Following an impressive year in which the company’s volume growth increased by 67 percent, Utah-based Uinta Brewing Company will launch its first canned packages. The initial offerings are scheduled to be released this March.
Lindsay Berk, the marketing director for Uinta told Brewbound.com that the company recognized the growing trend towards cans and felt “confident” extending its existing Cutthroat Pale Ale, Hop Notch IPA, Wyld Organic Pale Ale and Baba Organic Black Lager beers into cans.
“It just aligned with the heart of Uinta,” she said. “We are big outdoor enthusiasts and it just seemed fitting.”
The four beers make up the bulk of production for Uinta, Berk said. Hop Notch IPA — which was first introduced in 2012 — is already 30 percent of the company’s overall production volume. The new cans will be available across Uinta’s entire 24-state distribution footprint, with the exception of Cutthroat Pale Ale which will only be available in Utah.
The launch of cans comes amid the completion of Uinta’s new 34,000 sq. ft. packaging facility which houses the company’s canning line and a 600 barrel bright tank. With the commissioning of the new facility, Uinta’s capacity has increased to 65,000 barrels.
Uinta Brewing entered Maine and Rhode Island markets at the end of 2012, is currently rolling out in Ohio and plans to launch in New Hampshire in March. It is also eyeing a brewhouse expansion which would bring total capacity to 130,000 barrels and allow Uinta to enter additional markets in 2013, Berk said.
More information is included a company press release below:
SALT LAKE CITY – Amid the completion of their new 34,000 sq. ft. facility, Uinta Brewing Company welcomed a state-of-the-art canning line and a 600 bbl brite tank. These pieces are the first of the brewing equipment to take residence in Uinta’s new building, which sits immediately south of Uinta’s existing facility.
The new canning line, manufactured in Germany by Krones AG, is able to fill and seal 400 cans per minute. To introduce its new form of packaging, Uinta will can four mainstay brews: Cutthroat Pale Ale, Hop Notch IPA, Wyld Organic Pale Ale, and Baba Organic Black Lager. Canning these will not take from the brands’ traditional packaging outfit, they will continue to be available in the proprietary Compass Bottle, the novel design Uinta adopted as part of its major 2011 aesthetic revamp. The Uinta team, comprised of outdoor enthusiasts, was eager to add a package that pairs well with exploration. Cans will allow Uinta product to join consumers on outdoor adventures, a reality that aligned with the heart of Uinta.
Uinta’s can art was designed to integrate smoothly into the current packaging. Aside from some creative modifications, to help the bottle-to can transition, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. And each can, like each bottle, is adorned with Uinta’s trademark compass, ensuring that you’ll never get lost with a Uinta beer in hand.
With the installation and commissioning of the canning line scheduled for late February, Uinta hopes to get these cans rolling out in early March, 2013.
About Uinta Brewing Company:
Uinta Brewing Company embarked upon its mission of brewing world class, full-flavored, craft-brewed beer in 1993. Uinta Brewing is named after an east-west mountain range located in northeastern Utah. Many of Uinta’s beer names are inspired by Utah’s diverse landscapes or have historical significance. Uinta has broadened its market and can be found in