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The Craft Beer Can Revolution

The Craft Beer Can Revolution – Just in Time For Summer

Beer has been put into bottles for over 440 years, making this receptacle for beer quite the long-standing champ of getting beer from brewer to drinker. There’s been a revolution in craft beer lately though that’s trying to change that. Canned beer is making a comeback in a major way, with more and more craft breweries jumping on the canning wagon and not looking back. Before we get into why cans are better than bottles (and yes, they really are), a very short history lesson is in order.

The first beer can was available to the public in 1935 from Kruger Brewing. Pabst became the first major brewer to adopt the can the same year. These cans were flat tops that required a church key, or can piercing opener, to open. Jump ahead to 1962 and our very own Iron City Brewing was the first brewery to introduce pull tab cans that required no opener, other than your fingers that is.

Travel ahead in time once more to 2002 and Oscar Blues Brewing out of Lyons, Colorado starts canning their own beer. Oscar Blues was the first craft brewery to sell their beer only in cans, no bottles. Today craft beer in cans abounds, with more available every day. So what’s so great about a can?

There’s a lot that great about cans, actually. First and probably most importantly, cans are nowhere near as fragile as bottles are. This means no breakage and sharp shards of glass to worry about. Cans are lighter than bottles, so it’s easier to ship them and easier for you to carry a six-pack or case home. Cans are far more recyclable than bottles are, and since they’re lighter they use less fuel when shipping, so cans are definitely more environmentally friendly than a bottle could ever be.

Cans protect your beer from light and oxygen, the two biggest enemies of beer, cans get cold quicker, stack easier, and fit into a cooler better with no worry of finding a broken one when you get to the beach or concert.

Canned beer is perfect for every outdoor activity you can think of. From the beach to the outdoor concerts, hiking, camping, boating, and baseball/softball games that are spread throughout the summer months, canned beer is just about perfect. There’s no breakage, no fear of injury, and best of all, you can fit more cans into the cooler than bottles!

There are quite a few craft breweries today with canned beer available, and with Vecenie Wholesale’s focus on craft beer in cans, you’re sure to find your favorite styles and breweries available in Pittsburgh sooner than later. Check out some of the best craft beer in cans available now through Vecenie Wholesale.

Oscar Blues
From the aforementioned Oscar Blues Brewery you can find the following available right now, just in time for the summer season.

Dale’s Pale Ale –Pale ale available in 12oz and 19.2 oz. cans.
Mama’s Little Yella Pils – Pilsner available in 12 oz. cans.
Old Chub – Scotch Ale available in 12 oz. cans.
Deviant Dale’s – IPA available in 16 oz. cans.
G’Knight – Imperial Red available in 16 oz. cans.

Lancaster Brewing
Lancaster offers quite a few beers in cans, but the perfect beer offered by them for summer is their Kolsch, available in 12 oz. cans.

Bell’s Brewery
Bell’s is just this year stepping into the world of beer cans, but they’re really doing it in style. You can pick up two of their most popular warm-weather beers in 16 oz. cans right now.

Oberon – Summer Ale available in 16 oz. cans.
Two Hearted Ale – IPA available in 16 oz. cans.

North Country Brewing
Local to the Pittsburgh area, Slippery Rock natives North Country Brewing started distributing their amazing beers recently, and following suit with big names like Oscar Blues, they’re only producing their beer for distribution in cans. So far a resounding success, You can pick up these four North Country beer in cans right now.

Slimy Pebble Pils – Pilsner available in 12 oz. cans.
Firehouse Red – Red Ale available in 12 oz. cans.
Paleo IPA – IPA available in 12 oz. cans.
Buck Snort Stout – American Stout available in 12 oz. cans.

Tröegs Brewing
Pennsylvania’s very own Tröegs Brewing out of Hershey, PA is known for some pretty amazing beer. Just like other craft breweries, Tröegs saw the value in craft cans and started canning their most popular beers. Luck for us, they included their summer seasonal in the mix, too. You can find the following Tröegs beer in cans right now.

Perpetual IPA – American IPA available in 12 oz. cans.
Troegenator – Double Bock available in 16 oz. cans.
Sunshine Pils – Pilsner available in 12 oz. cans.

Anderson Valley Brewing
Anderson Valley Brewing is another brewery that’s gone all cans and shunned the traditional bottle. With all their beers in cans, getting a mix of their beers for the beach is as easy as picking up a variety case, which is available year round.

Barney Flats – Oatmeal Stout available in 12 oz. cans.
Boont Amber – Amber Ale available in 12 oz. cans.
Hop Ottin’ IPA – American IPA available in 12 oz. cans.
Summer Solstice (Summer only) – Summer Ale available in 12 oz. cans.
El Steinber – Dark Lager available in 16 oz. cans.
Keebarlin’ Pale Ale (January-March) – Pale Ale available in 12 oz. cans.
Holy Gose (April-June) – Gose available in 12 oz. cans.
Leeber Paw Pils (July-September) – Pilsner available in 12 oz. cans.

Jack’s Hard Cider
The term “farm to table” is used quite a bit anymore, but with jack’s Hard Cider, it’s 100% true. Jack’s is a real local farm that produces and cans their own apples into a cider that’s never sweet and always tart and refreshing. If you’ve only had cider from the big guys, you need to try this cider today. Jack’s Hard Cider is only available in cans.

Jack’s Original – Cider available in 12 oz. cans.
Helen’s Blend – Cider available in 12 oz. cans.
Conewago Orchard – Semi-dry cider named after Jack’s apple orchard. Fermented with their best apples, and is available in 12 oz. cans.

Imports
Many imports choose to can their beer so that it makes the trip across the pond in better condition than a bottle could ever make. Two great summer beers that are canned and ready for anything you can throw at them are:

Marten’s Pils – Belgian Pilsner available in 16.9 oz. cans.
Asahi Super Dry – Lager from Japan available in 33.8 oz. cans.

All these canned beers and more are available right now in your local distributor or craft beer bar and are proudly distributed by Vecenie Distributing Co, Pittsburgh, PA.