The Places Where Beer Comes From - Cans vs. Bottles

For the 25th.

This is another of those everlasting debates. What is better?

From experience I can tell you that most of my favourite beers are out of bottles BUT it is because a good number of them aren’t available in cans so I really don’t’ have grounds for comparison. I can’t fairly say that one is better for my preferences. I can give you a few common differences amongst them.

Carbonation level – bottles are typically of a higher carbonation level than cans. This makes cans closer to that of draught or kegged beer in that they have a softer and less aggressive cloying feel on the tongue. I can think of a few beers where this is very clear, Punk IPA is one of them. Both are very good but you really can tell the difference.

Potential of being “Skunk” – skunky beer comes from UV light hitting the bottles. It breaks down the Vitamin B12 (Riboflavin I think) and causes this off taste that is all too common in improperly stored and served beers. Obviously light can’t get through cans so they will last longer and travel better IF the cans are of a high quality.