ProBrewer.com

An Online Resource Serving The Beer Industry

  • News
    • News From The Breweries
    • Specialty Industry News
    • Major Brand News
    • Legislative & Regulatory
    • Distribution & Retail
    • Quarterly Financial Reports
    • International
    • Commentary
    • General News
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Essential Virtual Resources for the Brewing Industry
    • Virtual Brewing Conference Guide
  • Classified Ads
    • Latest Ads
    • Ads By Category
    • Help Wanted / For Hire
    • Search Ads
    • Post Classified Ad
    • Post Catalog Ad
    • About Classified Ads
  • Jobs
  • Discussion
  • Library
    • Archives
    • Brewery Floors
    • Brewstillery
    • Distilling
    • Distribution
    • ‘DIY’ floor coating
    • Electric Brewing
    • Filtration
    • Hops
    • Kegs
    • Keg Washers
    • Malt
    • Malt handling
    • Nano Breweries
    • Packaging
    • Pumps
    • Refrigeration
    • Shipping
    • Stupid Stuff
    • Turnkey
    • Used Tanks
    • Water
    • Yeast
  • Tools
    • IBU Calculator
    • Beer Specifications
    • Water Chemistry
  • Advertise
    • Advertise & Sponsorship on ProBrewer
    • ProBrewer Advertisers
  • Allied Trade Directory
    • Search Allied Trade Directory
    • Your Companies
    • Submit New Allied Trade Company
  • Login / Register
    • Login to ProBrewer
    • Discussions Login
    • Register
    • Password Reset
You are here: Home / General News / Iron City goes aluminum

Iron City goes aluminum

August 30, 2004

Pittsburgh Brewing Co., which pioneered the snap-top can and the twist off, re-sealable bottle cap, will begin bottling its flagship Iron City Beer in a new aluminum bottle. Officials are counting the new eye-popping packaging to fuel growth at one of the nation’s few remaining regional breweries.

In recent days, teaser billboards have gone up around the city with the red backdrop of the Iron City logo replaced with the tagline “Save Our City” that will eventually be replaced with a campaign to herald the new bottles.

The 143-year-old brewery is about a month away from a Sept. 30 deadline to make a $3.5 million payment to the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority in order to prevent its water supply from being terminated,.

The idea is that aluminum bottles will keep beer colder for as much as 50 minutes longer than a glass bottle, says Alcoa, which will provide the aluminum for the cans. The bottles are also lighter, resealable and unbreakable. Alcoa suggests the innovation – which is already used for beer in Japan – is in line with early reforms like the pull-top aluminum can, which they introduced with Pittsburgh Brewing in 1962. Other milestones in beer-bottling history include the crown bottle cap (1892), the aluminum can (1957), the plastic bottle (1970) and the stay-on tab, which was developed by Reynolds, later merged with Alcoa, in 1974. It has been 30 years since the last major innovation in beer bottling.

Brian Masters, of Frank B. Fuhrer Wholesale – the city’s largest beer wholesaler, which does not distribute Pittsburgh Brewing products – said he’s not worried about losing market share to the new Iron City aluminum bottle.

“I have a lot of respect for (Pittsburgh Brewing). They’re a good regional brewery, but you can put it in a gold bottle, and it’s still Iron City and will have limited market presence.”

Bjorn Nabozney, co-founder of Big Sky Brewing Co. in Missoula, Mont., which has sold some of its Moose Drool Brown Ale and Scape Goat Pale Ale in an aluminum bottle, said he believes such bottles are the “future of beer packaging.”

“It gets colder faster and stays colder longer, and it’s a lot lighter than glass,” he said, adding that it prevents light from degrading the beer’s freshness.

Nabozney is hoping more breweries switch to the aluminum bottle, which will drive down the cost. His cost per bottle is about 50 cents, compared to about 15 cents for glass, although he said the volumes at which Pittsburgh Brewing will be buying will allow its costs to be somewhat lower.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Pocket
  • Email
Pat Hagerman

Posted by Pat Hagerman

Pat Hagerman is co-founder of ProBrewer.com. When he's not leading operations for ProBrewer you can find Pat working on Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure and systems. If you're having a beer with him ask about some of the more original skills he's taught Alexa.

Search

Promoted
Zahm & Nagel Co., Inc. logo
Zahm & Nagel Co., Inc.
100% American-Made
Proximity Malt logo
Proximity Malt
We Found A Better Way!
Alpha Brewing Operations logo
Alpha Brewing Operations
Quality Craft Demands Quality Equipment!
Lawson Kegs Inc. • Zee Loeffler

Subscribe to ProBrewer Daily

ProBrewer Subscriptions

View previous newsletters.

Connect With @ProBrewerPage

 Instagram    Facebook    Twitter

 

 

 

Join the ProBrewer mailing list

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy

Connect With @ProBrewerPage

 Instagram    Facebook    Twitter

Go Somewhere Else

News • Classifieds • Help Wanted / For Hire • Discussion • Library • Contact • Advertise • Contact Details • Help

Copyright © 2021 · RealBeer Media · Privacy Policy · Terms and Conditions

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.