Canned beers have long been considered the redheaded stepchild of the brewing world: simply not as classy as their bottled and tapped brethren. But give the can, now 77 years old, some credit — they’re durable, transportable, keep beer fresher and make the perfect sound when you crack them open. What’s more, breweries around the country are turning to aluminum to hold their finest suds. The Daily asked Lisa Morrison, a.k.a. The Beer Goddess and host of the Beer O’Clock! podcast, to recommend an assorted can-only eight pack.
21 AMENDMENT BITTER AMERICAN
An American pale ale that packs everything we love about craft beer — hops and malt — into a brew that rivals, or in some cases is even lower in alcohol than, those macro beers. So no more excuses that you are drinking that industrial swill because you want something lower in alcohol.
AVERY WHITE RASCAL
This is the canned beer you give to your friends who say they don’t like beer. I love Belgian style beers in a can, and this one is a refreshing offering and still very easy to drink at only about 5.6 percent alcohol by volume. Citrusy and light with hints of apples and spice, it’s as lovely on the dinner table with seafood or salads as it is around the campfire with beans and weenies.
CALDERA IPA
This southern Oregon brewery was one of the first in the country to can its beers. This IPA is a true West Coast style, with massive doses of citrusy, grapefruit-y hops bursting in your mouth. But even though it’s big on hops, Caldera’s IPA brings some balance, with just enough bready sweetness to keep things in check.
MAUI COCONUT PORTER
Time for dessert! Roasted coffee and chocolate mingle perfectly with a touch of fresh coconut for a delightful treat that tastes like something you should eat. And while this beer might seem like it would be heavy, it’s actually quite nimble on the palate, leaving you wanting another sip.
OSKAR BLUES TEN-FIDY
This imperial stout pours as thick as motor oil on a cold winter day. Ten-Fidy is not just beer, it’s food — you could probably live off it for months. And you might just want to, because it’s so tasty. As the beer warms up, enjoy the parade of flavors — from inky espresso to chocolate cake and dark chocolate to licorice.
SKA MODUS HOPERANDI IPA
A straight-up IPA with loads of resinous pine, grapefruit and orange peel. The full-on hop assault is deftly tempered by a thread of caramel and malty sweetness, making this beer extremely drinkable, even at nearly 7 percent ABV.
SURLY FURIOUS
Crack this can open and your nose immediately is smacked by hops: pine, grapefruit-y citrus and even some grassy notes. The first sip brings more of the same, but a caramel-toffee sweetness finally rushes in right before you cry uncle. Furious finishes very dry and clean, prompting another sip.
FORT GEORGE 1811 LAGER
Made to honor the bicentennial of Astoria, Ore., this is a craft brewer’s interpretation of the pre-Prohibition lagers of the 1800s. Nothing like the macro lagers that took their place, these beers were refreshing yet robust. Fort George added more hops, because it’s Oregon, and that’s a good thing. This is my go-to beer all summer.
Related Daily article: OLD RELIABLES
21 AMENDMENT BITTER AMERICAN
An American pale ale that packs everything we love about craft beer — hops and malt — into a brew that rivals, or in some cases is even lower in alcohol than, those macro beers. So no more excuses that you are drinking that industrial swill because you want something lower in alcohol.
AVERY WHITE RASCAL
This is the canned beer you give to your friends who say they don’t like beer. I love Belgian style beers in a can, and this one is a refreshing offering and still very easy to drink at only about 5.6 percent alcohol by volume. Citrusy and light with hints of apples and spice, it’s as lovely on the dinner table with seafood or salads as it is around the campfire with beans and weenies.
CALDERA IPA
This southern Oregon brewery was one of the first in the country to can its beers. This IPA is a true West Coast style, with massive doses of citrusy, grapefruit-y hops bursting in your mouth. But even though it’s big on hops, Caldera’s IPA brings some balance, with just enough bready sweetness to keep things in check.
MAUI COCONUT PORTER
Time for dessert! Roasted coffee and chocolate mingle perfectly with a touch of fresh coconut for a delightful treat that tastes like something you should eat. And while this beer might seem like it would be heavy, it’s actually quite nimble on the palate, leaving you wanting another sip.
OSKAR BLUES TEN-FIDY
This imperial stout pours as thick as motor oil on a cold winter day. Ten-Fidy is not just beer, it’s food — you could probably live off it for months. And you might just want to, because it’s so tasty. As the beer warms up, enjoy the parade of flavors — from inky espresso to chocolate cake and dark chocolate to licorice.
SKA MODUS HOPERANDI IPA
A straight-up IPA with loads of resinous pine, grapefruit and orange peel. The full-on hop assault is deftly tempered by a thread of caramel and malty sweetness, making this beer extremely drinkable, even at nearly 7 percent ABV.
SURLY FURIOUS
Crack this can open and your nose immediately is smacked by hops: pine, grapefruit-y citrus and even some grassy notes. The first sip brings more of the same, but a caramel-toffee sweetness finally rushes in right before you cry uncle. Furious finishes very dry and clean, prompting another sip.
FORT GEORGE 1811 LAGER
Made to honor the bicentennial of Astoria, Ore., this is a craft brewer’s interpretation of the pre-Prohibition lagers of the 1800s. Nothing like the macro lagers that took their place, these beers were refreshing yet robust. Fort George added more hops, because it’s Oregon, and that’s a good thing. This is my go-to beer all summer.
Related Daily article: OLD RELIABLES
