Canned Beers for a Beer Tasting

[Dave MP]

We do regular beer tastings at CHOW, and publish our results on the site. Back in March, we did a Spring Beer tasting: http://www.chow.com/food-news/109381/...

Our next tasting is coming up next week, and the focus is canned beers. Let me know if you have any suggestions of things we should be sure to include! We're aiming more toward summery beers, but nothing is necessarily off limits.

I already have a good list going, and includes the following:

New Belgium Shift
Uncommon Brewers - Golden State or Siamese Twin
Sierra Nevada Torpedo
Maui Brewing Bikini Blond
Oskar Blues Dale Pale Ale

Also hoping to include beers from Anderson Valley, Brewery Vivant, Sun King, Big Sky Brewing and 21st Ammendment.

Anything else I'm missing? What are your favorite canned beers for summer 2012?

Dave MP

[bulavinaka]

Just a general question - seems an increasing number of crafted brews are now available in cans. So many have posted here with very interesting brews in cans. Their portability is logistically much easier weight- and space-wise. I know by nature, many of these breweries are small so their output is probably limited, but will the cans (hopefully) increase their distribution areas?

[Jim Dorsch]

I don't think the can itself would affect distribution, although I'd think shipping costs would decrease a bit due to the lower weight. I suppose a low-cost canning line might enable a brewer to start packaging, but most are already in bottles.

[Tripeler]

In Japan, some beer importers do their best to get cans because they take less space to "slot" in refrigerators than bottles do. So in this sense, cans can result in wider distribution.

[Davydd]

Too late evidently for the tasting but the Surly Brewing Company out of Minnesota is a must if you can get them.

http://www.surlybrewing.com/

[Dave MP]

Thanks again everyone for the ideas! We had a great tasting (with 15 canned beers), and the story is now published with our favorites. http://www.chow.com/food-news/117262/...

[JAB]

How did you obtain that Oskar Blues / Sun King collaboration?

[Dave MP]

We were able to source a few cans from Sun King. Sounds like it's not widely available, but hopefully will be eventually! It was good!

[chimay5]

Just an FYI, Oscar Blues is putting on a tasting in Lyons CO next Saturday called the "Burning Cans Fest" which is featuring canned craft brews only. Might be interesting.

[AZeagle]

And just a couple of weeks ago, the Ameri-CAN fest was held in Scottsdale. This featured beers from all over the country. It featured about 150 beers and about 4,000 people attended.

[mrgeocool]

You should definitely include something from Baxter Brewing in Maine.

[bg90027]

Golden Road (out of Los Angeles) cans its Point the Way IPA and their Hefeweizen. I particularly like the Hefe.

[bulavinaka]

+1 on Golden Road's Hefe. And they're in 16 oz cans as well. The folks who started the brewery are very cordial as well...

[TongoRad]

Lancaster Kolsch is really nicely done, and a great one for the season.

[roxanne207]

My husband, who scoffed at can beer, says his absolute favorite of any beer is Snake River Brewery's Pako IPA

[wyogal]

Wind River Blonde Ale
http://www.windriverbrewingco.com/spl...

[JessKidden]

Brooklyn Summer Ale

[cwdonald]

Sly Fox O Reilly Stout is now in cans.. its so good its been pushing Guinness off taps in the Greater Philadelphia area.

[JessKidden]

Oh, yeah? I remember a few years back when there were rumors of them canning it. Did they go "nitro/widget" with it or keep it natural?

I don't see any mention of it on their website, on the TTB site or the various beer review sites. When were cans released?

[cwdonald]

http://beerstreetjournal.com/sly-fox-... this was the announcement I saw......... have not physically seen the cans.

[Dave MP]

Thanks all for the replies. Very helpful!

[Jim Dorsch]

Here's a good listing of what's out there: http://www.craftcans.com/

[Tripeler]

Caldera IPA from Oregon.
Any of the canned beers from 21st Amendment in SF.

[Bobfrmia]

Ska Modus Hoperandi
Surly Furious

[DuchessNukem]

Second on the Modus Hoperandi. Refreshing and can hold its own against picnic fare.

Oskar Blues, any can... I have a love for their Ten Fidy but it's not what I'd call summery. It does very nicely frozen in an ice cream maker though.

If you need some comic relief, Walgreens offers a $3 sixpack called Big Flats 1901. Indistinguishable from mainstream brau but amusing due to source.

[bulavinaka]

+1 Oskar Blues, especially Ten Fidy.

Uncommon Brewers in Santa Cruz makes imho exceptional brews in the can - all 16-oz. Their distribution can be spotty outside the radius of the general bay area, but worth seeking out. Their Siamese Twin was amazing.

http://uncommonbrewers.com/

[Josh]

There's a giant Avery-shaped hole in your list. Joe's American Pilsner is a must. Fantastic light hoppy lager. Ellie's Brown Ale is also great, though not summery. They also can their Belgian witbier, White Rascal, which is another excellent summer beer.

This may sound odd, but you might want to include Hinano Lager from Tahiti, and Heineken. I know these are beers that don't get much respect, but Heineken out of a can is a much different beer than out of a bottle, and the same with Hinano. Hinano is one of my favorite summer beers, because it's very, very light without being insipid - and that's coming from a guy who loves Pliny the Elder, but doesn't necessarily want something big and hoppy when it's hot out.