DURANGO, Colo. — Ska Brewing announced this week they will be canning bottles—and will be packaging their 12 oz. beers entirely with cans. Ska, the second craft brewery in the country to package any of its beer in cans (behind fellow Colorado craft canners Oskar Blues), is moving their entire flagship portfolio to an all-can lineup. The new cans will start hitting shelves in all of Ska’s markets on March 1, 2016.
“It’s funny, people think we’re early adopters, or trend-setters, but we just like outdoor adventures and cans go more places. We’re probably just selfish,” said Dave Thibodeau, Ska co-founder and President, through a peal of laughter. “We started canning thirteen years ago, because we selfishly wanted our own beer in a more portable package. We can’t really think past just solving our own problems. But this might solve some other people’s problems too—maybe even world problems?”
“It’s about fuh-CAN time,” said Jeremy Rudolf, Oskar Blues CANigma, when probed about their fellow canning pioneers’ shift, “I’m really looking forward to Decadent in a can!”
Ska will continue to offer their Robust Reincarnations (Decadent Imperial IPA, Nefarious Ten Pin Imperial Porter and True Blonde Dubbel), in 22 oz. “bomber” bottles, along with certain limited edition beers. Brand new 12 oz. cans debuting March 1 include Decadent, (also still offered in its traditional 22 oz. bottle), and two of Ska’s most award-winning beers: Buster Nut Brown and Steel Toe Milk Stout.
There are other reasons to can the bottle, according to Bill Graham, Ska co-founder and Overlord of Brewing Operations.
“People don’t want to drag a dozen bottles around for a lot of the same reasons we don’t want to ship a dozen hundred thousand* of them. They’re heavy and fragile. Even when they’re empty.”
*not a real number
About Ska Brewing
Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces over a dozen award-winning beers. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans including Modus Hoperandi, Mexican Logger, Euphoria and Pinstripe. For information (a lot of it), music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com. Plug in to the latest updates, beer releases and shenanigans at facebook.com/skabrew and twitter.com/skabrewing.