Poll: Bottle or Can?

Cans, no doubt.

But, I've noticed that when trying a new beer, I'm more likely to buy a bottled beer than a can, which confused me for a while. My explanation is that if I'm buying a 6-pack from a wall-o-beer, the cardboard holder for bottles is much easier to read and find the important info than the cans. My local shop's beer section can be crowded busy, and I don't like to stand there fussing around to read the info printed directly on the cans. Not really rational, but there you have it. 21st amendment and Sixpoint have the right idea in my opinion.

 

I'm really starting to enjoy cans

 

Hypothetically speaking, let's say that it could be proven that plastic caused the least amount of damage to the environment....would you support a movement to put all beer in plastic bottles?

 

A year ago I'd say can because I was fascinated with good beer in cans... but now I don't care. I voted bottle, but I don't much give a shit.

 

I'd give bottles a slight edge, but cans are great.

 

How is it harder to share a can if your pouring into glasses at a bottleshare?

 

It's a joke. On the "bottle" part of bottle share...

Also, being practical, 12 oz doesn't spread as much in groups over 6 people.

 

Haha I thouhgt you were comparing it to 12oz bottles lol. Cheers!

 

Won't drink anything out of a can since reading about can liners on here. Apparently they still use BPA to save a tiny bit of money even though there's a safe alternative. The US regulating agency is a joke, I can't understand why BPA has only been banned from baby bottles and why it hasn't been banned completely. For those that say cans are tiny kegs, kegs are stainless steel and have no liner, cans are aluminum and have BPA liners which according to someone here leach into the beer or whatever it comes in contact with over time. Personally I'd be willing to pay an extra 10-20 cents a can to have safe cans, I can feel good about.

 

For BPA to leak in more than trace amounts into the beer, one of two things would have to happen.

1) Expose the can to heat. One of the major reasons that baby bottles would release BPA is because people put them in the microwave to warm up the milk. If you take a beer out of a cooler, chances are it's really not a concern. Also, exposure to UV light will degrade the polymer liner. Since the liner is inside the can, again not a problem. Solution: don't microwave cans, and don't leave cans in the desert on a hike.

2) Time. Eventually the can liner will degrade and fall into solution. As far as when that degradation occurs, it's up in the air depending on style. Sours in cans will degrade the liner faster. I could see IPAs doing the same due to high alpha and beta acid contents. I don't have any research on this, but based on conjecture, the amount of can liner degradation will be so minimal you won't find any plastic in the beer upon testing, as long as you drink the can in a reasonable amount of time (I'd go as high as 3-5 years). Most industrial polymers haven't degraded since we began making them in the 40's. They still have fiberglass car components from the 50's in perfect workable condition.

As far as US regulation in the plastics industry... It is extremely highly regulated. Trust me. In order for any plastic to come in contact with consumables, there are tons of regulatory steps. From what the plastic can be made of to how it can be processed.

Also cans are mostly tin. The only part that is high in aluminum is the tab.

Also many companies have phased out BPA so that they can say they are "BPA free". There are alternatives, BPA is just cheap and easy to work with.

Not wanting to rant. I just work in the plastics industry, and this is the one thing that people sensationalize that bugs me.

/end rant

tl;dr: BPA is nothing to worry about now.

 

I cant really decide here, I enjoy both equal and both have their advantages and disadvantages. I just cant picture cellaring a BA stout or something along those lines in a can for a long period of time.

But I do love some cans for during the summer and outdoor activities, much easier to conceal in public

 

Which breweries use cans that are BPA free? (will be happy support them) I still think BPA is a problem, they also allowed lead paint and fuel while using asbestos for fire safety in the 50's, but I think we know those weren't good decisions. Just because BPA is cheap and easy doesn't mean it should be allowed.

 

Not according to Sierra Nevada (which I'll cite as a more reliable source than "someone here"...)

Again, from that same FAQ from Sierra Nevada:

 

Sierra Nevada either didn't do a very good job researching or their information is old. Native Forest, Eden Organics, Vital Choice, Wild Planet all use BPA free cans. Vital Choice did say it costs them an extra 2.2 cents per can. So if Sierra Nevada means that there isn't a BPA free option for the same price they're likely correct. If all these companies can get BPA free cans why can't Sierra Nevada? Also the France and I think the whole EU bans BPA in anything that comes into contact with food. Clearly there are alternatives.

 

I'm not familiar with the Australian brewing industry - are those breweries? They seem to be "health" food companies, packaging foods in steel cans. Are they packaging an alcoholic, carbonated beverage in aluminum cans?

Breweries do not manufacture beer cans, they buy cans from can manufacturers - in the US, Ball and Crown are the largest suppliers- and the lining is applied as part of the manufacturing process long before the can is shipped to the brewer. If Sierra Nevada says there is currently no "satisfactory alternative" (they do not mention cost as a factor), I believe them.

 

Won't lie. I thought your "someone here" reference meant me. But then I realized it wasn't. I think. A simple google search (google scholar is best) provides many peer reviewed articles on the subject of BPA levels in different food containers. Many studies are regionally specific too. I'm just too lazy to post a bunch of links to non beer related articles.

 

I drank about 10,000 of these in the Air Force. $1.20 a case from the Class Six. Nostalgia is huge , glass for me.

 

Psychologically, I prefer bottles especially when aging for a while, but some of my favorites are only in cans.

 

Probably 60/40 bottle to can for me. Bottle into a glass at home, prefer cans for outdoor activities (where allowed.)

 

I'll take beer in a steel can. I know there are other beverages in steel cans. They use steel in kegs and brewing so why not in cans? I'm guessing when they say "satisfactory alternative", they mean they're not willing to either spend the money or charge a tiny bit more for their product. Let's say it costs an extra 20 cents per can to use steel, I'd be ok paying an extra 20 cents per can, if it meant it was BPA free. @sierranevadabill why don't you guys do this?