How Can I Sell My Beer Can Collection?

Where Can I sell My Beer Cans? –

Private Collector – the heart and soul of this hobby is each and every collector. There’s one near you and chances are he collects cans from local breweries. Do you have cans from your state or region? There’s a collector waiting for them. Beer Can Dealer – maybe the only person who will have the finances to make a large purchase. They are very knowledgable but will need to make a profit from your cans. Internet Auction – if you know how to sell on eBay this may be a good option. Internet Classified – there are some websites that are good venues for selling cans. You can try Craig’s List for common beer cans or large collections. Garage Sale / Flea Market – if you have common or recent cans this may be your only option. Antique Shop – maybe your local shop has interest in your cans. This probably isn’t a good option If you think your cans are rare. Sell to Me – How can you resist this option? I couldn’t resist listing it. e-Mail me any time

Is there a market for old beer cans?

Research Each Beer Can’s Rarity – Certain brands and styles of beer cans are especially valuable because of their rarity. Steel Canvas, a shop specializing in vintage beer cans, reports that valuable cans include rare examples like Playmate and Jame’s Bond’s 007. On the other hand, common specialty cans like Billy Beer and MASH Beer aren’t worth much.

Cone tops – Cans with a cone-shaped top and a cap Flat tops – Cans which have no way to open them other than a “church key” Crowntainers – Cans which offer the shape of a cone top but without seams Cans with instructions – Cans with opening instructions included on the product

Are beer can collections worth anything?

What are my beer cans worth? – The value of a vintage beer cans can run the spectrum of virtually nothing to upwards of $25,000. The three factors that impact a cans worth are: rarity, desirability and quality, Any can missing one or two of these factors will suffer in value.

Do people collect beer cans?

These types of cans are highly sought-after by serious collectors. These cans are very heavy in construction and have flat tops which required the use of a special opener, which was hooked under the rim of the can. These cans were quite a novelty in their day; people were not accustomed to drinking out of cans.

Who has the largest beer can collection?

William B. Christensen of Madison, New Jersey, USA has a collection of over 75,000 different beer cans from some 125 different countries, colonies and territories.

Who has the largest collection of beer cans?

12 of the most unusual beer cans from the world’s largest collection

• Sean Simmers | [email protected]
• The most interesting cans in Jeff Lebo’s collection
• With over 96,000 cans in his collection, Jeff Lebo has the largest beer can collection in the world.
• The majority of these line the walls of a home he had built specifically to house his collection – and even then, it is packed to the rafters with all kinds of variants and limited runs of beer can designs from across the globe.

We perused his collection to find some of the most unusual or eye-catching designs. Here are our highlights!

1. Sean Simmers | [email protected]
2. The Ladies of Tennent’s Lager
3. Tennent’s, a Scottish beer company, wasn’t shy about their advertising approach: can after can featured one of dozens of women in glamour shots, making quite a lot of variations to track down for collectors like Lebo.

• Sean Simmers | [email protected]
• Christy of Tennent’s Brewery
• Among the many Tennent’s cans in Lebo’s collection were several featuring one woman in particular.

“I believe was actually the personal secretary of the president of Tennent’s Brewery,” Lebo said. “I don’t know that this was actually marketed. I think it was just a test can. I don’t think it was actually put out in the stores.” Considering that they weren’t available for sale, it stands to reason that unique cans like these would fall into the hands of a collector like Lebo. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Robert Burns’ beer can If pin-up girls on your beer can seems a bit lowbrow, how about heading in a more sophisticated literary direction? Scotland’s famous poet Robert Burns adorns these cans of Scottish ale. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Gallon cans Care to buy your beer by the gallon? It sounds like a good idea, but it turns out that it went over like a lead balloon when American companies gave it a shot in the 1960s. “They didn’t have very much luck marketing them, and they proved to be pretty unpopular at that time,” Lebo said.

1. Sean Simmers | [email protected]
2. Lion Lager’s animal safari
3. Lion Brewery of South African featured several varied African creatures on their cans – something that has led Lebo to collect a veritable menagerie of “zebras, rhinos, giraffes, kudus” and other indigenous African fauna.

Sean Simmers | [email protected] Lion’s musician lineup “The same company put out a line of musicians,” Lebo said. “A lot of blues, jazz and rock performers.” The list of features musicians include Bob Marley, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison, to name a few.

• Sean Simmers | [email protected]
• Tiny beer cans
• Going to the other extreme: what about just a tiny sip of beer, enough perhaps for a shot glass’ worth of lager or ale?

“These were just promotional items released by the breweries,” said Lebo. They were just full of water.” Ah well. They’re still nice collector’s items.

