"Comeback For Beer in Cans "
This month column was written by Bob's friend
Philip Glass
The first can of beer (Krueger) rolled off the line on January 24,
1935 in Richmond, VA. The concept caught on quickly and by the
end of the year, more than 200 million cans had been sold. For the
consumer, it was a sweet deal, with no deposit to pay like there was
on bottles, at the time. For retailers, canned beer was easier to ship
and store and it even took less energy to chill thanks to the
conductive properties of the metal cans. Of course, it also changed
the brewing landscape. Large national brewing companies were able
to crowd out smaller brewers thanks to the economies of scale that
cans allowed.
Such a huge shift in the way beer was stored did have
consequences. The steel, and later aluminum cans had a habit of
leeching trace amounts into the beer and making the brew taste
slightly metallic. Some even believed the aluminum could cause
Alzheimer's and a variety of other ailments. No worries today as
modern cans are lined with non-reactive materials that protect the
beer from any contact with the metal, thus ensuring no
contamination. More important, the cans still protect their contents
from light and air. Even tinted bottles allow light to hit the precious
fluid and cause “skunked” beer. Cans can go plenty of places
bottles can't like parks, sporting events, and other assorted venues
that ban glass bottles.
When Bob asked me to write this article I decided to do some
research (translation- drink canned beer). Here are the two best
I found:
21st Amendment Bitter American – This is a session ale with a low
alcohol content and seriously bracing hops balanced with a tasty
citrus kick. It's clear, refreshing, light and just about perfect to take
us into spring time. If you want something stronger try their great
Hop Crisis. It's a double IPA that will solve any problem.
Oskar Blue's Dale's Pale Ale – Once named the best pale ale in the
country by the New York Times, This Colorado brewer has put
together an impressively complex brew with a nicely floral hop aroma
and a quick hit of orange and citrus up front, followed by a little spice
and pine resin flavor. Good stuff.
Four more excellent canned brews to buy whenever you see them:
Brooklyn Lager – Fat Tire Amber Ale - Harpoon IPA- Anderson
Valley'Boont Amber Ale
And my final recommendation- PBR..a/k/a Pabst Blue Ribbon. It's not
a craft beer; it's strickly lawnmower stuff but it's impossible to write
something about cans and not include this trendy, ubitiquous, iconic,
and admitidely quaffable brew.
Now even craft brewing legends like Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams,
just to name two of many, are planning to join the can revolution. It's
time to forget the old adage the cheap/bad beer comes in a can.
While it's still true in some cases (as in $10 for a case of you know
what) cans are coming with some of the best beer you'll find
anywhere.
Thanks Bob for letting me take over your column. I owe you a
beer... make that a can of beer.
.
This month column was written by Bob's friend
Philip Glass
The first can of beer (Krueger) rolled off the line on January 24,
1935 in Richmond, VA. The concept caught on quickly and by the
end of the year, more than 200 million cans had been sold. For the
consumer, it was a sweet deal, with no deposit to pay like there was
on bottles, at the time. For retailers, canned beer was easier to ship
and store and it even took less energy to chill thanks to the
conductive properties of the metal cans. Of course, it also changed
the brewing landscape. Large national brewing companies were able
to crowd out smaller brewers thanks to the economies of scale that
cans allowed.
Such a huge shift in the way beer was stored did have
consequences. The steel, and later aluminum cans had a habit of
leeching trace amounts into the beer and making the brew taste
slightly metallic. Some even believed the aluminum could cause
Alzheimer's and a variety of other ailments. No worries today as
modern cans are lined with non-reactive materials that protect the
beer from any contact with the metal, thus ensuring no
contamination. More important, the cans still protect their contents
from light and air. Even tinted bottles allow light to hit the precious
fluid and cause “skunked” beer. Cans can go plenty of places
bottles can't like parks, sporting events, and other assorted venues
that ban glass bottles.
When Bob asked me to write this article I decided to do some
research (translation- drink canned beer). Here are the two best
I found:
21st Amendment Bitter American – This is a session ale with a low
alcohol content and seriously bracing hops balanced with a tasty
citrus kick. It's clear, refreshing, light and just about perfect to take
us into spring time. If you want something stronger try their great
Hop Crisis. It's a double IPA that will solve any problem.
Oskar Blue's Dale's Pale Ale – Once named the best pale ale in the
country by the New York Times, This Colorado brewer has put
together an impressively complex brew with a nicely floral hop aroma
and a quick hit of orange and citrus up front, followed by a little spice
and pine resin flavor. Good stuff.
Four more excellent canned brews to buy whenever you see them:
Brooklyn Lager – Fat Tire Amber Ale - Harpoon IPA- Anderson
Valley'Boont Amber Ale
And my final recommendation- PBR..a/k/a Pabst Blue Ribbon. It's not
a craft beer; it's strickly lawnmower stuff but it's impossible to write
something about cans and not include this trendy, ubitiquous, iconic,
and admitidely quaffable brew.
Now even craft brewing legends like Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams,
just to name two of many, are planning to join the can revolution. It's
time to forget the old adage the cheap/bad beer comes in a can.
While it's still true in some cases (as in $10 for a case of you know
what) cans are coming with some of the best beer you'll find
anywhere.
Thanks Bob for letting me take over your column. I owe you a
beer... make that a can of beer.
.
| BeerNexus proudly presents Bob Montemurro "the ombudsman of beer" Bob and Friends Speak of Beer...... |
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| Cheers! My thanks to Phil for this month's column. See you next time to "speak about beer". Bob Montemurro |
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