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Calgary-based Wild Rose Brewery is embarking on a new chapter in its 19-year history.

The craft brewery is now selling its beer in cans, the Herald has learned.

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Bill McKenzie, president and chief executive of the company, said the brewery recently packaged 110,000 cans for sale.

He said the brewery’s Velvet Fog, Wraspberry Ale, IPA and Electric Avenue brands will be available in the cans. The price will be the same as for the bottles but the cans will have a little more liquid in them. Cans contain 355 ml while bottles are 341 ml.

“About 66 per cent of the business in Alberta is cans,” said McKenzie. “That level of interest from our customers in cans warrants us looking at it. We’ve had a lot of requests just through social media and calls into the brewery. ‘Why can’t we get it in cans? I want to bring your beer to outdoor events. I drink more cans than bottles’.

“There always seemed to be limitations on where and when people could consume our beer. Having it in cans has really made that easier for them. Years ago, canned beer and craft beer you didn’t see them as well. Over the last maybe five years, you’ve seen a lot more craft beers being offered in cans. It’s a very accepted vessel. It’s such a great vessel because there’s no sunlight hitting the liquid at all. So it’s a very well-protected way of distributing beer.”