Show 26: The Can Show!
Prebeer Preamble: What’s sleek and colorful on the outside, fizzy and yellow on the inside? Your daddy’s beer can, that’s what. These days, more and more small breweries are rediscovering these aluminum marvels of light and durable packaging, and the stuff they put inside them just might make your daddy do a spit take. I’m once again joined by bro-in-law Dave Cavanaugh as we do some old-fashioned 12-oz curls with some newfangled beer.
Beer #1: Dave and I first crack open a Dry Heat Hefeweizen from Arizona’s own Mudshark Brewing Company. After absorbing the shock of a canned hefe, we sample it looking for signs of aluminum taint. We’re out in the toasty climes of my front yard drinking wheat beers; does the setting favor the drinking experience?
Interbeer Interlude: Beer As Folk. “Ron Jones of the Brewery Collectables Club of America.” Beer can collections are the stuff of nostalgia for the post-boomer generation. But it turns out the hobby is alive and well in the 21st century. Mr. Jones, a higher-up in the official brewerania enthusiast organization, fills us in on the state of collecting.
Beer #2: Warm-up beers dispatched, Dave and I now grab a couple of Dale’s Pale Ales from Colorado’s Oskar Blues Brewery. Craft beer in a can and Dave’s hefe-luvin’ sensibilities both get their toughest test, as we pour this hop monster of a pale ale down our gullets. Have we discovered a new favorite camping beer or is it just too much?
Beer Geek Moment: “Beer Can History.” Cans are a surprisingly recent development in the beerniverse. Where did they come from, and where are they going? Spend a few minutes with us and you’ll find out!
Postbeer Postscript: It’s hard not to factor the packaging into the scores, especially when it comes to the “holistic” category. Which aluminum-clad brew takes the day? Tune in and see!
March 30th, 2007 at 9:27 am
Another fun show Charlie. Too bad the Dry Heat Hefe doesn’t work quite as nice as Dale’s. Definitely have to agree that Dale’s is a great camping beer, took nothing but that and Old Chub on a couple of trips last summer. I thought I remembered hearing or reading that Oskar Blues was going to have an ESB out, but the Gordon looks to be a rather different sort of animal.
Expect you’ve seen it, but there’s a pretty interesting video clip at the Oskar Blues website about how they got into canning their beers.
Eric
April 1st, 2007 at 6:57 pm
I’m liking the idea of beer in cans a lot. I’m one of those that takes a can of beer for each evening when I’m backpacking. I know, but it’s worth the extra weight to me and you have never had a beer taste as good as one does after a full day of backpacking. I’ve always settled for tasteless beer but now I can get a good pale ale in a can. Life is good. And btw Charlie, looking good and go Krakens!