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Brewers of light beers have had a jump-start on canning since the mid-1930s, when Pabst, Coors, and Schlitz began distributing their wares in steel (which must have been rough on post-Prohibition party planners). By 1969, cans were outselling bottles for the first time, but it took until 2002 for craft to catch up. Why the long wait?
It could be the stigma that aluminum cans carry as a vessel for watery American domestics, or the critics who claim that the metal takes away from the sensory experience of craft beer. My first instinct is to say it took Sam Adams and Harpoon canning their flagships for other local breweries to feel comfortable, but it turns out the sheer logistics of the process have been daunting enough to bar most small producers from participating.
As with bottling, the equipment doesn’t come cheap; neither does the space required for carrying out operations. Notch Brewing recently got in the game with its Session Pils in 12-packs, so I got in touch with brewer Chris Lohring to investigate the switch. He shared, “I’d have canned from day one, but since I am an independent brewer using others’ facilities, there were no options. It had to be at a brewery in New England where I could be hands-on, and that only became available this year [via Two Roads Brewing].”
As craft continues to fight the battle for retail space and distribution against light beer and its million-dollar ad campaigns, easy access is more important than ever. Aluminum cans are portable, stackable, crushable, and – luckily for Boston – quickly becoming an option for local breweries. Enter Iron Heart Canning, New England’s first mobile service.
Partners Tyler Wille and Jeremy Costa originally set out to start a brewpub, but when they caught wind of Colorado-based Mobile Canning Systems, they quickly realized how beneficial an on-demand packaging solution could be for the industry. According to Jeremy, the importance of aluminum can’t be underestimated. “Cans are simply the best option. They protect beer from the harmful effects of oxygen and light. They are far more recyclable.”
Oskar Blues realized early on that Dale’s Pale Ale could be just as delicious poured into a glass from a can as it was from a bottle. Many microbreweries are finally starting to agree – and realizing that they need to clear one major hurdle in order to follow suit. Jeremy is confident that Iron Heart can help with space constraints and distribution. “The costs associated with [a] canning line can reach well past a few hundred thousand dollars, as well as additional employees, insurance, maintenance, etc. We are able to provide that entire infrastructure at or below the cost of a brewery doing this themselves.”
I’m all in favor of anything that allows me to enjoy my beloved craft brews easily and cheaply. Iron Heart is partnering with MA-based Westfield River Brewing Company for its first run in August, but my brain’s already forecasting months and years down the line. What if you could drink Jack’s Abby Private Rye while you camped, or Backlash Declaration IPA on the beach? Yes, we can.
