​Shiny and sexy: craft beer in cans

By Chris Larson

cjlarson75@gmail.com

All you need to do is take a look at your favorite liquor store’s craft beer section to see that a revolution in craft beer is upon us and growing stronger month by month.

I’m talking about a steady surge of craft beer in cans. Fans of craft beer who once believed only in beer in a bottle are starting to come around to the idea of beer in of a can, partly because of changes in drinking habits and partly because the beers they want to bring home are only available in cans.

Checking the database driven website, craftcans.com we can see that currently there are over 2100 different canned packages across the country from over 550 different brewers and all signs point to steady increases as the number of breweries continues to grow rapidly.

According to the Brewers Association, cans made up less than 2% of total craft beer sales in 2011 but soared to 10% of sales in 2014. As more breweries add canned products to their business plans and new breweries start up, that number is sure to continue to rise.

Regional and local brewers like Summit, Surly, Indeed, and Fargo Brewing are doing their part to help bring about this change, and are more than happy to tell consumers why they believe cans are a superior package to deliver their goods.

From surlybrewing.com: “Cans are awesome. They keep light and oxygen (bad for beer) out better than bottles. You can take them places you can't have bottles. They're better for the environment. The list goes on…”

According to Kelly Moritz of Indeed Brewing, “We started packaging our beer in cans right out of the gate about four years ago. The decision to can was pretty simple when looking at all the positives: cans are lighter, easier to transport, and less expensive than bottles, and that value gets passed on to the consumer. Cans are light- and air-tight, which protects the quality of our beer; cans can go where bottles can't go, or can't go as easily, like a backpack on a hike or a bike ride.”

Aaron Hill of Fargo Brewing Company echoes these sentiments. “First and foremost, cans are better for the beer. Cans are more transportable. Cans are allowed on beaches, golf courses, at concert venues, in suites at sports arenas. Cans are much lighter and easier to ship, which saves on fuel costs. Also, lighter is easier to handle in the brewery. We can move the cans around much easier than glass. Finally, cans are just cooler and sexier — and to be brutally honest — we saw what the cool kids were doing (Surly, Indeed, Bent Paddle) and we wanted to be cool too.”

As a consumer, one thing I love is how much less space cans take. Whether it’s in a bag, a fridge, or when packing your car for a road trip, you can always fit more cans in the same space. If you are a craft drinker who is set on the concept that beer tastes better out of glass, you more than likely already own the appropriate glassware to pour the can into.

I’ll leave you this week with some short tasting notes on some of canned craft beers that I most recently enjoyed.

Summit 30th Anniversary West London Style Ale - This English Bitter is a true pub style ale with hints of berries and earthy herbal notes on the nose. Low ABV at 4.9% and extremely crushable with a light, crisp dry finish without being bitter. Limited edition anniversary beer.

Bent Brewstillery’s Nordic Blonde Ale - Bready and malt forward, this blonde ale is almost amber in both color and taste profile but I find it to be a very refreshing option when I am in the mood for something other than an IPA or a stout.

Toppling Goliath’s Pseudo Sue - Citra hops are front and center in this bright, juicy IPA. Bursts of orange and mango assault the palate with just a touch of bitter tanginess and a clean crisp finish.

Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break - Pours dark black with a beautiful brown head that is full of aromas of chocolate, almonds, and booze. First sips are smooth and creamy for an imperial stout. Notes of almond butter, vanilla, chocolate and a hint of cherry thickly coat a fairly bready body to deliver a “dessert in a glass” experience.

Tallgrass Zombie Monkey - Robust porter that is nutty and full of roasted malt, chocolate, and caramel flavors. Thick full mouthfeel, especially with the third sip and beyond.

Fargo Original Lager - A clean, can crushing lager that doesn’t attempt to deliver much more than some cereal grain and slight floral notes. Simple but extremely easy to crush can after can of this lower ABV traditional German style lager.