Can it!

Not so long ago, canned beer was looked down on as inferior to its bottled counterpart, but that bad reputation seems to be fading as a new breed of brewers are bringing the can back. “We feel strongly that aluminum cans are the best choice for our unique craft beers, offering significant advantages for us and our consumers,” says Nick Davidson, president of Tin Man Brewing Co. The Evansville, IN-based brewery recently announced it is offering four of its core beers in Rexam 16-oz. cans.

Tin Man Brewing Co.’s choice of cans over glass bottles is part of a growing movement, especially for members of the US craft beer industry that make smaller-batch domestic brews that often emphasize using high-quality and unique ingredients.

“Our cans are the perfect packaging for craft beers as they help attract attention on store shelves, maintain beverage integrity and deliver superior recycling, filling, distribution and retail display economics that help a brewery continue to build its brand and business,” says Claude Marbach, sector director for Rexam BCNA.

In fact, Tin Man is such a fan of the cans, it is hosting a website, www.cansarebetter.com, designed to inform consumers of their benefits. The site boasts that aluminum cans offer a better barrier to light and oxygen, two factors that can produce off-flavors and smells in exposed beer. Aluminum cans also weigh less than bottles, helping smaller breweries reduce shipping costs. Plus, cans are allowed in more places such as big events, sporting venues, parks and beaches. Moreover, many craft breweries, like Tin Man, are committing to minimizing waste and touting the fact cans can be recycled, converted back to cans and be on the market within 60 days.

Also making the packaging shift is Chicago-based Finch’s Beer Co., which began transitioning from bottles to cans last year. The company has plans to have all eight of its labels—plus two new labels—in Rexam cans by mid-2015.

Brewers are not the only alcohol beverage producers championing the can. The Union Wine Co., based in Tualatin, OR, is packaging its Underwood brand Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris in 375ml silver aluminum cans. Although it is not the first winery to put its product in a can, it is successfully using the package to market premium wines. The response took the company by surprise.

“We are working hard to get the next batch created, but craft wines take some time,” according to the Union Wine Co. website. “We will continue to expand as we make more, so look for more regions to carry the cans soon.”

For more information: Jennifer Cumbee, Rexam, 773-399-3035, jennifer.cumbee@rexam.com, www.rexam.com.

KEYWORDS: consumer trends

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Debra Schug was Editor-in-Chief of Food Engineering. She began her media career over a decade ago writing and producing broadcast news for both television and radio at the local and national level. She spent many years as the managing editor for two trade magazines in the oil industry and the research editor for an annual petroleum report. She has a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University.