Can Revolution: Sly Fox 360, Founders All Day IPA, Sam Adams Boston Lager

Cans are the hottest trend in the craft beer world, and the momentum shows no signs of slowing down. In contrast to glass bottles, which leak air and allow light in, cans keep beer ultra fresh. It used to be that canned beer acquired an unpleasant metallic tang, but these days cans are lined so the beer never touches the metal. Breweries around the country are embracing the vessels, which are also easier to ship, stock, and recycle

Sly Fox was an early adopter of cans in general, and the Pottstown, Penn., brewery just came out with the first-ever "360 Lid" cans. Helles Golden Lager will be offered in these innovative new "cans that drink like a glass." Pull the tab and the entire top comes off, leaving a large opening that allows aroma to hit your nose.

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Founders Brewing just announced its first canned offering will be available this summer. All Day IPA — one of our spring beers to look forward to — will be sold in 12-ounce cans available in 12-packs across the 15-year-old brewery's entire distribution footprint. Day drinking just got a lot more environmentally friendly.

The largest American craft brewer, Samuel Adams, is also planning a summer launch of its very first can offering. Boston Lager will be sold in a special can that took two years of research to develop. Brewers are calling it the "Sam Can," and its extended, curved lip and wider lid are designed to allow aroma out and enhance the palate of the brew.

— Danya Henninger, The Drink Nation

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