1. Sean Simmers | [email protected]
2. Duff Beer
3. Made famous by Homer Simpson, the beer-swilling patriarch of “The Simpsons,” Duff Beer was obviously inspired by the Fox animated series. There was only one problem with this Australian brewing company’s idea:

“I don’t know that they got permission,” Lebo said. “And I think it was taken off the market pretty quickly.” Sean Simmers | [email protected] Hello Kitty beer Speaking of animated characters being used to advertise beer: here’s the famous Hello Kitty adorning several bottles of this Japanese beer. While cartoon characters aren’t exclusively for children, this is the sort of thing we definitely don’t see here in the United States.

• Sean Simmers | [email protected]
• Penguin Beer
• The Suntory brand of Japan also uses a cartoon mascot, particularly on these unusually small bottles that were found in vending machines.

“You could go out on the street and there’d be a beer machine there,” Lebo said. “You could grab a little shot before you go to work, or on your lunch hour. You don’t want tp be wasted going to work – it’s just if you need a little pick-me-up.” Again: not something that would go over well here in the United States.

1. Sean Simmers | [email protected]
2. The American Gothic “Canvention” Can
3. This limited-edition run of cans was created specifically for attendees of Canvention 14, the Beer Can Collectors of America convention held in Grand Rapids, Iowa.
4. After the attendees were given their cans, Lebo said, the remaining extra cans were destroyed by the convention staff, ensuring their value among collectors.

• Sean Simmers
• “Cabottles”
• The cabottle is a can-bottle hybrid: basically, a can made in a bottle-shape, which Lebo said originated “some time in the 1980s.”

“It’s made out of very heavy-gauge aluminum,” he said. “It kind of did come across as a novelty. But one of the pragmatic reasons is when they sell beer in baseball stadiums, for instance. They want to get away from glass. A lot of people like drinking out of the bottle, so they kind of split the difference.

1. Sean Simmers | [email protected]
2. Mini-kegs
3. These mini-kegs are still made in Germany, and can either be tapped upside-down, or standing with the aid of a carbon dioxide cartridge.

“There are some US brewers that are doing their pruduct in these,” Lebo said. “And they will actually order them from the plant, near Stuttgart.”

• Sean Simmers | [email protected]
• The very first can of beer
• While the idea of beer in cans is ubiquitous now, it was a big risk in 1935 – a risk first taken by Krueger Beer Company in Newark, New Jersey.

“This was the first company to actually market the product in beer cans,” Lebo said. “And they didn’t want to risk their brand in their home market, so they actually tested their product in Richmond, Virginia.” It didn’t take long for the idea to catch on.

1. Sean Simmers | [email protected]
2. Want a closer look?
3. Check out our full gallery from our visit to Lebo’s collection here:
4. And check out our previous interview with Lebo from 2013:

: 12 of the most unusual beer cans from the world’s largest collection

Are cans worth collecting?

Tips: –

• Only aluminium cans are worth cash: look out for the ‘alu’ symbol.
• If the can doesn’t say what it’s made of, test the side with a magnet. Aluminium is NOT magnetic, so the magnet won’t stick.
• Remember aluminium cans are lighter than steel cans, as well as shinier, and do not rust.
• Save space by squashing your cans.
• If there’s a group collecting for a common cause, set up central collection points where people can drop off their bags of cans.
• To get more people involved, spread your message far and wide by telling the local papers what you’re doing. Don’t forget to update them!
• If you’ve got supporters collecting on behalf of your cause, make sure you update them regularly to tell them how the scheme is doing and remind them to do more.

What is the most expensive beer can in the world?

The walls of Paul Nash’s Brisbane “man cave” are adorned with about 200 collectible beer cans, (PETER WALLIS) For some, an empty beer can isn’t worth walking to the bin. For others, it might be a collectors’ item worth hundreds of dollars. Data released on Tuesday showed the most expensive collectible beer can sold in 2022 was a highly coveted West End Stout can, going for nearly $500.

• Meanwhile, a 1985 Fosters Melbourne Cup can went under the hammer for $425, eBay said.
• January is the most popular month for purchasing collectible beer cans, according to the online marketplace, with Carnarvon, Goulburn and Townsville home to the most cashed-up collectors.
• Recent convert Paul Nash started collecting beer stubby coolers before turning to the tin vessels.

The walls of his Brisbane “man cave” is now adorned with about 200 collectible beer cans, surrounding a model train set, bar lights, signs and sports memorabilia. “I started my beer can collection about 12 months ago to help decorate the space,” Nash said.

What is the market for aluminum cans?

Aluminum Cans Market Analysis – The Global Aluminum Cans Market was valued at USD 44.27 billion in 2021, and it is expected to register a CAGR of 4.03% from 2022 to 2027. Aluminum cans offer long-term food quality preservation benefits. Aluminum cans deliver nearly 100% protection against light, oxygen, moisture, and other contaminants.

