Brace Yourselves

After nearly a year and a half of posting about the news of and my own anticipation of North Country Brewing Company, our of Slippery Rock, it finally looks as if the time has come. News has spread on Twitter within the Western Pa. beer community about the cans actually being filled and the actual palettes being trucked around wholesalers via forklifts.

.@ncbrewingco kegs are in the market now. Cans hit the market next week.
— Craft Pittsburgh Mag (@CraftPittsburgh) December 7, 2013

Look what we picked up from @ncbrewingco today! Available now IN CANS from @beersince1933. Be among the 1st! pic.twitter.com/cCodZj5F8B
— Michelle Reid (@Pourthing) December 12, 2013

May the excitement ensue. The Craft Pittsburgh tweet is from five days ago. So, that should mean that North Country cans should be in some distributors by this weekend or early next week at the latest, correct? Only time will tell, but I'm sure that's the likely case. This state seems to be having a craft can explosion of sorts. I've also seen and heard rumors of the Troegs Brewing Company cans hitting markets as well.

Monday Rant: No, You Can't

This weekend marked the 31st edition of the Great American Beer Festival. Before I begun this weeks ranting let me take some time to congratulate the many Pennsylvania breweries that brought home medals over the weekend. These breweries include Voodoo, Troegs and Lavery. That's just the cusp of breweries off the top of my head. There were at least a few more. Congratulations are in order even for the ones I left out. I'm an ardent supporter of Pennsylvania beer. I'd put it up against any state in the country.

There was one article I came across yesterday. In essence, it said that having 10 beers in cans that received medals over the weekend. The link dump site I found it on had a headline claiming that the feat is a sure sign of the times. Everyone is welcome to state their opinions. With that said, I think I have to state mine on this issue. Remember, it was the person that posted the link that made said claim. The web site was just passing on the information.

Craft beer in cans is still a slightly new and evolving thing. We have seen drastic growth in craft breweries canning their beers. All sorts of positives come from having our beer in cans. Cases are lighter, cans take up less space for storage, etc.

I'm happy that a web site dedicated to craft beer in cans made mention of the canned brews taking home some awards, but when readers start to claim that it's a sign of the times or coming of age I start to question.

The beers that won were deemed worthy because of the actual beer. Not because of what it's stored or shipped in. Cans are a positive for the beer scene, but let's not get started making brash claims. The beers that won would have won even if they were in Styrofoam cups. The cans had nothing to do with it.

Not Quiet on the Northern Front

I've tried my best to be up-to-date on the local breweries finally getting some beer on the market in cans. The best part about the breweries that have started to do it in this area were ones that mostly only had draft selections. Rivertowne did have a small bottling operation going at one point, but for whatever reason there was just only three beer selections available at distributors in bottles. At least that's all I noticed over time.

According to Craft Pittsburgh, one of the breweries that gave me one of my first craft beer experiences (North Country Brewing Company in Slippery Rock, Pa.) is nearing the completion of its canning project. It's looking as if things are ready to roll.

Look for @ncbrewingco beer out in the market in a few weeks from @beersince1933.
— Craft Pittsburgh Mag (@CraftPittsburgh) June 25, 2013

From my own recollection, North Country should be putting out three of it's original beer lineup. This should include station 33 Firehouse Red, Buck Snort Stout and Paleo IPA. Also, there should be cans of Slimey Pebble Pils, which I've never come across during my trips to Slippery Rock.

I dream of one day coming across some cans of the famous fruit beer rotation North Country always does (otherwise known as "The Fruit Bowl"). Some Blue Bear-E, Cherry Garcia and Strawberry Fields Forever would hit the spot.