Canning Homebrew. If you could, would you?

[Smithy]

Two part question about "canning" homebrew. (Yes you are being surveyed!) We all know the pros and cons of canning. Most of the cons are obtaining cans. Don't really want to discuss those aspects. Would like to gather thoughts about actually canning and would you if you could.

Consider that it would possibly cost about $35.00 for cans every time you canned 5 gallons of beer. This cost would be approximately 55 12 oz. cans and shipping to you of those 55 cans.

If you could can your home brewed beer would you considering this cost?

Equipment for canning would consist of at least a pony/corny keg (5 gallons +)(For clarifying and carbonation), CO2 tank, and a can seamer. What if you could obtain a can seamer for around $200 or less?

Would you obtain this equipment considering the cost? (some of you already own most of the equipment)

 

[broadbill]

35.00 would more than double my average batch price, not taking into account the initial outlay for canning equipment.

That would be a "no" for me, as I don't see what the advantage to canning would be for me.

Now, if you could make those can's reusable, then I might be able to justify amortizing the expense over a large number of batches.

 

[LovesIPA]

I can't figure out what advantages cans have over bottles that would justify the money spent to can.

 

[BeerGrylls]

I would can, but at that cost, no chance.

 

[Yooper]

No. I drink out of the kegs, and if I want to take my beer "to go", I'd put it in a growler or bottle it with my beer gun.

I don't see any advantage to canning, unless I needed to take a can somewhere bottles aren't allowed (a beach?). In that case, I'd put my beer in plastic soda bottles in about two minutes from the keg.

 

[marvso]

I would like to can, but not at present costs. I prefer the tastes of imported beer in cans vs in bottles. Tastes fresher.

 

[feinbera]

I love that more and more craft breweries are canning. Lighter vessels cut down on shipping costs (which hopefully at least means more profit for my favorite breweries, if not direct consumer savings), and use less fossil fuels in transportation. Aluminum is easier to recycle than glass, and there's less of it in each container. I always pour my beer into glassware, so, any differences in drinking from a can vs. a bottle are irrelevant, and given that the beer is anywhere between 5% and 12% poisonous yeast poop, I'm not gonna sweat microscopic leaching of can lining materials.

Now, all that being said, for homebrew, the volume is tiny compared to the initial investment in equipment, the transportation costs are negligible as it all gets consumed within 10 miles of home, and the reusability of containers to help keep costs down is key. So, as I believe the Prophet Mohammad once said, f**k that noise.

 

[dyqik]

Not at all. If I need to buy kegging equipment, then I'll serve from it, and bottle in reusable bottles if I need to. As for now, I don't have any kegging kit, and so I have all the bottles I need. I also don't like the taste of beer from cans, and prefer to carbonate in the serving vessel where I can.

I really don't understand why any homebrewer would want to can, as the advantages for distribution and recycling for commercial operations don't apply - there's no distribution to speak of, and bottles can be reused rather than recycled, which is far greener and cheaper. If you're recycling common glass bottles, you're doing it wrong.

 

[TyTanium]

Plus, boiling the beer would be bad for it.

 

[broadbill]

I also don't like the taste of beer from cans,

Lol...I bet you would not be able to tell that a beer came from a can in a randomized, blind trial of the same beer poured from a can and from a bottle.

 

[PaintedRat]

Just for cost I would not can. At a commercial level, canning might make sense, but for a few cases at a time, no. Bottles being free and reusable, the only per bottle cost is a cap, and the equipment is only like $20 for a capper. Cans become a costly consumable in addition to the canner.

Time and money being held constant, I'd do canning and bottling. I prefer bottles at home, but cans travel better.

 

[cwdrake]

No way. Bottles are free and reusable. Canning at the homebrew level would be a gigantic waste of both money and material resources.

 

[reverendj1]

I would love to can, but that would be way too expensive for me. If it were maybe $50-75 for the equipment and $10 per batch, it may be fun to do once in a while. I'd rather just find someone who would sell those unmarked aluminum bottles in homebrew quantities.

