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Good Things Come In Cans

Written by Derek Brigham on 30 December 2006.

I have been partial to canned beer for about 10 years now. Wait, don't throw your fargin bottles at me, I don't have the chicken wire fence up yet. Just hold on! What brought this about was making many trips to camping and exploring up north in Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Ideally, the BWCA doesn't even want you bringing cans, but they are great, they don't break, you can crush 'em and pack 'em out with ease. And here's the little secret that should be obvious.

The seal from a can is superior to a bottle. Both the transparency of glass (especially clear glass, sorry Newcastle) and the seal of the cap itself make them 2nd fiddle to the can, then there's that whole breakability thing for those of us that play and travel rough.

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Anyway, I am not advocating that people should drink, gasp, American premiums like, choke, Miller, Michelob, or, gah, Coors. Hey, I'll own the term beer snob, but think it is a lot more accurate to say the majority of the beer drank in America would be better served to bees, flies and ants from ballpark garbage cans where they belong. But I digress—back to the good stuff in cans. Of course we can get the stanard British beauties in cans with widgets in teh bottom for that draught effect—Guiness, Old Speckled Hen, Boddingtons, Sheaf, Smithwicks, Bass and others, but now I am seeing more American micros following suit, with and without widgets.

I first became a fan of locally brewed James Page Amber when they offered it in canned 12 packs, then they came out with a voyaguers line, complete with illustrations of hearty woodsmen types in pine forrests. Hell, they were begging me to take their beer up to the woods, but it became a standard fr me year round for the back yard basement and elsewhere. drink 'em, crush 'em, repeat. And a fine flavour. That is what we are really concerned with anyway isn't it. But here's the deal, since I moved from South Murderapolis in 2003, I can't find them anymore, and they may have stopped even before that, and let's be honest, although good, they weren't in the same league as Guiness, Boddingtons and Bass.

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Well, I was at my local mom and pop liqour store that just opened a few months ago within walking distance from my house—and through the woods to get there, no less. If by backback is not the proper way to bring home beer with your dog by your side and one in your hand, then by God you're just not a beer drinker. Anyway I noticed something I had never seen before—Surly, in a can (Never tried it? Do it for free at the Triple Rock this New Years Eve!). I'd had Surly about 10 times in local bars, and usually held it to 2 because they are just such a kick in the teeth flavorwise.

Surly makes 2 fine beers that are not for the meek. Hoptacular, both, these 2 lines are strong; 5 and 6 percent, loaded with flavour and all the stuff a fine ale should be. And now in my beloved can option. And with beautiful flame red packaging to boot. A designer's dream, I tell you these things are. Now if they could just do one more line, a bit tamer, lighter to tame the uberpowerful taste of these 2. I'll let the company's PR copy tell you about them, Butif you are a fam of supporting local breweries, pick up a 4 pack of Surly Furious and Surly Bender. Tell 'em Chief sent ya. And if your local cooler isn't carrying them yet, tell them to support a fine local brewery like Surly.

For starters, Here's my modified list (based on Surly's) on why a real man wants cans
  • How about filling a full 16 ounce pour in your pint glass
  • Biking
  • Portaging
  • Cans are cool
  • Its better for the beer
  • Hiking
  • Camping
  • Throwing them at the band will not hurt them
  • The canning line is PFC (pretty f-ing cool)
  • No skunky beer from sun-light
  • Click here to see the folks that made the Surly line
  • Fishing
Here's the beef on these 2 boisterous brews from Surly's pages. Check out the site i fyou want to learn more or arrange a tour—a good time I assure you.

We are canning Furious and Bender. Both beers are sold in 4-packs, 16 ounces each. That is 4 more ounces than a traditional bottle of beer. Our canned beer is not filtered or pasteurized, so keep it cold. This is the same great beer that people enjoy from kegs, so treat our cans like a keg. They don't contain widgets, but they do contain the best beer you can get your hands on.

ImageBender—Year-round availability.
This beer is an amalgamation of styles; brown/porter/apa. Five distinct malts, including two from Belgium, give this beer added complexity and depth. We also add oatmeal to this beer to give it a smooth texture not usually associated with this type of beer. We add large amounts of American finishing hops to give Bender a citrus hop aroma because... we like hops. This is a session beer weighing in around 5% alcohol and 25 IBUs. Grab one today, we think you will want another!

ImageFurious—Year-round availability.
Like Hops? [You'd better] You'll like this fire-hued beer. This is the beer I have always dreamed of making. This is the beer that would come to mind while spending the last two years tearing down walls, hanging sheetrock, moving kegs, power washing the ceilings, arguing with various agencies, and cutting the water main.

Without Golden Promise malt, made by family-owned Simpsons Malt, Furious would just be pissed off-ed. From Scotland, this malt is still produced in the tradition of turning over the barley by hand, resulting in a malt that is unsurpassed in its quality. Golden Promise is also used extensively by premium whisky distilleries such as The Macallan. This malt provides the backbone for the intense hop character. Four American hop varieties are used at a rate of over three pounds per barrel. The result is a rich malt sweetness infused with bright hop flavor and aroma from beginning to end. Oh yeah, it's about 6% alcohol and around 100 IBUs. [Proper!]

Cheers, of course, try a growler if you're from 'roun dthese parts sometime. and stay off the fargin road this New Years eve.—Chief