SEATTLE, Wash. — Reuben’s Brews is adding something new to its beer family – cans! Chosen to provide another packaging option for on-the-go beer lovers, last month Reuben’s installed its brand new American-made canning line built by Colorado’s Wild Goose Canning at its 5010 14th Ave location. This new system will initially allow production of 70 cases an hour, with future upgrade capabilities.
The brewery worked closely with its long-term design partner Blindtiger Design on the can labels and is incredibly excited to get these good-looking cans filled with beer.
“People have been asking us to can for some time, and we’re excited to finally be able to do it,” says Adam Robbings, co-founder and head brewer. “Cans are a perfect way to take our beers with you wherever you go. They are also great for the environment and for the beer!”
On February 20, 4-packs of 12oz cans of the brewery’s award-winning Gose will be released at the taproom and will start being distributed throughout Western Washington the following week. Gose (“GOES-UH”) is a traditional German sour ale. Once almost extinct, this beer is brewed with lactobacillus, salt and coriander to make a refreshingly crisp brew with lemon notes and a vibrant salinity. It comes it at 6 IBU and 4.3 percent ABV.
“We like being a little different, so that’s why we chose the Gose to be our first canned beer,” says Robbings. “Our Gose is crisp and refreshing – which I think makes it ideal for cans.”
Robbings initially worked on the Gose recipe on his home system, brewing three different test batches to perfect the process before brewing it at the brewery. Not only was it popular among beer fans, but the first commercial batch took home the Gold Medal at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival and a silver medal at the 2015 World Beer Championships, and most recently it took home Gold at the 2016 Best of Craft Beer Awards.
The brewery plans to can the following beers in 2016:
- Year-round: Gose (February)
- Year-round: Crikey IPA (debuts in early July)
- Seasonal: The Daily Pale (mid-April until it’s gone)
- Seasonal: Summer IPA (mid-May until it’s gone)
The 22oz bottles are not going away! Crikey and Robust Porter will continue to be available year-round, and the seasonal varieties will be rotated in every few months, as they are now. Bottles allow for smaller production batches than cans, so they continue to allow the brewery to do what it likes best – brewing different styles!
Reuben’s is hosting a party to celebrate its introduction of cans and the Gose release at their taproom on Saturday, Feb. 20 beginning at noon. Because it coincides with the annual Washington Beer Open House, the brewery will be offering special beers, brewery tours and more!
About Reuben’s Brews
Reuben’s Brews, makers of “Bloody good beer,” is a small, family-owned brewery located in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, WA. Since opening in 2012, Reuben’s has won Gold and Bronze medals at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival, over 30 World Beer Championships medals and was named Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year at the 2015 Washington Beer Awards. Its expanded taproom and production brewery opened in May 2015. For more information, visit www.reubensbrews.com or follow on Facebook and Twitter.