Okay, I know that New Belgium is a really cool brewery. They buy their employees bikes after they've worked there for a year, or something. Their facility has a reputation for being very green. Aluminum cans are better. All good.
That said, isn't it silly to buy beer that's brewed way over in Colorado on the grounds that its brewer is environmentally conscious? How do they get around the fact that they've gotten too big to really be the "green" choice?
I will, of course, be buying a twelve pack. But still.
I could care less about the green enviro schtick...blah blah...blah blah blah blah. It's GOOD beer in a CAN.
Now I don't have to leave my glass empties at the landing when I'm headed into the BWCA...and they fit into nooks and crannies in your pack a lot easier than a growler.
I hate to douse folks' beer goggles, but you're much better off with the glass bottles from a health standpoint (and an environmental one - glass takes a lot less energy to make and recycle than aluminum). Aluminum cans sold in the U.S. are lined internally with a thin layer of polycarbonate plastic (the same stuff clear Nalgenes are made of). Polycarbonate releases an endocrine disruptor called Bisphenol-A (BPA), which has been linked in over 700 animal studies to increased rates of ADHD, diabetes, autism, hormone-induced cancers... basically many of the birth defects increasing in our society. These effects have been shown at infentessimally small exposures, in the range of parts per trillion. BPA leeches easily from PC plastic, especially when exposed to corrosives such as hot liquid, carbonation and alcohol. It's banned from use in cans in Europe.
yeah but...here's the deal...it's beer i'll drink. in cans. glass bottles are expressly forbidden in the BWCAW, and frowned upon on the SHT. it's not bud, bud light, coors, or any of the other crap that i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Oh boy and I've been drinking out of those aluminum cans since....well...probably since they came out. As for beer I always felt it tasted better out of glass bottles. I remember getting drunk one night and throwing the glass bottle out of the car window down onto the pavement and that darned thing broke and actually shot back up and cut my hand open. Never did that again. Alway made sure it made the ditch after that.
darnitall. well, i have yet to be guilty of breaking any of those rules. guess the education was a plus. We've only portaged growlers (the nalgene variety, btw.) on trips I've been on.
in.dog.neato on May 30, 2008 06:09 PM
Comments
this is the best news i've heard in a while.
Posted by: jordan | May 30, 2008 08:49 PM
Okay, I know that New Belgium is a really cool brewery. They buy their employees bikes after they've worked there for a year, or something. Their facility has a reputation for being very green. Aluminum cans are better. All good.
That said, isn't it silly to buy beer that's brewed way over in Colorado on the grounds that its brewer is environmentally conscious? How do they get around the fact that they've gotten too big to really be the "green" choice?
I will, of course, be buying a twelve pack. But still.
Posted by: Roger | May 30, 2008 09:43 PM
I could care less about the green enviro schtick...blah blah...blah blah blah blah. It's GOOD beer in a CAN.
Now I don't have to leave my glass empties at the landing when I'm headed into the BWCA...and they fit into nooks and crannies in your pack a lot easier than a growler.
Posted by: zra. | May 30, 2008 10:39 PM
Will trade 12-pack of any New Belgium for six-pack of Summit Pale Ale ... but maybe that's just 'cause I'm in Colorado.
Posted by: cork1 | May 30, 2008 11:47 PM
Will trade 12-pack of any New Belgium for six-pack of Summit Pale Ale ... but maybe that's just 'cause I'm in Colorado.
Posted by: cork1 | May 30, 2008 11:47 PM
I hate to douse folks' beer goggles, but you're much better off with the glass bottles from a health standpoint (and an environmental one - glass takes a lot less energy to make and recycle than aluminum). Aluminum cans sold in the U.S. are lined internally with a thin layer of polycarbonate plastic (the same stuff clear Nalgenes are made of). Polycarbonate releases an endocrine disruptor called Bisphenol-A (BPA), which has been linked in over 700 animal studies to increased rates of ADHD, diabetes, autism, hormone-induced cancers... basically many of the birth defects increasing in our society. These effects have been shown at infentessimally small exposures, in the range of parts per trillion. BPA leeches easily from PC plastic, especially when exposed to corrosives such as hot liquid, carbonation and alcohol. It's banned from use in cans in Europe.
Bill Moyers on BPA
Stick that in your beer hat and drink it.
Posted by: rediguana | May 31, 2008 04:58 PM
yeah but...here's the deal...it's beer i'll drink. in cans. glass bottles are expressly forbidden in the BWCAW, and frowned upon on the SHT. it's not bud, bud light, coors, or any of the other crap that i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Posted by: zra. | May 31, 2008 09:21 PM
Oh boy and I've been drinking out of those aluminum cans since....well...probably since they came out. As for beer I always felt it tasted better out of glass bottles. I remember getting drunk one night and throwing the glass bottle out of the car window down onto the pavement and that darned thing broke and actually shot back up and cut my hand open. Never did that again. Alway made sure it made the ditch after that.
Posted by: Anarchy | May 31, 2008 10:54 PM
See, I thought aluminum cans were banned int he BWCA as well as bottles. Am I mistaken?
Posted by: Roger | June 2, 2008 11:45 AM
Jimmy Page is available in cans:
http://www.pagebrewing.com/beers/beers.php
Roger's right, cans are officially not allowed in the bwca either:
http://www.bwcaw.org/rules.html
Posted by: bivi | June 2, 2008 12:13 PM
darnitall. well, i have yet to be guilty of breaking any of those rules. guess the education was a plus. We've only portaged growlers (the nalgene variety, btw.) on trips I've been on.
Posted by: zra. | June 2, 2008 06:41 PM