Canning Line

While canning craft beer is not a new thing, it still hasn't taken the industry by storm and might never do that. The stigma against canning beer probably started with the first canned beer because of the aluminum "canny" taste it gave to beers. With new technology, specifically the material lining the interior of the can, a lot of people find that canned beer no longer has that bad taste. The debate still goes on, but I think that there is future in canning beer, weather that is in addition or opposed to bottling. Oskar Blues has made a name for themselves by first making great beers and second their beers are only available in cans. Recently New Belgian has joined the ranks of cans with Fat Tire being canned.

While canning might make some craft beer drinkers shy away from PBC, it might also bring another type of drinker to PBC. I also think that anyone that would choose not to drink a beer because it is in a can is too much of a snob to drink my beer and I wouldn't want to call them my customer. I also think a canned craft beer could help bridge the gap between the macro drinker and a craft drinker. Another huge advantage to cans is the places where you can take and drink cans as oppose to bottles. Tailgating is a prime example; while glass isn't necessarily outlawed, it is not really recommended either. While I wouldn't see myself bringing a six pack of a porter on the river, it would be nice to bring a good pale or blonde on a raft trip (not that easy with glass).

My one reservation with cans has to do with big beers. I know Oskar Blues makes an Imperial Stout (TenFidy, great beer by the way) but I do not know how these beer hold up to aging. There would be no problem with light spoilage, I just don't know how possible it is to "can condition" a beer. Something that will have to be looked into.

I don't know if canning is the route that PBC wants to take, but I think it could be a really successful route. The best would be to have both canning and bottling, as of now don't know what sort of capital that would take, probably a lot. Getting past being looked at as a gimmick would be the most difficult part is PBC goes the canning route. Something to be looking at down the line...