THERE’S a lot of snobbery in the beer world. In an age of phenomenal beers and brilliant brewing, it’s one of the hardest things to swallow.

There’s too much one-upmanship, too much fad obsession, and too much sneering between self-appointed experts.

Perhaps this explains, in part, why so few of Britain’s brewers have used cans. Walk into any beer shop and bottles abound, stacked high and wide, standing proud, puffing out their labelled chests. Cans are few and far between.

Bottles look grand and majestic; but cans rarely do. Instead, they seem synonymous with the giant conglomerates flogging their wares by the crate at implausible prices. (Was that snobbery? Apologies).

Gradually though, the sands are shifting. American brewers have led the way, arguing that cans are better than bottles. Now a handful of British brewers are following suit, including our very own Rooster’s, who have invested in a canning machine to become “Yorkshire’s first micro-canner”.

York Press: Tom and Oliver Fozard of Roosters Brewery, Knaresborough

Tom and Oliver Fozard from Rooster's

The Knaresborough-based outfit has now launched three of its most popular ales in 330ml cans: Yankee, Baby-Faced Assassin and Fort Smith.

So why the change?

The arguments for cans over bottles are numerous, says Tom Fozard, commercial manager at Rooster’s:

  • They are lighter and smaller, so easier and cheaper to transport.
  • They allow the brewery to get their foot in the door in places that are not “glass-friendly”, such as theatres or music venues.
  • They are easier to recycle.
  • For Rooster’s, the fact the canning is done on-site means the entire production process is self-controlled, without the need to use an external bottling plant.
  • And it opens up the possibility of large-scale export.
  • Cans are more durable than bottles and much lighter when empty, so a more practical choice outdoors, such as on camping trips, others have argued.
  • Proponents will also tell you cans reduce the risk of air-damage to the beers.
  • And they will say they are immune to sunlight, which experts say can “skunk” beer, making it prematurely stale - perhaps more of an issue in sun-kissed California than Yorkshire, it must be said.

Certainly for Rooster’s, the broader acceptance of cans has helped persuade them to make this step. The "stigma" has become a thing of the past, says Tom.

"There is a new wave of high-quality canned beers entering the UK market, primarily from the US and, as a result, cans are becoming an increasingly popular option for consumers of quality, independently brewed beer," he says. "We’re now at the forefront of this beer revolution.”

Rooster’s are not the only ones promoting cans. The Maltings has an excellent range these days and Market Town Taverns, whose mini empire includes Brigantes in Micklegate, has been running “Canuary” this month, offering a seventh can free to anyone who has bought six over the past month, to encourage drinkers to broaden their horizons.

Prices range from around £3.50 to a hefty £5.05, but the beers are excellent and you’ll struggle to find them on tap in Yorkshire.

York Press:

The 113 IPA by Sly Fox in Pennsylvania was my best find; a powerful, punchy IPA with an ABV of 7.0 per cent. I wish I’d known it was at the top of that price range before ordering it, however.

Is it worth all the tinkering though? Ultimately, it’s the taste that matters most, so two colleagues and I set up our own taste-test at the Black Horse in Monkgate.

York Press:

Rooster’s Yankee is a permanent fixture on tap there, so a colleague and I joined landlord Paul Rogers to line up three glasses of the beer - one from cask, another from bottle and another from the can.

I admit to being sceptical in advance; unconvinced there would be a significant discernible difference. How wrong I was. The cask version was familiar and excellent: fresh, smooth and lightly citric. The bottled option was more gaseous but less flavoursome; pleasant but unremarkable. The can, though, was a revelation.

York Press:

The bold hop smell hit us first, the aroma stronger than either of the previous two incarnations. And the taste? Superb. Had we not known, we'd have struggled to pinpoint which glass came from can and which from cask.  The can is certainly no pale imitation nor gimmick, and I for one am won round. Next time I hit the Moors, my packed lunch may just pack an extra punch.