Should Yazoo Can It?


Head honcho Linus Hall at Yazoo is asking us that question. He is pondering the idea of switching from bottles to cans. He wants the Yazoo drinkers to vote at the Yazoo Blog.

I do realize that bottles are synonymous with craft beer, but I firmly believe cans are a better choice. There are several reasons:

  • lower dissolved oxygen levels since there is less air space 
  • easier and cheaper to recycle
  • beer gets colder faster
  • impervious to light (light is very bad for beer)
  • cheaper to package and transport 
  • less restrictive to consume at places like pools, beaches, events, etc.

As far as adding a metallic taste to the beer, that's just misinformation. Cans are now 100% aluminum and have a tasteless water based liner on the inside. In a blind taste test, you will not be able to taste the difference between a canned or bottled beer fresh from the brewery. Now a bottled beer that has sat in direct or direct light for a month WILL taste different- and worse.

I vote for cans. What about you?

Smitty

4 comments:

D.W. said...

Cans for sure. At least for the session beers. It will be harder to sell a Rye Saison in a can (but I'd drink it for one!)

Jacob said...

DW makes a good point. It would seem weird to can some of the fancier styles. After all, the only legitimate argument against cans is their reputation, although that seems to be changing. After all Oskar Blues seems to be REALLY successful and they can everything, even the imperial stout. The brewery also maintains a rep for quality beer geek beer despite canning.

Of course, since many breweries do special bottlings in 750s for their fancier styles, they could still can most of the beer and do something special for the beers that needed it for marketing reasons.

I've actually done formal blind tastings in the past and no one has ever been able to identify the canned version. Actually, the canned version often scored higher. Besides, like you said, the beer never touches the metal because the metal is lined.

If I were Yazoo, I'd work up some advertising pushing the beer as a friend of the outdoors. I take Oskar Blues beer backpacking with me sometimes because the can can be crushed and packed out much more easily than a bottle. It may even be a greener option, but that I don't know for sure. Anyway, it could be a great way to distinguish the brand.

Smitty said...

A saison in can that I can take to the pool? Sure! If Oskar Blues can put an Imperial Stout and a Double IPA in a can, I see no reason why Linus can't do the same with Sue and the Rye Saison. Most beer geeks know the benefits of cans.

As far as the Yazooligans, they will buy the beer no matter what. Have you seen the lines at the tap room? They don't seem like the finicky type.

josh lauritch said...

100% agree about the cans. best option! hope they do it!