I'm searching out the best canned brews to help lighten my pack on outdoor pursuits. I'm partial to IPAs / double IPAs and I've tried my share from 21st Amendment, Oskar Blues, Anderson Valley, Avery, Caldera, Six Point, Sly Fox, TallGrass, ButterNuts, and more. Oskar Blues Gubna had been my canned IPA of choice but recently, I was gifted a four pack of 120 ibus of pure joy from The Alchemist in Waterbury, Vermont. I give you, Heady Topper.



It's not even close. It's like Pliny in a can. Now if only it was more accessible. Now I'm not against macrobrews - they have their time and place for me - but I'd rather carry one of these than three PBRs any day. So if MGD is your go to, I'm down with that. I don't care to get into a craft vs. macro debate here or to rehash the "A-hole" thread (which I thoroughly enjoy). I just wanted to streamline the conversation a little.

So what are your favorites? Anything new coming down the canning pipeline from your local breweries?

Edited by smyth on 10/19/2011 20:49:45 MDT.

My brother and I will be attempting to make a dunkelweizen over thanksgiving so we might be able to try it by the time christmas rolls around. For now, I think my favorite beer would have to be weihenstephaner, which is a hefe but two nights ago (celebrating my 21st!!) I got a Jacques Au Lantern made by Evolution Craft which the best pumpkin beer I've tasted. It smelled exactly like pumpkin pie and tasted pretty darn close too. I'm always searching for new beers to try so I'm sure I will be referencing this thread as a source of some good beer!

Here's some I like:



And for Eugene and the NM contingent:

Dales pale is the only one I can think of right now.

Aluminium cans really are superior to glass bottles. Not sure why more brewers don't use them. Bottles let light in. And light is wors for beer than anything. That's why Newcastle stinks in bottles but on draft or in a can it is never skunky.

Old Speckled Hen is nice when I can find it.

That's quite a lineup Randy. I've heard good things about the Ska brews.

Craftcans.com looks like a good resource for anyone else interested.

I've never really thought about canned micro-brews, but it makes sense: if you are going to haul it, you might as well have really good stuff. I'll have to check a couple of our local YuppieMarkets for selection.

I have preferred to take dehydrated Scottish micro-brews for light weight and superior taste, 50ml at a time.

Not sure if they're actually out there yet--but if not they will be soon.

Wow I had no idea how many microbrews used cans. I don't see many around here unfortunately. Magic Hat #9 just started but a little too fruity for me. Yuenling has a black and tan that is pretty good but hard to get. Not micro brews but my backpacking canned standbys are Guiness, Boddingtons, and Murphys(came to the ADKS with me this week).

I forgot to mention that you can find wine in cans too. We got some Chilean red wine that was perfectly drinkable.

Fort George Brewery in Astoria, Oregon, has just recently started putting some of their brews in a can. I know their IPA is being "bottled" (canned?), and one other of their beers too. They got a grant to get the machine to do it. Saw it on a brewery tour, looks really cool.

Not sure how good this one is, but my friend was drinking it over the weekend and he seemed to like it....and the can itself is pretty funny.



@Gerry - Just had some magic hat for the first time in a long time over the weekend. My college roommate used to work at the brewery and would come home with a few growlers pretty frequently. Good stuff.

Edited by csteutterman on 10/21/2011 15:30:27 MDT.

you'd have to come to or ship from AZ, but you need to get ahold of some Four Peaks "Hop Knot" which took bronze at the GABF out of something like 67 competitors.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2171/12896
it has been in cans lately and FP is growing, to open a sattelite brewhouse in the next few months. despite the extra canning capacity of the new brewfloor, Hop Knot will likely remain in AZ only since the scarcity of Simcoe hops lately.

another two is Surly brewing and Cigar City; both started canning last week.

Edited by mikeinfhaz on 10/21/2011 16:11:34 MDT.

Jesse is correct on certain bottles that make beer skunky... Think Heineken, etc.
Cans should be utilized.

Dale I wou!dc never drink wine in a can :)

Am I imagining that Surly was canning years ago? I swear they were.

Asahi 1L has a good can to beer ratio. I like the taste, but its not an IPA.

yes... i mean surly is canning some NEW flavors. and in 16oz cans!
ah, grasshopper's typing skillz aint so good after a few Tumblers.. hehe

Hold the presses! Why haven't the beer can stove freaks been all over that one liter Asahi can?

"That's quite a lineup Randy. I've heard good things about the Ska brews."

And you should have! Ska makes excellent beers. Modus Hoperandi is currently my favorite IPA. That's actually an old picture I took and was going to post during the start of the A-hole thread. Euphoria is a winter seasonal and very good. And winter will be here soon. I did go grab a Modus to enjoy while typing this.

Oskar Blues Gubna is a great Imperial IPA. And G'Knight is very good as well. It's a Red but is sometimes called a Red Imperial IPA. It's hoppy enough for the title. I went up to RMNP to try to go fishing last weekend (40 MPH winds put an end to that), and had to go up to the main entrance to pick up a permit. Oskar Blues is in Lyons which is on the southeast way to the Park. I stopped in and had a Gubna (10%). The barmaid asked if I wanted another. I said yes as long as I could also get a cab. :)

I think Oskar Blues was the first micro brewery to can. And they don't do any bottling, which is unusual.

Heady Topper being mentioned with Pliny is high praise, indeed. It's not cheap to ship beer but if you want to do an exchange, let me know.

Randy, that photo is a thing of beauty. My heart rejoices and my soul sings. :D


The BEST beer I ever had on a backpacking trip, however, was a simple can of Bud Light.

I love microbrews.

Give me the complex taste of the hops, barley and malt all mixed together.

A dark rich color and taste.

Mmmm...

But when I did the Pecos Wilderness tript with a buddy, we found a sole can of Bud Light in a snowbank. A survivor of the winter months.

That half beer tasted so good.

It was cold. It was refreshing. It was delicious.

It was beer we did not pack in. It was beer we did not expect.

And it was one of the best beers I've had. Ever.

Edited by PaulMags on 10/23/2011 14:51:24 MDT.