Craft beers, we love them. We enjoy them straight out of the tap. We enjoy them in a bottle. But have we ever really enjoyed them out of a can? Or better yet - Have we ever wanted to enjoy them out of the can? Personally, I would say no. Generally, I try to avoid all beer that comes in a can if at all possible. Of course there was that one summer I spent living in the Valley when I was really broke … but let’s not get into that. The fact of the matter is, no one cans craft beer. Craft beer is meant to be served fresh, and as we all know canned beer is usually not so fresh. Or at least, that’s always been the case.

Well friends, times are changing. Craft beers are gaining in popularity, and canning (if done in volume) is a cheap and easy way to distribute beer products. However, most craft breweries have never had enough volume to enter into a contract with a cannery or buy equipment for canning themselves. That’s where a Canadian firm saw a business opportunity. Cask Brewing Systems Inc. was able to produce a canning machine that was small enough and cheap enough to entice at least one microbrewery to make a very smart investment.

In 2002, Colorado-based Oskar Blues became the first American business to purchase the canning machine. Initially, they planned to can some of their popular beers for local distribution as a marketing tool to bring more people into their business. That idea quickly became very popular. So popular in fact, that their little plan to gain buzz for their brewery became the bulk of their business. During their first year of canning operations Oskar Blues sold 700 barrels of beer. A mere five years later they will sell 14,000 barrels in 2007. Canned beers now make up more than 80% of their business.

So why the popularity explosion? Plain and simple - convenience. There are many closet beer-drinking enthusiasts that don’t like frequenting micro brews and pubs. They enjoy a delicious brew, but they really enjoy a delicious brew when consumed in the comfort of their own home. By canning craft beer and selling into local markets, microbreweries can increase their reach in a very short time. Consumers are now more than ever, willing to try new beers. The craft beer market is exploding. Canned craft beer is coming, be on the look out at your local grocery and liquor stores.