• Additionally, these cans provide many benefits, such as rigidity, stability, and high barrier properties. They are used to store goods with longer shelf life and can be transported for more considerable distances. Aluminum has significant properties, such as being softer and lightweight, due to which the manufacturers can save costs associated with logistics.
• Aluminum cans are gaining prominence due to various distinct features, such as stackable, lightweight, strong, hermetically sealed cover, resistance to transportation, rough handling, and easy recyclability, allowing brands to package and transport more beverages using less material.
• One of the most significant benefits of aluminum cans is that these cans are highly recyclable. Nearly 100% of the aluminum used in the cans can be melted down and used again. Aluminum cans can be recycled at the end of their lifecycle without their quality degradation, making aluminum cans the preferred packaging type for brands across various industries, ahead of other materials, such as plastic and paper. The time frame for recycling is also quick, as mostly recycled can be back on the shelf in less than 90 days.
• The Aluminum Association and the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) report “The Aluminum Can Advantage: Sustainability Key Performance Indicators 2020,” published in December 2020, found that consumers recycle aluminum cans at nearly double the rate of plastic bottles.
• As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world, all industries were affected majorly due to disruption in the supply chains and government-imposed lockdowns in the wake of controlling its spread. During the COVID-19 pandemic, almost every brewery and beverage company around the world simultaneously wanted to can their product and get it on the shelf. This demand for cans skyrocketed at the same time as the aluminum can manufacturers were working to keep production steady and growing. However, by mid of 2020, the industry had passed the tipping point and suffered from an aluminum can shortage.

What are beer collectibles called?

The Oxford Companion to Beer Definition of breweriana The Oxford Companion to Beer definition of Breweriana refers to any beer or brewery- related item that is considered collectible. Breweriana includes everything from branded paper napkins to bottles, to pottery jugs and mirrors.

• If it’s about beer, someone, somewhere, will collect it with devotion.
• The dominant collecting bent of any particular country depends on the local beer-drinking culture.
• In Britain or Germany coasters (also called beermats) are common and few enthusiasts can resist collecting at least a few.
• In the United States the pub culture isn’t as strong as it is in Germany or the UK, and people tend to drink more beer at home.

Not surprisingly, can collecting is the dominant desire, with enthusiasts’ garages often transformed into temples of tin. Mid-18th-century English Spode porcelain depicting cherubs and hops. While almost anything can be considered collectible, breweriana does tend to break down into several categories upon which we can elaborate: Coasters or beermats : Simple woodpulp mats were patented in Dresden, Germany, in 1892 by Robert Sputh, before spreading around the globe after World War I. Older examples tend to be thick and pitted, genuinely made to absorb spilled beer. Modern versions are much thinner but more colourful, primarily acting as promotional cards. A collectors’ group appeared in Austria as early as the 1930s. Tegestologists (the UK name for enthusiasts) formed the British Beermat Collectors Society in 1960. The mats can soon stack up. Leo Pisker of Vienna had a collection of 63,000 from 100 countries by 1982. Bottle labels : Like mats, they provide a merry walk down memory lane, recalling many lost breweries. But one difference with labels is their length of history; labels have been fixed to bottles since the first half of the 19th century. Then, once machines sped up laborious hand-bottling after 1880, attractive oval designs replaced the earlier simple circular pieces of paper. Oblong labels dominate from the 1950s. The first collectors’ organization, the Labologists Society, rolled into life in 1958 with the help of Guinness, which promoted the pastime from its export office in Liverpool. Soon similar organizations sprang up around the globe. Bottle tops : As well as the main label, collectors also sought the thin strips of paper stretched across the stopper, often with the words, “Observe that this label is unbroken.” But these disappeared thanks to an American inventor, William Painter, who in 1892 patented the crown cork. This simple metal cap, which could be easily applied by machine, gradually took over from wire-caged corks, screw-stoppers, and swing-top porcelain plugs. Carrying the brewery logo, they provided drinkers with something new to keep. Many breweries also provided complementary openers branded with their name. Bottles : Some like to save the full bottle, though this is mainly reserved for special editions. In Britain, the many bottles issued for royal jubilees and weddings were often kept for display. Some also like to collect earlier thick embossed glass or stoneware bottles and those with fired-on labels. Cans : Beer was not canned until the 1930s, with Krueger Brewing of New Jersey leading the way in the US in 1935. See, Felinfoel of Llanelli in Wales canned beer in the same year with its cone-top tins, which are now highly prized. Light and handy for the new home refrigerators, the can proved a big hit, notably in America, where beer can collecting has become the dominant area of breweriana, backed by the Beer Can Collectors of America club since 1969. Showcards and posters : Most breweriana collectors like to own a few of these, as their attractive designs are ideal for hanging on the wall. They date from as early as the 1830s and some famous artists, such as Alphonse Mucha in France, created stunning examples. Mirrors : These are the ultimate collectors’ wall-hangings. Early ones can be elaborately engraved while later ones are transfer-printed. Ashtrays : Until the recent smoking bans, many breweries produced branded ashtrays, ranging from quality china and brass to cheap tin and plastic. Older, heavy match-strikers are harder to find. Trays : Another common but attractive item of breweriana, often depicting breweries that have long since disappeared. Water jugs : Stylish pottery jugs were provided by many breweries for whiskey drinkers. Glasses : Branded and specially shaped glasses are popular in countries like Belgium, where drinkers expect to receive their beer in the matching glass. In Germany more robust pottery steins are eagerly collected, and better examples can sell at auction for many thousands of euro. Other forms of breweriana include beer engine pump-clips and beer taps, brewery figurines and model drays, ties and T-shirts, playing cards and bar games, clocks and books. See, Simpler ephemera range from leaflets, share certificates, and price lists to bills, postcards, and matchboxes. There is surely something for everyone. Martyn, Cornell, Beer memorabilia, London: Apple, 2000. Keith, Wilson, An introduction to breweriana, Northampton, England: Brewtique, 1981. Glover Brian : The Oxford Companion to Beer Definition of breweriana

