Cigar City in Cans

 Cigar City Brewing might be tossing their hat into the craft can arena in 2012 with the release of some of their most popular flavors in cans. In an article/interview published today by CraftCans.com  Geiger Powell, graphics designer for the new line of Cigar City cans commented.. "For Floridians, canned beer means they can take their beer to the beach, to some parks that allow cans, boats, tailgating, and other activities where bottles are a hassle, or outright not allowed." George also went on to say.. "We feel that cans are a better container for beer than bottles for numerous reasons. The infinite recyclability, the lighter weight, the impenetrability to light...the list goes on. Cans truly are the superior container for beer." 
 This would add to the growing number of craft brewers that have already discovered the merits of canning. Boulder Beer introduced 12pk cans to the packaging list for their popular Hazed & Infused. Shiner Bock from Spoetzl Brewery in Texas released their flagship brand in a 6 pack can packaged in a box configuration, this year as well. Sierra Nevada announced they will release their Torpedo Extra IPA in a 16oz. can in 2012. Breweries decision to add canning to their production is not something to be taken lightly. The cost to can your beer could be as much as double what it costs to bottle your beer. But the biggest hurdle to over come is the public's perception that canned beer tastes different than from a bottle. Truth be told the technology and innovations in the production of coated metal materials used to make cans has all but dispelled that myth. Oskar Blues Brewery out of Lyons Colorado, based their entire business model on cans. And at a time when the Craft Beer industry was just gaining speed, they took a risk by producing all their beers in cans, and still do today. 
 Say what you will about cans, like them or not, they still protect the beer inside from public enemy #1, "sunlight". The effects of sunlight on beer can cause the beer to skunk in as little as 30 seconds. This why you find almost all craft beers in brown bottles and not green or even worse clear. From and "eco-friendly" stand point cans are much easier on the environment than bottles. For one they're lighter to transport through the shipping chain, thus reducing the fuel and emission impact. So the next time you're in a craft drinking mood, give the cans a try. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. Cheers! 

The full Cigar City story and interview can be found at: CraftCans.com