A frequently asked question I get as a brewer is: what is better, bottle or can? The answer, as is often the case, is not simple. The choice to package beer in bottles or cans is complex. Which of the two is best for your brewery is determined by various factors; what does your chain look like, what does your sales area look like, and who is your target audience?
Appearance
An important aspect of choosing between bottle or can is appearance. How do you want to present your beer? The bottle or can is an important part of the experience you want to convey. Generally, a bottle gives a chic and refined feeling. A can, on the other hand, looks young and innovative. Furthermore, there are also choices in the type and size of the bottle or can. This should be carefully considered when choosing between the two.
In addition to experience, there are also technical aspects that need to be considered. The biggest enemies of beer are oxygen, light, and temperature. In addition, the choice between can or bottle also relates to transport and the environment.
Oxygen
Oxygen: When your beer comes into contact with oxygen, it absorbs it. This process is called oxidation. A good brewer ensures that his beer absolutely does not oxidize! When beer oxidizes, it loses a lot of flavor. You can even taste wet newspaper or cardboard!
In this area, the can seems to be the winner. A can does not oxidize because it is completely sealed, preventing oxygen from reaching the beer. A bottle does; a very small amount of oxygen can enter the bottle through the cap. This seems to be a point for the can, however! Filling beer in cans is (for craft breweries) a relatively new way of working. As a result, there is still a learning curve with the equipment used and with the brewers who use these devices. This can lead to more oxygen entering the beer during the filling process.
Daylight
Light: When your beer is exposed to light for a prolonged period, it has a detrimental effect on the taste of the beer. Hops, in particular, are adversely affected by light. The beer becomes stale when too much ultraviolet radiation comes into contact with it. Sometimes you see white (or light-colored) bottles of beer; something must be done to prevent the beer from spoiling.
The can is the undisputed winner here. Beer packaged in a can remains in total darkness. A bottle allows light to pass through because it is transparent. This is also why bottles are usually dark (brown) in color.
Temperature
Temperature: Temperature is the third enemy of beer. The warmer the beer is, the faster it ages. Aged beer can become dull, stale, and/or unpleasantly bitter. Many aromas can disappear or change. Some beers improve with time, but generally, you should drink beer as soon as possible.
Here, the bottle is the big winner. Due to the thick glass, the beer can maintain its temperature longer. From a brewery or a warehouse, the beer is often transported chilled or cool. Even in warm weather, a glass bottle can maintain its temperature for hours. A can, on the other hand, changes temperature easily. When a can is in a warm environment, it easily adopts the temperature, resulting in a loss of quality.
Because cans are smaller and lighter than bottles, they are easier to transport. More cans fit on a pallet. This makes the chain more efficient, which is more economical and generates fewer emissions than bottles.
Conclusion
We at Cerveceria de Zarra choose bottles. Although we would also like to switch to the sturdy cans, we have consciously chosen bottles.
There is 1 important technical aspect that we must consider: temperature. We are in Spain; it can get very hot here. Warehouses and transport chains are not always refrigerated. During a delivery, the beer might be placed in the scorching sun, which can be enough for a can to lose flavor. A bottle can stay cool longer; this is the disadvantage of a can, and that is why we choose bottles.