Beer: The humble beer can is making a comeback
Canned beers becoming the trend in bars
Brewers are turning their back on glass, and the humble can is getting the craft beer treatment.
Customers are increasingly turning to aluminium over glass as craft brewers and restaurants adopt the packaging format.
Cans were the vessel of choice for beer in the 1980s and early 90s, but lost popularity as 330ml glass bottles, or stubbies, rose in popularity.
The bar manager of Ponsonby's Golden Dawn, Nick Harrison stands with cans of beer.
Now the can is fighting back, and it's not just boutique brews being served up. Several restaurants have added cheaper canned brews onto their menu as they become fashionable.
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Panhead Brewing's Canhead range has proved popular with customers
Glengarry owner Jak Jakicevich shows off some of the canned beer available in store.
New Auckland restaurant Madame George offers up $5 cans of Victoria Bitter for discerning punters, alongside local craft beers in cans.
Owner Matthew Fitzgerald said his personal preference was for cans over bottles and customers also seemed to be fans.
Matt Fitzgerald, owner of Madame George bar in Auckland. The bar is now stocking cans of beer as well as bottles, some of which are cheaper, and stay colder longer.
There was also the added benefit of space saving, as twice as many cans could be stacked in the fridge as bottles.
Madame George had chilled glasses available for those who preferred to pour their beer out of the can, but many liked to drink even VB from the can, he said.
Offering VB provided a cheaper alternative for customers, which was important as going out to drink was expensive.
Beer cans are on the comeback.
"The reason why I did it (chose VB), when I was in the States you've got your craft beer but they always offer a cheap Mexican beer for $5.
"There's no such thing as a cheap Mexican beer here and the closest thing I could think of was VB - Australia's our Mexico."
Leading the can surge is New Zealand's burgeoning craft brewing industry.
Panhead Brewing in Upper Hutt has recorded staggering growth since starting brewing in 2013.
Alongside their popular core range, the company also produces four more exotic beers in large 440ml cans dubbed "canheads".
Earlier this year Panhead released their normal range in 12-packs, deciding to go with cans rather than bottles.
Owner Mike Neilson said the main benefit of cans to his brewery was price.
"Some people do enjoy drinking out of a can but for us it was more about putting beer in a vessel that can hopefully save the consumers some money."
The real saving was on freight with the lighter cans meaning the 12-packs could be priced at $40, rather than $45 if they were in bottles.
Beer in cans also kept better as it was protected from the light, but this was reliant on a brewery using a good quality canning line that reduced oxygen at the time of packaging.
Neilson was unsure if cans were now a trendy item.
"I think there's a time and place for everything, I think with the hipsters they think it's cool to drink from a can because it's kind of oxymoronic in a way.
"But for us if we can get good beer out in good condition in cans that's what's important. If it becomes cool that's a bonus."
Glengarry owner Jak Jakicevich said there had been a large rise in sales of cans in the past two years, with the product range increasingly greatly.
Mainstream beers were also available in cans, but it was largely the craft market that was driving the change.
"The Lion Red can will be around for ever...but it's a good thing for the industry and I'd like to see more cans coming through."
- Sunday Star Times
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