How can you tell how old a beer can is?

The primary packaging code is found on the bottle or can itself. Pull date locations for bottles vary by brand, and may be found on the neck label, shoulder of the bottle or back label. For cans, the pull date is located on the bottom of the can.

Do people collect old beer bottles?

Many different types of bottles are highly collectible and can be worth a tidy sum, including old beer bottles.

What happens to cans when they are collected?

The aluminum cans are separated out during the sorting process and baled together. That bale is then sold to a company that will transform the recycled material into the cans you use. So, in as little as 30 days later, that same can will take on a new life back on the grocery store shelf.

Why are beer cans so popular?

Canned Craft: The Rising Popularity of Craft Beer in a can – Inside Drinks Canned craft beer is becoming an increasingly popular choice, as British consumers opt for canned products over the traditional bottled beer. Katie Woodward finds out how consumer trends and attitudes towards packaging are influencing this growth For many years, beer in cans has been something of a poor relation to bottles and kegs – but this may be more to do with the liquid inside the can, rather than the packaging itself. However, recent research has shown that craft brewers are leading the way and championing the use of cans, with a quarter of craft beers sold in the UK now contained in cans. Today’s consumers are continually on the lookout for a product that fits in with their lifestyle. Drawn to products that taste great, simplify their lives and catch their eye, the can is an ideal choice because it is lightweight, convenient, chills quickly, is easy to carry, often features vibrant eye-catching imagery, and is infinitely recyclable.

“Demands have changed so that consumers now seek a product that not only tastes great and looks good, but has a positive impact on the environment too,” explains Martin Constable, chairman of the Can Makers, the trade body representing the UK companies responsible for the manufacture of beverage cans.

“This has been a key driver of the recent successes of canned drinks.” Conscientious consumers now want to be more informed about the origin of the products they buy, as well as what happens to the packaging after purchase. As such, they expect brands to be transparent about provenance and how packaging can be sustainably disposed of – and environmental considerations are now rising on the list of decision making factors when it comes to making a purchase for many of today’s drinks consumers.

1. A 2016 GfK UK study on consumer perceptions of drink cans found that 14-17 year olds placed recyclability ahead of convenience in terms of important factors when choosing a drink.
2. Consumers aged over 35 believed that the recyclability of the drinks can is its strongest feature.
3. These two age groups are pushing environmental considerations higher up in the decision making process, and have played a significant role in making the can a premium packaging format.

From a brewer’s point of view, cans are lighter and designed to stack efficiently, resulting in no wasted storage space. They are also much safer to carry and, being lightweight – a single can weighs approximately 20% of the weight of a 330ml bottle – they are far cheaper to transport.

1. They are also environmentally friendly, as the metal used in the production of cans is 100% recyclable and can be recycled time and time again, with the process typically using less than 10% of the energy needed to create a new can.
2. Brewers also understand that their customers are looking for greener packaging options, so are being savvier by choosing the most recycled pack format on the market: the aluminium can.

As the drinks can is the most recycled drinks package in the world, with every can collected being recycled with no loss of quality, the sustainability argument for canned craft beer is strong. Every week in the UK, around 38 million drinks cans are recycled, while the recycled material retains the same characteristics and quality as the original.

This is in stark contrast to other packaging materials – such as paper, board and plastics – where recycled material is of a lower quality. “Demands have changed so that consumers now seek a product that not only tastes great and looks good, but has a positive impact on the environment too” In 2016, seven out of every ten aluminium drink cans sold in the UK were recycled, an impressive jump from just 2% recycling rate in 1989.