 

[BrewKit]

Sound Homebrew Supply in Seattle has had a few homebrew canning sessions. I believe that Northwest Canning had a mobile unit they just brought to the store. I think the price was about $45 for a corny's worth of brew. Blammo! Container transmogrification.

Here's a video if the line in action:


It would be totally worth it for gifts or a special occasion but I couldn't bring myself to lay out that money when I have aluminum and brass in my boil kettle. Other upgrades with dubious product quality impacts take precedence!

But still, blank silver cans of homebrew at a barbecue would be badass...

 

[ong]

It would be fun to try once in awhile, but yeah, that price would be prohibitive for me.

 

[Texastrooper]

No I would not. I don't like cans because the waste of resources and trash generation. Not sure how much is actually recycled.
I only keg and for the few bottles I give away occasionally I use flip top bottles. Either used ones (Grolsch or Flensburger) or the ones I bought at IKEA.
And if I need to take some on the road like on camping weekends I have a 3 gallon keg which fits in a cooler.

 

[day_trippr]

No thank you. I've been kegging for years and very happy with that. The only time I use alternative packages (bottles) is for road trips and/or going out on the boat, and the bottles are free, reusable, and easily filled from the keezer and capped on foam...

Cheers!

 

[Cathedral]

If I could can, yes, I would--versus bottling, 55 cans are just easier to handle. You can stack cans. You can't stack bottles. The space saved in conditioning and in the fridge would be awesome. However, I hate bottling, and I bet I would hate canning even more.

So I'd rather keep on kegging.

 

[oreoman]

My LHBS will be having a mobile canning unit coming around. Not sure of the pricing but I might have to try it. Worth a try.

 

[pmcint01]

My club is also bringing in someone who will can 5 gallons for $45. Its a lot, but might be fun to hand out cans of your beer.

 

[thatjonguy]

How about just using pry off alumium bottles? New manufacturer in Colorado to make bottles that are the same size as 12 oz longnecks...

Just saying...

 

[ChefRex]

I do can, just happens to be a five gallon can.:rockin:

 

[BudzAndSudz]

Plus, boiling the beer would be bad for it.

Why on earth would you boil the beer? Wort, of course, beer, hell no.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

My club is also bringing in someone who will can 5 gallons for $45. Its a lot, but might be fun to hand out cans of your beer.

What state are you in?

 

[LabRatBrewer]

I would love to can an occasional batch.

 

[dyqik]

Lol...I bet you would not be able to tell that a beer came from a can in a randomized, blind trial of the same beer poured from a can and from a bottle.

I normally buy bottle carbed beers, so I bet I could...

What I really meant was drinking from can vs. drinking from (non bottle carbed) bottles.

 

[two_hearted]

Why on earth would you boil the beer? Wort, of course, beer, hell no.

You see, this here is a joke about canning (think of your grandma canning tomatoes or beans).

 

[Homercidal]

Zero interest. Here's why:

I keg. So much easier and faster. And keeps the beer as protected as a can.
If I want to take my beer somewhere, growler or give some beer away, I can just quick fill a few bottles.
If I want to take some bottles someplace that doesn't allow glass, fill some soda bottles.
Glass is better than recyclable. It's reusable!
Equipment to bottle is MUCH less expensive and super easy to use.

I can't think of a single reason I'd want to can my beer.

 

[TyTanium]

Why on earth would you boil the beer? Wort, of course, beer, hell no.

It was a joke. Canning. Like canning veggies.

 

[Unferth]

I want this in my basement.


[ame="http://youtu.be/Fvg65JyRcHA"]http://youtu.be/Fvg65JyRcHA[/ame]


Yes, I know its impractical. I don't care. Don't piss on my dreams.

 

[pmcint01]

New Jersey, just east of Philadelphia

What state are you in?

 

[NickTheGreat]

Yes, I would be interested in canning my beer. It'd be fun for tailgating or boating or places where glass is frowned upon.

