Craft Brewers Continue to Embrace Cans

Cans’ resurgence as the preferred container of choice for craft beer has escalated throughout 2015. The format with a long and not-so-decorated history in Australian drinking culture is rapidly breaking down stubborn stigmas, such as that it’s for less sophisticated drinkers and that the aluminium taints the flavour of the beer.

The bigger players are taking notice of the success tasted by brewers, such as Melbourne’s Mountain Goat, whose Summer Ale cans quickly became a smash hit after launching late in 2013. Mountain Goat’s new owner, Asahi Premium Beverages, also recently introduced cans for its other craft beer brand, Cricketer’s Arms.

Meanwhile, Lion’s James Squire released its 150 Lashes Pale Ale in cans. Even retailer Aldi is on board, signing an exclusive deal with Sydney’s Balmain Brewing to bring out its Pilsner and Pale Ale SKUs in the format.

“Australian consumers are becoming more aware that cans are the ideal format for craft beer,” an Aldi Australia spokesperson told drinks bulletin.

“Within a can the beverage is protected from UV light, which can affect the taste of beer. There is also evidence that beer retains its freshness longer in a can.

“Along with the ease and convenience of storage, cans are a much more efficient format to transport, so the savings gained can be passed on to the customer in the form of a better value deal - both in the larger volume format (375ml can vs 330ml bottles available at other retailers) as well as at a competitive price. It really is a win-win for everyone,” the spokesperson said.

Brewers converting to the format say cans are also convenient for consumers. 4 Pines Brewing Company is one such brewer, who recently released its first product in a can, Indian Summer Pale Ale, after watching the behaviour of drinkers on the strip of grass nearby its Manly brewpub. If they weren’t sharing takeaway growlers of 4 Pines beer, they were drinking cans of beers and ciders from other breweries, due to the convenience factor.

“Our local customers made it pretty clear to us it was time to stick it in a can so they could take it with them,” 4 Pines founder, Jaron Mitchell said.

In Canberra, BentSpoke Brewery is preparing to launch The Cannery, a packaging facility that will enable wider distribution of its beers for the first time in the brewery’s 18-month history. Founder Richard Watkins says the decision to can instead of bottle was an easy one.

“Advances in can technology over the past decade have been fantastic”, he says. As well as the aforementioned benefits for beer quality, Watkins points out that cans chill down faster. “You can recycle almost 100 per cent of a can too, so it really was an easy choice,” he says.

And in WA, Margaret River’s Cheeky Monkey Brewery has recently introduced cans, after finding that bottles were problematic for its beers.

“Until recently, we only had a bottled product and as our beer is brewed naturally using Margaret River rain water with no preservatives it is very susceptible to damage from light and oxygen,” says Head Brewer, Ross Terlick.

“The new cans will solve that issue and we will know that customers are having the same product at home that they can enjoy at the brewery. This is the reason that serious craft breweries are turning to cans.”

Image: The guys at Cheeky Monkey Brewery with their new cans

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