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A milestone worth toasting
This final note today. A historical milestone in the marketing of one of my favorite beverages. On this day in 1935, the first canned beer in the United States went on sale in Richmond, Va.
Two things to note: One is that despite their reputation, cans are actually better for beer than glass bottles -- they protect their cargo from damaging sunlight. Hence all the brown beer bottles. Two: I'm really more of a beer in a glass kind of guy anyway.
Photo: Kai Ryssdal and Greg Koch, co-owner of Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, Calif., say "cheers" during an interview. Credit: Jolie Myers/Marketplace
Fine craft-quality beer in cans does not have a funny or off taste. If beer in cans that leave an aluminum taste have a coating, it apparently doesn't work as well as the coating used in the cans of the finer craft beers. I do know that canned beer doesn't get skunked by light, and it lasts longer than bottled beer. Cans weigh less, are easier to transport and store, and cool down faster.
Concerning the coating which Anonymous has mentioned that lines a beer can. The same for all aluminum cans.
I personally have analyzed the contents of beer and soda cans sitting for days, weeks and months after its manufacture date. Aluminum(Al) levels increase over time due to the handling of the cans. Also the higher temperatures these cans are exposed to over time, the faster rate of leeching of the Al. The maximum allowed levels of free Al in the contents at manufacture in the US is set at 60 ppm, other countries its 50 ppm.
Again for Anonymous, canned is better in beer in your opinion. So what to you causes this "funny or off" taste people talk about?
And additional item here I copied:
The plastic lining of cans consists of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. The plastic lining in cans can cause detrimental health consequences.
High levels of Bisphenol A have been found in canned foods, beer cans and soda cans. Studies have found BPA in the lining of canned food and drink. Canned goods are lined with an epoxy coating that is made with Bisphenol A. BPA can mimic estrogen – a powerful hormone.
Again for Anonymous, after your next beer out of a can, take and cut it open at both ends without cutting your fingers up. Lay out the Al metal and use a magnifying glass and look at all the tiny fissues in that plastic coating. This is where your Al is leeching from into your food or drink.
As a toxicologist, I have done this type of testing. There is no use for Al in the human body.
It may be considered by "who" that beer is better in cans than bottles due to the sunlight issue.
However, beer or sodas sitting in cans too long in the heat and then in a cooler slowly accumulate more aluminum from the can to its contents.
Ever hear people complain about beer tasting "funny" from a can? Well thats from the aluminum which migrate from the can to your liquid.
I prefer bottles.
