Craft-beer brewers reach for cans

Bennett Goodman prepares cans for filling at the new Karbach Brewing Co. on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 in Houston, TX. The brewing company is capable of filling 360-400 cases of beer a day. ( J. Patric Schneider / For the Chronicle ) less Bennett Goodman prepares cans for filling at the new Karbach Brewing Co. on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 in Houston, TX. The brewing company is capable of filling 360-400 cases of beer a day. ( J. Patric ... more Photo: J. Patric Schneider Photo: J. Patric Schneider Image 1 of / 21 Caption Close Craft-beer brewers reach for cans 1 / 21 Back to Gallery

Following a successful launch into Houston-area bars and restaurants last year, Karbach Brewing Co. is preparing for its next phase: selling beer in cans.

"This is a quantum leap, getting into packaging," brewmaster Eric Warner said Tuesday.

Warner's beers have been available in draft form only since Sept. 1. But on Tuesday, Karbach's brand-new $100,000 canning line was cranking out cases of Sympathy for the Lager in preparation for a March 5 release in groceries and liquor stores and some restaurants and bars that don't serve beer on tap.

"It's amazing, the growth we're going through right now," Warner said. "It's good. If it was any more than this, it would be a little tricky" to keep up with demand.

David Greenwood, who heads the sales and marketing side of the business based in northwest Houston, said Karbach's draft beers continue to expand in the marketplace and currently are sold in 140 establishments.

The addition of the lager, the Weisse Versa wheat beer and Hopadillo India pale ale in six-packs, plus Rodeo Clown imperial IPA in four-packs, will boost the number of accounts by about 70, Greenwood said.

Outdoor lifestyle

In opting for cans over bottles, Karbach joins a hot trend in the craft-beer business. Warner cited his reasons: Cans protect beer more completely from sunlight and provide a better seal from oxygen; cans weigh less and thus reduce transportation costs; cans are recycled in much higher numbers than glass; cans fit an active, outdoor lifestyle.

Yet U.S. craft breweries packaged exclusively in bottles until 2002, when Oskar Blues of Colorado released its first canned product.

Jamie Gordon, technical sales representative for Canada-based Cask Brewing System, which manufactured and sold that first canning line as well as the new Karbach equipment, reported sales of U.S. craft beers packaged in cans grew 700 percent last year.

Gordon called the demand from breweries for new canning lines over the last 24 months "quite spectacular." He said the company, which has dealt exclusively in canning lines for the last six years, sold 50 last year and could sell as many as 70 in 2012.

Fermentation tanks

To prepare for its own expected sales growth, Karbach has ordered nine new fermentation tanks that will boost its annual capacity to 10,000 to 15,000 barrels, Warner said. Karbach also continues to increase its outside sales staff, and last week it brought a second assistant brewer on board.

ronnie.crocker@chron.com

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