This 70% milestone is a considerable contribution to the European metal packaging sector’s own ambition to reach and exceed an average 80% metal packaging recycling rate by 2020. Additionally, beer brands are now able to choose the canning option best suited to their needs.

1. The recent introduction of lower volume contract lines in the UK, as well as a wide choice of mobile lines for hire and lines for purchase, has contributed to the growth, as these options are cost effective and flexible.
2. Mobile canning, ideal for small or one-off brews, means passionate brewers can retain control and feel confident about the handling of their beers as the canning is done on site,” explains Constable.

“Contract canning comes into its own for drinks producers looking for bigger runs.” While canned beer may traditionally have conjured up images of lower quality lager, unfit for devoted drinkers of ale, the main argument in favour of cans today is, in fact, flavour.

1. Contrary to popular belief, today’s canned beer does not taste metallic; modern production techniques include coating the aluminium with a water-based polymer lining that eliminates any contamination or unwanted flavours.
2. Cans are also better than bottles at protecting beer from light, preventing harmful UV rays from penetrating the packaging which can leave beer tasting ‘skunky’ or onion-like.

The canning process also creates an air-tight container, preventing any air leeching under the crown cap of a bottle and oxidising the beer. Aluminium cans cool down much faster than their glass bottle counterparts, meaning that consumers can enjoy a cool craft beer quicker, which may appeal to customers looking to relax and unwind at the end of a long day.

• Every week in the UK, around 38 million drinks cans are recycled” Busting the myth that beer in cans can taste off is one of the many reasons why craft brewers worldwide are choosing cans to maintain the taste and look of their drink.
• And with packaging under increased scrutiny, sustainability has become more important than ever before, encouraging drinks makers to meet these new demands from the consumer to reduce the environmental impact of their product.

“To continue to meet the rapidly changing consumer demands and to ensure they are using the most sustainable packaging possible, cans are a viable alternative for craft brewers,” says Constable. Consumers will continue to seek out brands that have stories to tell, have strong environmental credentials, use natural ingredients, and offer new taste experiences.

The design of the beer can is an area that will continue to see innovation. Craft brewers will continue to create more innovative design options, including the use of new coatings, finishes and additionals, such as UV inks, tactile finishes, coloured ends and tabs, peel and reveal labels, and full aperture ends.

“As long as brands keep coming up with new and exciting ways to engage and entertain their consumers, so the can makers will continue to work to support a drinking experience enhanced by can,” concludes Constable. Image Courtesy of N8Allen / Shutterstock.com 05/30/2019 01:56:35 : Canned Craft: The Rising Popularity of Craft Beer in a can – Inside Drinks

Why do people puncture beer cans?

The science behind shotgunning – You may be wondering what it is about stabbing a hole into a can of beer that makes it drain so quickly. Well, shotgunning takes advantage of the basic principles of physics to force the beer to drain quickly. Liquid can only drain if there is air to replace the liquid.

By stabbing a hole in the bottom of the beer can, you’re allowing air to seep in. Once you open up the top, air rushes into the can, which forces the beer out through the hole at the bottom, and into your mouth. When your mouth is covering the only entrance to the beer can, you’re essentially creating a vacuum, which slows the flow of liquid.

Once you add another hole to the can, air can flow freely, which forces the beer out of the can and into your mouth. Another scientific element at play here is pressure. Beer cans are pressurized, which allows your beer to stay fizzy and carbonated. Once you punch a hole in something pressurized, the contents are expelled quickly as air rushes in to create equilibrium.

What is 24 cans of beer called?

A Case of Beer is 24 Beer Cans or Beer Bottles | No Less No More.

How many beers can most people handle?

General Estimates – A 180-lb man may be able to drink 3.5 regular 12-ounce beers in one hour and keep his Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) under the legal limit of,08%. Similarly, a 140-lb woman may be able to consume 2.5 regular beers in an hour and maintain a BAC of less than,08%.

an individual’s metabolic rate age food consumption and more

There are also plenty of craft IPAs, stouts, and ales available with higher ABV levels which would impact the amount you can consume and stay under,08%. On the other hand, light beers have an average ABV of 4.2%, so the same 180-lb man and 140-lb woman may each be able to drink an additional beer in that hour timeframe and potentially keep a BAC lower than,08%.

And remember, there is no limit to the number of non-alcoholic beers you can drink!) So those are the facts, but not all the facts. Read on for a closer look at the consequences of drinking and driving, plus some North Carolina-specific information that everyone should be aware of. Thousands of deaths are caused each year by drunk driving.

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of a drunk driver, you may be entitled to compensation.

Who owns most of the beer in the world?

