Brewer develops new can for flagship lager
US brewer Samuel Adams is offering its flagship Boston Lager in cans manufactured by Ball Corporation.
The Sam Can, as the brewers call it, is a new can design that features a flared lip and wider top. The company has invested $1 million in special equipment tooling along with time, research and testing to get to this stage.
The new can is the result of two years of ergonomic and sensory research and testing and aims to provide a drinking experience that is closer to the taste and comfort of drinking beer from a glass.
“The debate over bottles vs cans has been a sticking point for brewers in the craft beer community for years,” says Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams. “In the past, I had my doubts about putting Sam Adams in a can because I wasn’t convinced that Boston Lager would taste as good as it does from a bottle. But cans have changed and I believe we’ve designed a can that provides a slight but noticeably better drinking experience than the standard beer can.”
Koch and the other brewers at Samuel Adams first worked with can manufacturer Ball Corporation to understand can design, technology and how to package premium beer in cans. The brewers then worked with a design team at IDEO, a global design firm. They also enlisted the help of sensory expert, Roy Desrochers of GEI Consultants. Desrochers, a recognised beer flavour expert for the Master Brewer’s Association of the Americas (MBAA), studied every aspect of the new can, from how it could potentially impact the flavour of Samuel Adam’s flagship Boston Lager to the ergonomics of how the beer flows from the can.
“I worked with Jim and the other brewers at Sam Adams on an ergonomic and flavour study to understand the benefits of the new can,” says Desrochers. “Although subtle, this can delivers a more pronounced, more balanced flavour experience – something that was important to the brewers. The extended lip of the can also creates a smoother, more comfortable overall drinking experience.”
The difference in drinking out of the new can is modest, but drinkers should notice enhanced flavours and a more comfortable experience. The position of the can opening and wider lid, naturally opens up the mouth allowing for more air flow and positions the drinker’s nose closer to the hop aromas of the beer.
“The new Sam Can required a million dollar investment in special equipment tooling along with time, research and testing. This new can will also cost more than the standard can to produce. It may seem a little crazy to make that kind of investment, but we felt the slight improvement in the drinking experience was worth the expense. We made decisions based on the beer, not on the bottom line,” explains Koch. “We’ve done tastings here at the brewery, with Sam Adams drinkers and our experts and now we’re proud to launch Samuel Adams Boston Lager in cans.”
