Tag: cans

Posted on

Wait for It

I have a pair of early April Fool’s suggestion. Granted they will most certainly infuriate Whale Hunters but they REALLY need their protective bubble burst.

#1
I need a brewery to create a mock-up of a label for cans of a new hazy IPA. No need to brew one. Then tweet out a thanks to all the customers who came in to buy cans earlier in the day with a photo of said can.

I will sit in the tap room as people roll in and pretend to finish off the last can with empties at my table for added effect. Anyone who comes up to me and asks for a can will get a coupon for a $1 off an experimental hopless amber ale or a sticker that says that they are an April Fool.

I say this after reading this ARTICLE in the NY Times from Joshua Bernstein about waiting in line for can releases.

#2
My second April Fool’s idea is to heavily promote an IPA can release for 4/1 and then at the last minute say that the IPA didn’t meet rigorous standards but that there will be cans of an Abbey Single on sale.

Just to see who stays in line and which are paid line dudes (yes, it is almost always “dudes”) and, of course, to see who gets the joke.

Posted on

Featured Review – Villager SF IPA from Fort Point


Using my gift cards at Craft Beer Cellar – Eagle Rock is tough. So many beers to choose from that sometimes a label design can sway the choice. Which is why I picked up the Villager San Francisco IPA from Fort Point Beer. Love the shade of blue in the can design. A bit blueprint architectural to me. Now I don’t know what an SF IPA denotes. Clear and more yellow perhaps?

Aroma jumps out after opening, primarily lemon. Flavor wise this is the first IPA that I can recall that has a strong melon note. Honeydew in particular. There is also a brisk hop bite to this one. Hops (Jarrylo, Warrior, Centennial) stick to the top of the mouth. This beer quickly establishes itself. But the grain bill that includes pilsner and torrified wheat keep it from going harder.

Posted on

B. West Cans


Brouwerij West of San Pedro will be releasing their first canned beers next week. 16oz Can-conditioned versions of 2 of our favorites: Dog Ate My Homework – blackberry saison and Mor Mor Belgian-style Quadrupel will be sold in limited run can-conditioned 16oz cans.

They go on sale Saturday January 7th when the coastal taproom opens at Noon and will be available as singles & in 4-packs.

Posted on

Garage Brewing – 2 Beer Review

I am always on the look-out for new local-ish breweries and when I saw cans from the new Garage Brewing Co. on shelves, I picked up a pair to review. We start with their entrant to the over crowded IPA category.

Inline
Nothing particularly wrong here. Earthy hops. Little rye type spice action. Overall just not much there here. Pours a clear light orange. Almost close to DIPA strength. Packaging evokes metal and not garage to me. The can says citrus but that is not coming through.

Marshmallow Milk Stout
Pours a jet black color. This really captures marshmallow. It is quite sweet but that is what marshmallow is. Lighter in alcohol than the IPA. Little bit of chocolate here. Sweetness is the star of this show. The lactose packs a punch.

So, one out of two, which isn’t bad for a growing brewery. Especially when you consider that a great IPA is a one in a million shot and most land squarely in the middle. From these two cans, I certainly would not hesitate to try the third beer.

Posted on

Causes in Can Form

Wading into political waters with craft beer is sure to spark debate, that can be a good thing which is why I like the idea that Sparkke a brewery in Adelaide, Australia has decided to tackle. Being a socially conscious craft brewery.

You can see from the cans (which are very well designed IMHO) below that the brewery is not shy:

• “Consent Can’t Come After You Do” – a cider tackling sexual consent
• “Change The Date” – a Pilsner targeting Australia Day
• “Boundless Plains To Share” – a hearty ginger beer demanding better treatment of asylum seekers
•”Nipples are Nipples” – a lemonade addressing gender equality and supporting #freethenipple

Even cooler is that the brewery is run by a group of nine women. That, in and of itself is a statement.

They are making another statement by donating 10% of their profits to a range of community groups.

I have so many ideas that I would like to see added.

Posted on

Strand Canned

Earlier this month I posted the teaser about the Strand Brewing 7th Anniversary party.

Now I am returned from a media excursion with some photos and a bit more news….(with more info to follow later)

First, here are the new cans….
img_7859
The Strand team has had the machinery up and going for just over a week now and are busily canning as much as they can to hit the market in November. You will be able to purchase boxed six-packs of Beach House Amber, Atticus IPA and the 24th Street Pale Ale or if you are near a Costco, 18 can variety packs of all three.
img_7861
The canning line from Wild Goose doesn’t look like much when just sitting there but moves at a much higher velocity than the current Strand bottler.

On the Anniversary front, the party is now scheduled for three days November 11th-13th. The large space will be opened up a bit to allow for more guests to try whatever specials may appear to celebrate the 7th year of business.
img_7860

Posted on

Black and Tan from Japan

In a craft beer world that with new SKUs every minute it is amazing that Sapporo hasn’t had a new beer since way back in 2004! Now they do.
Sapporo-Black
Sapporo Premium Black is headed to us next month straight from their Canadian brewery. Basically the dark lager version of the pale lager you can get now. As far as mass market lagers go, it is a solid pick for the price.

Now you can get a dark roasted version with notes of chocolate and coffee and a slightly different can design.

Posted on

Paso Marzen

Firestone-Walker-Oaktoberfest
As far as choices of beers to can, Firestone Walker made a good one, in my mind, by adding their “Paso Märzen Bier” AKA Oaktoberfest to their 16oz cans. Even if it is just a seasonal.

Usually this classic Märzen style with a skosh extra West Coast hoppiness is mostly available on draft. But this is the second time this all German ingredients beer has been packaged. The last being a couple years back since it didn’t make the schedule last year.

Which means, best try it now. Who knows if it will take another sabbatical.