Beer Industry FAQ –

1. Who is the largest beer company in the world? The largest beer company in the world is Anheuser-Busch Inbev. With a 2022 revenue of $57.786 billion, Anheuser-Busch Inbev is the largest beer company in the world. The second largest beer company in the world is Heineken, which had a revenue of $38 billion in 2022.
2. How many beer companies are there in the world? There are over 19,000 beer companies in the world. It is estimated that the majority of these companies are small microbreweries that are highly localized to their geographic location.
3. What is the world’s oldest beer company? Weihenstephan is the oldest beer company in the world. Located in Freising, Germany, Weihenstephan claims to have been founded in 1040. However, it should be noted, that the earliest evidence of this brewery’s existence dates it to 1675, which is still a significant age.

: The 10 Largest Beer Companies In the World

What is the biggest canned beer?

Magnum (50.7 oz)

Who first put beer in cans?

If you’ve ever drank beer out of a can, you can thank Gottfried Krueger Brewery. They were the first ones, in 1935, to put the tasty beverage in a can and offer it up to consumers. Wired writes : Krueger had been brewing beer since the mid-1800s, but had suffered from the Prohibition and worker strikes.

• When American Can approached with the idea of canned beer, it was initially unpopular with Krueger execs.
• But American Can offered to install the equipment for free : If the beer flopped, Krueger wouldn’t have to pay.
• So, in 1935 Krueger’s Cream Ale and Krueger’s Finest Beer were the first beers sold to the public in cans.

Canned beer was an immediate success. The public loved it, giving it a 91 percent approval rating, Compared to glass, the cans were lightweight, cheap, and easy to stack and ship. Unlike bottles, you didn’t have to pay a deposit and then return the cans for a refund.

• By summer Krueger was buying 180,000 cans a day from American Can, and other breweries decided to follow.
• Just think of all the things you couldn’t do had they never filled those aluminum cans with beer? There would be no shotgunning, no crunching the can on your head, no beer can chicken.
• And, a lot of people would be way less rich.

The History Channel says : Today, canned beer accounts for approximately half of the $20 billion U.S. beer industry. Not all of this comes from the big national brewers: Recently, there has been renewed interest in canning from microbrewers and high-end beer-sellers, who are realizing that cans guarantee purity and taste by preventing light damage and oxidation.

That big business means lots of engineering and development to can a ton of beer as fast as possible. And those higher end breweries, making less beer than the big guys, have to figure out how to do it cost-effectively. How On Earth radio writes : If you’re a beer drinker, you’ve probably noticed that there are a lot of cans on liquor store shelves these days.

Here in Colorado, and elsewhere, more and more breweries are choosing to put their beer in cans. There are some good reasons for that, as you’ll hear in this segment. But for the smallest of small breweries, canning can still be a real challenge. It’s expensive, and it takes up a lot of space.

Enter Mobile Canning, a Longmont-based company that offers brewers a solution to both of those problems: put the canning line on a truck, and take it to any brewery that needs it. We speak with co-owner Pat Hartman in our Boulder studio. Of course, designing a fully-automated canning line is no small feat – to say nothing of designing one that can be packed into a delivery truck.

For that, we turn to Boulder firm Wild Goose Engineering. Chief Technology Officer Alexis Foreman also joins the conversation. Whether high end of tailgate style, canned beer is here to stay. So dedicate your next crushed can to Gottfried Kruger. More from Smithsonian.com: Beer for Dessert Beer Behemoths, Part One Turn Your Dead Christmas Tree Into Beer Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

Do people collect old beer bottles?

Many different types of bottles are highly collectible and can be worth a tidy sum, including old beer bottles.

How do you pack beer cans for a gift?

Yours to Explore: How to Guide for Wrapping Beer Cheers to the Holidays, and cheers to beers! Beer-wrapping season is upon us, but don’t fret, because we’re going to help step up your wrapping skills!! In this blog you’ll find a variety of easy, sustainable and creative ways on how to wrap beer for those special craft brewery lovers in your life! Let’s get into it

Bomber Socks – Simply find a long pair of festive socks and place the bomber inside! Be sure to stuff the toe part first with something (the other sock perhaps) to create a fuller look. Finish it off by tying a bow around the top. Not only are you saving paper (GO GREEN TEAM), you’d be gifting the person a pair of cozy socks to wear while they sip on their favourite brew! ReinBEER Bombers – For this craft you’ll need to twist on some brown pipe cleaners to make the reindeer antlers, find some googly eyes, and add a large red pompom for the nose! Use a hot glue gun to assemble the nose & eyes onto the bottle and BAM!! To jazz it up even more, buy a battery- operated light up Christmas necklace from the Dollarstore and wrap it around the bomber. Simple Bombers – Use wine bottle bags OR wrap over the label and add a bow for a finishing touch. EASY PEASY!

