Another week, another can.
This time, Deschutes Brewery, the country’s fifth largest craft brewer, confirmed to Brewbound.com today its plans to contract brew and can its Mirror Pond Pale Ale.
“We see the potential there,” said marketing manager Jason Randles. “We want to have Mirror Pond in cans.”
Deschutes is currently working with Third Street Brewhouse in Cold Spring, Minn. to lock in a recipe and matching flavor profile. The company hopes to release 12 oz. cans in 12-packs in time for the summer selling season.
“We aren’t going to release a beer that doesn’t taste exactly like Mirror Pond,” said Randles. “We’d like to have this beer ready for summer but until we have an exact flavor match, we aren’t committing to a specific launch date.”
The news comes less than a month after the country’s top craft brewer, Boston Beer Company, said it would can its flagship Boston Lager. Both companies join a growing list of craft brewers who are turning to aluminum as a way to diversify portfolios and offer consumers more packages.
Sales of canned craft beer have been steadily rising over the last five years. Market data information provider Symphony IRI group said sales of the package at U.S. supermarkets increased 168 percent in 2012 to approximately $32.6 million. That’s up from just $1.2 million in 2008.
“We’ve had positive feedback from our retail partners who want it,” said Randles. “As soon as we are able to provide them a can, we will.”
For those counting along at home, seven of the top ten craft breweries now can. The website craftcans.com currently pegs the number of canning breweries at 264, up from just 52 in 2009.
