Beer gets aluminium freeze

PITTSBURGH – How much would you pay for a bottle of beer that stays cold nearly an hour longer? Pittsburgh Brewing Co, maker of Iron City Beer, is asking an additional US$1 per case.

The brewery has partnered with Alcoa Inc, the world’s largest aluminium maker, to produce aluminium bottles that keep beer colder for as much as 50 minutes longer than a glass bottle, Alcoa officials said. About 20 000 cases of the new aluminium bottle beer are en route to as many as 28 states and should be on shelves this week, Alcoa and Pittsburgh Brewing said Tuesday.The bottles have three times the aluminium of a typical beer can.That gives them superior insulation, Alcoa spokesman Kevin Lowery said.It’s not the first time Alcoa has teamed up with the local brewery to put out a new product.In 1962, the two put the first pull-tab beer cans on shelves, freeing beer drinkers of the need to carry openers with them.”We think it’s much better than a can and as good or better than glass,” said Joe Piccirilli, vice chairman for Pittsburgh Brewing.”There’s no doubt in my mind that this has the same potential as the pull tab we did with Alcoa.”Iron City wants to expand sales.But the aluminium bottle may be more important to Alcoa.The aluminium giant wants to win back a share of the market it lost to beer bottles – both glass and plastic, which are now common at sporting events nationwide.About 40 per cent of all beer consumed comes out of cans, 43 per cent from bottles and eight per cent from the tap, according to the Beer Institute, which tracks industry trends.Bottles, however, have gained ground over the past decade.Plastic bottles make up only 0,5 per cent of all beer sales, according to the Beer Institute.But having aluminium bottles at sporting events would introduce the product to thousands, who might buy a case for home.Some people say they can taste the difference between beer in cans and bottles.Lew Bryson, an author of two books on breweries, said those complaints are psychological, since the aluminium is coated.But, he said, there may be a lingering taste when the seal of an aluminium can is broken.The aluminium bottle could eliminate that, he said.Heineken released a limited edition aluminium bottle last year.Aluminium bottles also have proven successful for a few breweries in Japan, but Iron City is the first company in North America to ship the bottles nationally, company officials said.- Nampa-APAbout 20 000 cases of the new aluminium bottle beer are en route to as many as 28 states and should be on shelves this week, Alcoa and Pittsburgh Brewing said Tuesday.The bottles have three times the aluminium of a typical beer can.That gives them superior insulation, Alcoa spokesman Kevin Lowery said.It’s not the first time Alcoa has teamed up with the local brewery to put out a new product.In 1962, the two put the first pull-tab beer cans on shelves, freeing beer drinkers of the need to carry openers with them.”We think it’s much better than a can and as good or better than glass,” said Joe Piccirilli, vice chairman for Pittsburgh Brewing.”There’s no doubt in my mind that this has the same potential as the pull tab we did with Alcoa.”Iron City wants to expand sales.But the aluminium bottle may be more important to Alcoa.The aluminium giant wants to win back a share of the market it lost to beer bottles – both glass and plastic, which are now common at sporting events nationwide.About 40 per cent of all beer consumed comes out of cans, 43 per cent from bottles and eight per cent from the tap, according to the Beer Institute, which tracks industry trends.Bottles, however, have gained ground over the past decade.Plastic bottles make up only 0,5 per cent of all beer sales, according to the Beer Institute.But having aluminium bottles at sporting events would introduce the product to thousands, who might buy a case for home.Some people say they can taste the difference between beer in cans and bottles.Lew Bryson, an author of two books on breweries, said those complaints are psychological, since the aluminium is coated.But, he said, there may be a lingering taste when the seal of an aluminium can is broken.The aluminium bottle could eliminate that, he said.Heineken released a limited edition aluminium bottle last year.Aluminium bottles also have proven successful for a few breweries in Japan, but Iron City is the first company in North America to ship the bottles nationally, company officials said.- Nampa-AP