Tag Archives: cans

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Lake Monster Brewing: Bottles to Cans, Just Clap Your Hands

This month, Lake Monster Brewing begins selling it’s beer in 12 oz cans in stores around the Twin Cities. The St. Paul brewery was using 12 oz glass bottles to distribute their mythically inspired brews Empty Rowboat IPA and Calhoun Claw Pilsener. To celebrate, they’re adding two more taproom favorites to their year-round lineup; those being the Last Fathom Dark Lager and Buddy Check Session IPA. The move also brings all the production of both Lake Monster’s packaged and draft product to their St. Paul facility in the fast-growing brewery scene on the Minneapolis/St. Paul area around the Green Line.

lakemonstercans
Image provided by Lake Monster Brewing

Following not only a local but national trend to start canning, Lake Monster joins the ranks of a growing movement to take back the idea that only mass-produced, low-quality beers can be found in cans. “It has been in our plans since the beginning to start canning beer here in St. Paul,” says Lake Monster Founder and Brewmaster Matt Lange. “I’m very excited to add the Session IPA and Dark Lager to our packaged product line and get these beers that have been popular in the taproom out to consumers across the Twin Cities.”

“It has been in our plans since the beginning to start canning beer here in St. Paul,” says Lake Monster Brewing Founder and Brewmaster Matt Lange

Last Fathom Dark Lager is based on a traditional Munich-Style Dunkel with a Minnesota twist; Wild Rice is added to the grain bill to add an earthy, nutty flavor to the malt forward beer. Buddy Check Session IPA is a lower alcohol version of the popular hop-forward American Ale. Brewed with bold Chinook and Amarillo hops but clocking in at only 4.5% abv, Buddy Check has all the flavor of an IPA in a smaller package. These new beers will join the flagship Empty Rowboat IPA and Calhoun Claw Pilsener as Lake Monster’s year-round canned beer offerings. You can find all these beers in their taproom in St. Paul right now and on shelves this month in cans.

Lake Monster Brewing Dark Lager
Image acquired from Lake Monster
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612BREW Celebrates 2nd Anniversary with Six-pack Cans and Taproom Party

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Perfectly timed with its two-year anniversary, 612BREW has announced its three core beers,
SIX, Unrated Rye and Gateway Park, will now be available at local retail stores in six-packs of 12 oz. cans.

In 2014, 612BREW expanded its northeast Minneapolis brewing facility. The brewery added tanks to increase production, and a private “cellar” area for parties and events. In the coming year the brewery expects to nearly double its market share with the addition of the new canning line and retail partners. 612BREW has also hired Great American Beer Fest silver medal-winning brewer, Austin Myhran, and expects to bring on additional staff to help on the packaging line in anticipation of the increased production.

“We are canning all of our beers right here at the brewery,” explains co-founder and brewer, Robert Kasak. “We explored a number of options for packaging, but decided to purchase our own canning line and do everything in house.”

612Brew purchased Wild Goose canning line of Colorado for its small footprint and solid reputation. Kasak and his team chose cans over bottles for their lightweight packaging, environmental benefits, and their ability to protect beer from light and oxygen.


Renowned local artist, Adam Turman, was hired to create three unique can designs. Adam also painted the mural that adorns the taproom. Standing out in primary colors of bright red, yellow and blue, the cans are sure to draw attention on store shelves.

“Working with Adam to design the can art has been a blast,” says co-founder Adit Kalra. “Each can is its own piece of art.”

Each can tells the story of the beer within. SIX features a Metro Transit bus, as the beer is named for the number 6 bus line that travels through Minneapolis. Unrated features a movie theater theme as a nod to the recent dispute with the Motion Picture Association of America. Pre-prohibition lager Gateway Park goes back in time with imagery of downtown Minneapolis in the late 1800’s.

Robert Kasak and Adam Turman
Robert Kasak, Adam Turman

612BREW has partnered with Bernick’s distribution to make their beer available in liquor stores across the Twin Cities metro area beginning February 16.

The brewery will host its 2nd Anniversary party at the taproom on February 13 to celebrate the launch. Here are some of the highlights of the party:

  • Free pints of beer from 4-5pm
  • Live music from Kingsview and Justin Halverson
  • Special edition 612Brew Can release/anniversary shirts designed by Adam Turman and printed live, on-demand by CHUX Printing
  • Special firkin tappings

Giveaways and more

Hear more about the cans, the art, and more on the latest episode of the Minnesota BeerCast.

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Finnegans Now Available in 12oz Cans

Finnegans CansIt just got easier to drink beer and do good at the same time. Minnesota’s own Finnegans Beer is now available in cans.

By joining the popular craft beer canning movement, Finnegans hopes to appeal to beer drinkers on the go, better protect the beer, and be more environmentally responsible. The cans are 100% recyclable and do a better job than bottles of keeping out oxygen and light.

Finnegans bottles will continue to be brewed at Summit, but the new cans are brewed at Third Street Brewhouse in Cold Spring. A neat connection, the head brewer of Third Street, Horace Cunningham, was previously head brewer at Summit back when Finnegans first partnered with them in 2003.

The cans are 12 oz. just like the bottles. “We asked around and did testing during the summer months.” says Finnegans Founder Jacquie Berglund, “With 16oz. cans the beer isn’t always cold by the time you got to the bottom.” This is sound reasoning. I can testify to the fact that I have drank more than a few warm ounces from the bottom of a tallboy. Maybe I just don’t drink fast enough.

Next time you are looking to drink some beer on the go and contribute to the community (Finnegans donates all of its profits to support hunger alleviation programs), grab a pack and give back!

Also, check out the contest to win a year supply of Finnegans by sharing pictures of your interesting and artistic creations using the new cans.