But I probably wouldn't be willing to pay that much. Especially since I have 200 bottles (that I don't use) and my kegging equipment

 

[Smithy]

Thanks everyone for your honest opinions!

Overwhelmingly the cost is prohibitive! Cans have always been the problem obtaining and the equipment is expensive. My friend is starting 5 mobile canning businesses in certain regions around the country over the next 6 months and that opens the gate for me to obtain smaller quantities of cans. BUT... what makes the cans themselves expensive is the shipping if I was to distribute to homebrewers. I can get 55 cans for under $10 but I can't ship them for less than $25.00 because of the bulky boxing. I can fabricate the equipment to can and sell them for much less than the professional equipment.

Cans have a huge advantage over bottles on a number of different fronts. Canning is easier than bottling as you don't wash the cans like you do bottles. Capping bottles is much simpler but I would rather seal a can than wash a bottle! For myself I will start canning (as well as continue to keg). I was just surveying the community looking for a potential business opp. Had a feeling nobody would pay those prices including me!

 

[brewguyver]

Thanks everyone for your honest opinions!

Overwhelmingly the cost is prohibitive! Cans have always been the problem obtaining and the equipment is expensive. My friend is starting 5 mobile canning businesses in certain regions around the country over the next 6 months and that opens the gate for me to obtain smaller quantities of cans. BUT... what makes the cans themselves expensive is the shipping if I was to distribute to homebrewers. I can get 55 cans for under $10 but I can't ship them for less than $25.00 because of the bulky boxing. I can fabricate the equipment to can and sell them for much less than the professional equipment.

Cans have a huge advantage over bottles on a number of different fronts. Canning is easier than bottling as you don't wash the cans like you do bottles. Capping bottles is much simpler but I would rather seal a can than wash a bottle! For myself I will start canning (as well as continue to keg). I was just surveying the community looking for a potential business opp. Had a feeling nobody would pay those prices including me!

If you're friend can get around the shipping with a "group buy" type of scenario - sending the pallets to a central location in the region, you might be able to get around some of that shipping. I'd imagine that a pallet holds a ton of cans, and you can have your target customer pick up the shipping.

Personally I don't like the idea of aluminum cans - they need to be lined and that liner can contain BPA. I'd consider using stainless steel cans depending on the cost, or would go the stainless steel growler route so as to be beach friendly. Many SS growlers are insulated, which is a nice bonus.

 

[NickTheGreat]

If you're friend can get around the shipping with a "group buy" type of scenario - sending the pallets to a central location in the region, you might be able to get around some of that shipping. I'd imagine that a pallet holds a ton of cans, and you can have your target customer pick up the shipping.

Personally I don't like the idea of aluminum cans - they need to be lined and that liner can contain BPA. I'd consider using stainless steel cans depending on the cost, or would go the stainless steel growler route so as to be beach friendly. Many SS growlers are insulated, which is a nice bonus.

And if it took off big, you would think LHBS would get pallets of the cans in too

 

[NathPowe]

My kegs are like huge cans... and I love huge cans.

 

[dyqik]

Cans have a huge advantage over bottles on a number of different fronts. Canning is easier than bottling as you don't wash the cans like you do bottles. Capping bottles is much simpler but I would rather seal a can than wash a bottle! For myself I will start canning (as well as continue to keg). I was just surveying the community looking for a potential business opp. Had a feeling nobody would pay those prices including me!

Washing bottles is no harder than loading the dishwasher and putting it on the hot cycle. Cans that have been shipped will still need to be cleaned and sanitized before use, unless they are shipped sanitized and sealed, or infection is a risk.

 

[brewguyver]

And if it took off big, you would think LHBS would get pallets of the cans in too

That's a good call - I bet LHBS would do specials for their frequent flyers and sell cans close to cost if they were making money off of everything else.

 

[DrunkleJon]

My kegs are like huge cans... and I love huge cans.

hehe, you said huge cans..