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In 1935, Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company inadvertently changed the beer game with a pilot program that saw them become the first brewery to package their product in cans to see how customers who were accustomed to drinking it out of bottles would respond.
It turned out to be a resounding success, as canned beer skyrocketed in popularity in the decades that followed; bottles did remain the vehicle of choice for most craft breweries around until the start of the 2010s, although they’re now almost exclusively used by brands associated with over-hopped IPAs that sell tallboys in pricey four-packs (which played a role in the shortage that emerged a few years ago).
Beer cans haven’t really evolved that much since they first came into existence. The biggest change occurred when pull tabs were fazed out starting in the 1970s in favor of the pop tabs that remain the industry standard, but that’s really the only drastic pivot they’ve been subjected to.
However, according to DeZeen, engineers at a Nendo (a design studio in Japan) are doing what they can to usher in a new era with a new twist that purportedly ensures a virtually perfect pour.
Many drinkers are more than happy to consume beer straight out of the can, but pouring it into certain types of glasses can boost the aromas that allow you to enhance the overall experience.
There is technically a “right” way to pour beer out of a can: you want to tilt the glass at an angle and slowly pour the liquid in to reduce the amount of foam that’s produced in the process. However, that’s easier said than done, and even veteran beer drinkers routinely have to wait for the head to dissipate a bit before taking a sip.
The folks at Nendo assert they’ve addressed that issue with a new can that features two different tabs; by popping the first, you can pour out your desired amount of foam through the narrow spout, which supposedly mitigates the amount of head produced after using the second tab to open it all the way and complete the pour.
It’s hard to imagine this is going to take off immediately (or ever) considering the logistical issues breweries would face, but progress has to start somewhere.