Beer Bag – Make it a double gift by placing your pack inside a or a and wrapping it up. Now you gift receiver will be able to take their beer along on any adventure!

Brown Paper Wrap – For a more sustainable idea, we recommend putting your pack inside an old box and wrapping it in recyclable brown paper! Most Christmas wrapping paper can’t be recycled due to the glitter and sparkles it contains, as they carry materials that aren’t usually accepted by recycling companies. Spice up the plainness by adding some sprigs of green, pine cones, holly, yarn, a Christmas decoration, etc. Clothing Wrap – If you REALLY want to go full out on an eco-friendly gift idea while still being creative, wrap it in OYB swag!! Take a look through our selections and find the perfect Crewneck or Shirt for that craft-beer enthusiast. Now stick the pack inside, bunch up the top, and use a bow to hold it all together!

Wrap it up – These are by far the easiest, simply wrap the case in your favourite festive wrapping paper and VOILA! Beer Advent Calendar – Make a 12 Days of BEERmas Advent Calendar, which sounds like a pretty good excuse to have a beer each day! There are many creative ways to make this one, but here’s how we suggest doing it: Take out each can and wrap them individually with tissue paper, or use the good ol’ sock method. Make some hang tags and write the numbers 1 to 12, then hole punch each one. Loop some yarn through the hang tag and then wrap it around the top part of the tissue paper (or sock) on each can, sealing it all together. Decorate a basket or find one to display the wrapped up cans inside!

Here you have it, The How to Guide for Wrapping Beer. We hope these ideas help inspire you on your beer-wrapping journey! Pro Tip: Wrapping gifts is always better with an Old Yale beer in hand. Happy Holidays! Be sure to share it with us at @oldyalebrewing or with the hashtag #OldYaleBrewing. : Yours to Explore: How to Guide for Wrapping Beer

What do they do with empty beer bottles?

