Lakefront Brewery Begins Switch to Cans
Shift away from glass bottles to cans only is both economic and eco-friendly.
Lakefront canned beer. Photo courtesy of Lakefront Brewery.
Lakefront Brewery has begun the process of installing a canning line, with the goal to transition to cans only in 2023.
And though some purists insist on the superiority of bottled brews, the benefits of cans to the wallet and the planet are undeniable.
In terms of beverage quality, cans eliminate degradation from light and oxygen. Plus, canned brews chill faster than bottled beer.
Cans are also infinitely recyclable and can go where glass bottles can’t — such as parks and beaches.
Luther Paul, head brewer at Lakefront, assured customers that while the container may be changing, the “liquid, quality and recipe” will remain the same.
“Riverwest Stein is still Riverwest Stein, Hazy Rabbit is still Hazy Rabbit,” he said in a statement. “IPA, Eastside Dark, New Grist, Bierzeit and even the perennial favorite Black Friday, will have the flavor, quality, and dependability as always.”
The cans will also feature similar brand graphics and logos to the old bottles.
Due to its limited size, the brewery will have to retire its bottling line, said Russ Klisch, president of Lakefront Brewery.
“We wish we had the room for both canning and bottling,” he said. “But in our historic brewery building, space is very limited. And considering all the benefits, all cans were, by far, the way to go.”
Lakefront Brewery’s canning line is due to begin operation later this month. Eventually, the brewery will have the ability to can from eight ounces to 19.2 ounces and from four-packs to 24-packs.
Meanwhile, customers can still purchase Lakefront beer in bottles throughout the spring.
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