thoughts on craft beer in cans

I won't claim to know what happens in many countries around the word, but in the US your statement is not correct. From what I've been able to find out the opposite is true. Here aluminum cans are prized in the recycling industry as the price commanded is high. In those states without bottle deposit laws, glass bottles tend not to make it into recycling due to the high weight and low value of recycled glass. Yes, this could be improved if a standard size and design were required and recycling (bottle deposit) were required. But, I don't see this happening.

As to your claim about taste I can only say taste is subjective. I, for one, have never tasted a matallic flavor in a canned beer, that is what the liner prevents. It may be that some who drink directly from a can might pick up that flavor on their lips. As I don't drink directly from a can (always pour into a glass) I don't know if that is the issue.

Your last paragraph is the most perplexing. Yes, it takes energy to recycle cans but the same is true of even heavier bottles as to the initial collection. While it should be more energy efficient to wash and reuse bottles rather than melt and reuse cans, it simply doesn't happen. those bottles often simply fill our landfills. Again, this could be corrected with mandated reuse and standardization in the industry but I don't hunk we will see this anytime soon.

 

If we had the same art argument in the cans vs. bottles arena, cans would win. The whole can is a canvas for the art, whereas bottle art is isolated to the label! I know that's not the point you were making, but I couldn't help myself.

 

Correct. The interiors of aluminum cans have a coating to help prevent the aluminum from oxidizing and imparting flavors to the beverage.

 

Believe it or not, and even though you mention this as in favor of cans, this is the greatest argument in favor of glass, though it isn't apparent why that is until looking at the reasons for such a disparity.

 

are you talking about how the price of aluminum is artificially being raised?

 

Aluminum is artificially manipulated by just a few big players in the commodities, great story I read a while back how the warehouse workers just move it from warehouse to warehouse for a days work to raise the price of storage. Scam...

Anyway, to go with your can beer in a place where there is no glass allowed - http://www.silipint.com/ I have several of them and they are simply fantastic. Easy to rinse out, won't hold the film from the previous beer with just a couple of vigorous shakes and they cannot break or tear.

 

And the energy involved in mining bauxite, and the stupid transportation and production costs of recycling aluminum. Glass does require energy to properly recycle, and produce, but raw materials are abundant and easy to obtain, opposite of aluminum. At present levels only 31% of aluminum in cans is from recycling.

 

I think caned beer taste like the can. I enjoy imperial stouts and barrel aged stouts and they are better aged. The older the can beers get the more they taste like the can. I drink the beer for the taste not the ease of storage or the potential to be more enviornmental friendly in the packaging. Lets keep the beer for whats best for the beer not for whats best for the packager or the ease of handling. Come on people lets wake up and smell the beer. Come on people it is all about the beer. its not about the art is better on cans or who is controlling aluminum or whitch takes more energy its all about the beer and the taste. OK think about it!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I disliked it a while back, but now I prefer it. IPA's especially.

 

Do ya think the world will ever see Pliny the Elder cans?

 

I hope not whether in cans or bottles, I don't want to see Russian River follow the path of Founders, expanding way too fast and having the products quality suffer as a result, if you need an example just look at FBS. It used to be one of my go to brews but this years just wasn't as good, I think it has something to do with their new brewing set up, since it's been excellent for years. I'm also unhappy that they broke their promise of offering it as a 6pack for the same price and I'm convinced that the expansion had something to do with it.

 

I like cans and bottles both.

I do find that Sculpin seems to taste better from a can.

 

If I'm drinking a canned beer, I leave it in the can. My bottled beers are consumed from a glass. I just think the aroma is better when you leave it in the can.

 

"I was damn sure that there was no way Heady Topper could be better than Pliny the Elder solely because of the can."

I would not attack someones comprehension given the poor sentence structure.

 

I was having a bad feeling about this when it started but have to admit that when I tried Daisy Cutter and West 6th (KY local) in cans, they had not lost anything because of being sold in those.

I just make sure to clean the top before drinking but it does not stop me from buying a beer these days.

 

Have tried several of my local beers from Jackson Wyoming in cans(they only can and keg their beers) and they are outstanding. At the risk of being hammered on,which will not bother me......Pako's IPA,Vienna Lager and Pale Ale from Snake River Brewing are outstanding in a can,every bit as good as they are on draft,dare I say Pako's IPA may be better in the can,it has been to my palette lately.

 

There are 2 other things I like about cans over bottles that I don't think was mentioned (or I simply messed 'em):

- No need for bottle openers. I have a bottle opener on my keychain (albeit a crappy one), so it's not that much of an issue nowadays, but there's been plenty of times in the past I've had some brews that needed to be opened...with nothing to open 'em with. Besides, whether I have an opener or not, I find the process annoying. Obviously, I don't have to worry about that with cans.
- It's also a lot easier to read the "best by date" on the bottom of cans. I just had a Green Flash West Coast IPA a few days ago and didn't find the date until after I was finished with it! The black printing on a darkish brown bottle just doesn't do the job. Easily finding and being able to read the print on the bottom of a can is optimal.

 

I was at the beer store today, buying a $20.99 four pack of Ten Fidy, and I had a revelation about this subject.

If it helps in any fashion, to bring the price of craft beer, back down to earth, I'm supporting it!

The price of quality craft beer should, and dare I say, needs to be, affordable. We asked for good beer, and you gave us that! Is it to much to ask, to make this craft...affordable?

Call it what you will, in my opinion, the "best beer" can't be the best, all that often, if it's not affordable. Cheers~

 

I'm enjoying a very hoppy pale ale "Sidekick" by Two Brothers from the can right now. Better than from a glass, IMO. Can't say the same for all of them, but I really do enjoy some this way.