Big Rock Brewery's 360-degree beer could make you drink faster
Topless beer can, aluminum mason jar, beer cup.
Those are some of the ways Calgarians are describing Big Rock Brewery's new beer can — which you crack open like a ravioli tin.
Technically, it's called a 360-degree can because it allows drinkers to sip their suds from the any side of the rim.
"It comes out of the can faster," said Jackie De Raadt, who works in sales at Zyn Beer and Wine.
The southeast Calgary liquor store sells Alberta Genuine Draft (AGD), the only local brand of beer that comes in the novelty tin. De Raadt says it's smart marketing.
"I think it makes the consumer possibly drink their beer faster and you have to purchase more."
Sly Fox in Pennsylvania was the first brewing company to introduce the peelable lid to North Americans.
"This technology allows the full flavour and aroma of the beer to hit the drinker's senses and makes the can an even more appealing package for outdoor activities and situations where you want to be able to move around and sip your beer easily," said Sly Fox's head brewer, Brian O'Reilly, in a release.
But not all Calgarians agree.
The southern Alberta sales manager for Big Rock has been fielding what he calls some "pretty hilarious" complaints.
"One guy called me up and said that it made it so he could no longer place a full beer in his pocket when his arms got tired," said Brad Goddard.
He told the customer that Big Rock "never, ever expected someone's arms to get so tired working their way through 355 millilitres of beer that they'd want to put it in their pocket."
Another customer told Goddard that he left his can of AGD unattended for two minutes and when he returned, there were five flies in his beer.
"And I said, 'Holy hell, like where are you?' Like at a manure plant?" said Goddard.
Calgary's Lisa Inman says that same scenario could happen when you're drinking from a regular beer can.
"Half the time you can't tell if a can is empty or if someone put a cigarette in it. And then you drink it and you want to barf."
Inman says at least the topless beer gives you a sight line, so you don't go gulping bugs and butts.
