I am here to try a little taste experiment between bottling and canning. The two big enemies of beer are oxidation and being light struck. Unfortunately, beer in a bottle is susceptible to both. What used to be the downside of canned beer was that older beer cans were unlined, allowing the beer to leech the aluminum or tin giving it a metallic taste. 

For this experiment, I got three bottles of beer and their can counterparts. The first is the mass-produced Budweiser American Adjunct Lager, the second is the smaller yet still widely produced Red Hook Long Hammer India Pale Ale and the third is the microbrew Breckenridge Summer Bright American Pale Wheat Ale. I have two identical glasses to keep the integrity of the taste and not adulterate it with a glass made to accentuate aroma or allow for additional decanting.

Since hops are the first to fade as a consequence of oxidation, I will sample the Long Hammer. Both were stored at the same temperature. I poured at the same angle, but the bottle yielded a larger head. From a whiff of each glass, I get a little more piney hops in the can one and a touch more malt in the bottle one. Redhook’s six pack packaging is tall enough to conceal the bottle up to its neck so being light struck is very unlikely. After a sip from each glass, I find both tastes are nearly identical. There is slightly more bitterness in the can glass. With the bottle glass, the beer sticks to the sides nicer.

Now the Budweiser. No head was produced from the bottle or the can. The smell from each is nearly identical aside from a tad more sweetness in the can glass. The can tastes quite a bit crisper with bright malt and corn notes. The “born on” date on the two are actually the same.

Lastly, I have the Breckenridge. Again, no head was made. Interestingly, the bottle has a much nicer aroma of lemon rind and wheat husk. The can nose is more flat with light orange pulp notes. The taste is the same. The bottle exhibits wheat and citrus flavors, while the can is more muted. There is no “born on” or “best by” date on either packaging, so I do not know if the can is older. Now the question arises whether or not the wheat needs a touch of oxygen to stay fresh--as in bottle conditioning, where yeast is added to the bottled brew to remain active and continue adding flavor and depth.

Therefore, as for results, it seems that IPAs and other non-wheat beers stay fresher and more flavorful in a can where light striking and oxidation is eliminated. I would like to compare more, but wheat beers and possibly even any actively yeasted beer benefits from a little oxygen in their environment. Many microbreweries are strictly canning or have switched to cans, such as Avery and Cigar City. Oskar Blues and Narragansett solely can their brews. Samuel Adams has introduced their patented aroma friendly cans with a wider lip and mouth hole. Magic Hat and Abita offer both bottles and 12-pack cans. So next time you are shopping for beer, pay attention to what style you are getting and make your beer drinking experience the best it can be.

Adam Shugan, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Beer Consultant

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeeradams