golfing, etc.

Canning beer is not only better for the consumers but also for the producers. Cans are cheaper to produce than bottled beer. Being more lightweight also means fewer trips for beer companies to make during distribution. For a business, if it makes money it makes sense.

Jumping on the Canned-wagon

Image from Mike on Flickr

Samuel Adams has even jumped on the 'canned-wagon'. Sam Adams designed a new can over the past two years and spent over a million dollars doing so. The one million dollar can has new features to enhance the drinking experience. You can read about the Sam Can on their blog.

1. a wider lid provides more airflow resulting in a slightly smoother taste
2. the opening is slightly further from the edge of the lid, making the opening closer to your nose and allowing more of the beer aroma to reach your nose
3. an extending lip places beer at the front of your palate
4. an hourglass ridge creates turbulence which pushes flavor out of the beer 

Beer Review

The Big Wood Bark Bite was a wonderful IPA purchased from Happy's Wine and Spirits. I didn't pour it into a glass to see how it looked, but the flavor said it all. The Bark Bite had a magnificent piney hop flavor with a fresh citrus undernote. At a refrigerated temperature the IPA was smooth and refreshing and left a lingering citrus flavor on the tongue with each sip. A great beer for you hop lovers. And my consensus on canned beer is that it is just as good, and dare I say better than bottled beer. Though I will miss the bottle tops and the weight and feel of the bottle in my hand.