Craft brewery to launch flagship beers in cans

Abita Beer In Cans.jpg

The Abita Brewing Co. has announced plans to offer three of its flagship brews in cans: Amber, Purple Haze and Jockamo I.P.A. 

"The canning technology is something that we've been researching and investigating for a long time," Abita Brewing Co. president David Blossman comments. "We feel confident that today's cans are a quality solution that will preserve and protect the flavor of Abita. Continued Blossman, "For many years people associated craft beer with glass bottles only, but the perception and the technology of the aluminum beverage can has really changed."

The new Abita cans will be coated with a special water-based lining, that is engineered to protect and preserve the great taste of the beer by insulating the beer from the can's interior surface. Canning also limits exposure to UV light and oxygen, two elements that can damage the taste of beer.

Packaging designed for outdoor living
"You can take cans to the places we love in Louisiana where glass might not be convenient or allowed...parades, fishing, tubing, golfing, the beach," Blossman remarks. "Louisiana is the Sportsman's Paradise, Mardi Gras central and we've got the most dedicated tailgaters anywhere. We've made it even easier to bring Abita to the party, wherever it's happening. 

"Cans go where glass bottles sometimes cannot--think about Louisiana's 3,000 miles of coastline, over 400 annual festivals, 194 golf courses and 22 state parks," he adds. "It all adds up to plenty of good reasons to put Abita Beer in cans." (The Abita Brewing Co. was founded in Abita Springs, LA in 1986, and says it is the oldest and largest craft brewer in the southeast.)

"Of course, I always preach the right way to drink a beer is to pour it into a proper glass. It's the full sensory experience." Blossman concludes.

Cans also chosen for their recyclability
Aluminum cans are environmentally friendly. They are easy to recycle, weigh less to ship and the average new beer can is made of 40 percent recycled aluminum. "Abita has always been committed to a greener environment," says Blossman. "We conserve energy and water, create our own bio-gas and drive greener vehicles. We use recycled content in our bottles and packaging materials. Aluminum cans are one more way Abita is working to keep our part of the world green and clean."
Abita will offer the canned product in six and 12 packs and expect it to reach store shelves early in 2012. The canning will be based at the brewery in Abita Springs and Abita will also continue packaging in glass just as they have since they began brewing in 1986.

.