cityscape – We got an inside look at what happens after used beer bottles disappear behind the counter. 248689 All new Beer Stores will be self-serve, like this one.20130418_HUM0081-DROSTphoto-4 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0081-DROSTphoto-4-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0081-DROSTphoto-4-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0081-DROSTphoto-4.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0081-drostphoto-4/ 20130418_hum0081-drostphoto-4 0 0 248684 Delicious beer! 20130418_HUM0241-DROSTphoto-17 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0241-DROSTphoto-17-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0241-DROSTphoto-17-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0241-DROSTphoto-17.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0241-drostphoto-17/ 20130418_hum0241-drostphoto-17 0 0 248688 This is where the return process begins. This is where the return process begins.20130418_HUM0101-DROSTphoto-7 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0101-DROSTphoto-7-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0101-DROSTphoto-7-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0101-DROSTphoto-7.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0101-drostphoto-7/ 20130418_hum0101-drostphoto-7 0 0 This is where the return process begins. 248671 20130418_MGL3998-DROSTphoto-43 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL3998-DROSTphoto-43-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL3998-DROSTphoto-43-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL3998-DROSTphoto-43.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl3998-drostphoto-43/ 20130418_mgl3998-drostphoto-43 0 0 248685 In the back room, workers sort the bottles.20130418_HUM0199-DROSTphoto-15 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0199-DROSTphoto-15-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0199-DROSTphoto-15-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0199-DROSTphoto-15.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0199-drostphoto-15/ 20130418_hum0199-drostphoto-15 0 0 248686 Heineken bottles are proprietary, and can’t be refilled.20130418_HUM0192-DROSTphoto-13 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0192-DROSTphoto-13-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0192-DROSTphoto-13-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0192-DROSTphoto-13.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0192-drostphoto-13/ 20130418_hum0192-drostphoto-13 0 0 248687 They throw all the cans in a giant cardboard box. They throw all the cans in a giant carboard box.20130418_HUM0125-DROSTphoto-9 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0125-DROSTphoto-9-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0125-DROSTphoto-9-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0125-DROSTphoto-9.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0125-drostphoto-9/ 20130418_hum0125-drostphoto-9 0 0 They throw all the cans in a giant carboard box. 248682 A bird’s eye view of the start of the process at the Molson Plant.20130418_HUM0268-DROSTphoto-20 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0268-DROSTphoto-20-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0268-DROSTphoto-20-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0268-DROSTphoto-20.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0268-drostphoto-20/ 20130418_hum0268-drostphoto-20 0 0 248669 A worker shuttles cases of empties along the line.20130418_MGL4035-DROSTphoto-48 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4035-DROSTphoto-48-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4035-DROSTphoto-48-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4035-DROSTphoto-48.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl4035-drostphoto-48/ 20130418_mgl4035-drostphoto-48 0 0 248690 Many different brands are in the mix at the Molson plant.20130418_HUM0327-DROSTphoto-27 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0327-DROSTphoto-271-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0327-DROSTphoto-271-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0327-DROSTphoto-271.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0327-drostphoto-27-2/ 20130418_hum0327-drostphoto-27-2 0 0 248691 The bottles travel down the line to be washed.20130418_HUM0312-DROSTphoto-26 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0312-DROSTphoto-26-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0312-DROSTphoto-26-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0312-DROSTphoto-26.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0312-drostphoto-26/ 20130418_hum0312-drostphoto-26 0 0 248681 A worker inspects the bottles and picks out any that have caps on them. A worker inspects the bottles and picks out any that have caps on them.20130418_HUM0300-DROSTphoto-24 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0300-DROSTphoto-24-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0300-DROSTphoto-24-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0300-DROSTphoto-24.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0300-drostphoto-24/ 20130418_hum0300-drostphoto-24 0 0 A worker inspects the bottles and picks out any that have caps on them. 248680 The bottle-washing machine continually takes in 60 bottles at a time.20130418_HUM0303-DROSTphoto-25 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0303-DROSTphoto-25-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0303-DROSTphoto-25-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0303-DROSTphoto-25.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0303-drostphoto-25/ 20130418_hum0303-drostphoto-25 0 0 248667 The bottles come out the other side clean and bare.20130418_MGL4066-DROSTphoto-53 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4066-DROSTphoto-53-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4066-DROSTphoto-53-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4066-DROSTphoto-53.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl4066-drostphoto-53/ 20130418_mgl4066-drostphoto-53 0 0 248666 This device is an electronic scanner that inspects every bottle for small defects.20130418_MGL4084-DROSTphoto-54 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4084-DROSTphoto-54-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4084-DROSTphoto-54-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4084-DROSTphoto-54.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl4084-drostphoto-54/ 20130418_mgl4084-drostphoto-54 0 0 248676 20130418_HUM0398-DROSTphoto-34 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0398-DROSTphoto-34-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0398-DROSTphoto-34-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0398-DROSTphoto-34.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0398-drostphoto-34/ 20130418_hum0398-drostphoto-34 0 0 248678 A bird’s eye view of the filling station.20130418_HUM0372-DROSTphoto-33 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0372-DROSTphoto-33-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0372-DROSTphoto-33-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0372-DROSTphoto-33.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0372-drostphoto-33/ 20130418_hum0372-drostphoto-33 0 0 248665 The production floor.20130418_MGL4095-DROSTphoto-55 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4095-DROSTphoto-55-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4095-DROSTphoto-55-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4095-DROSTphoto-55.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl4095-drostphoto-55/ 20130418_mgl4095-drostphoto-55 0 0 248664 New two-four cases about to receive their first bottles of Carling.20130418_MGL4151-DROSTphoto-59 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4151-DROSTphoto-59-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4151-DROSTphoto-59-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4151-DROSTphoto-59.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl4151-drostphoto-59/ 20130418_mgl4151-drostphoto-59 0 0 248659 The warehouse is filled with more beer than you can possibly imagine.20130418_MGS4434-DROSTphoto-74 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGS4434-DROSTphoto-74-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGS4434-DROSTphoto-74-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGS4434-DROSTphoto-74.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgs4434-drostphoto-74/ 20130418_mgs4434-drostphoto-74 0 0 248658 At Owens Illinois, a factory worker operates the bottle-making machine.20130418_MGL4594-Edit-DROSTphoto-79 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4594-Edit-DROSTphoto-79-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4594-Edit-DROSTphoto-79-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4594-Edit-DROSTphoto-79.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl4594-edit-drostphoto-79/ 20130418_mgl4594-edit-drostphoto-79 0 0 248675 Molten bottles emerge from the mold.20130418_HUM0570-DROSTphoto-39 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0570-DROSTphoto-39-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0570-DROSTphoto-39-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0570-DROSTphoto-39.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0570-drostphoto-39/ 20130418_hum0570-drostphoto-39 0 0 248674 The glowing bottles go down the line and cool slowly so they don’t crack.20130418_HUM0578-DROSTphoto-40 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0578-DROSTphoto-40-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0578-DROSTphoto-40-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0578-DROSTphoto-40.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0578-drostphoto-40/ 20130418_hum0578-drostphoto-40 0 0 248663 The finished bottles go down the line to be inspected.20130418_MGL4617-DROSTphoto-64 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4617-DROSTphoto-64-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4617-DROSTphoto-64-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4617-DROSTphoto-64.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl4617-drostphoto-64/ 20130418_mgl4617-drostphoto-64 0 0 248672 OI makes 500,000 bottles a day on one of its production lines.20130418_HUM0593-DROSTphoto-42 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0593-DROSTphoto-42-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0593-DROSTphoto-42-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0593-DROSTphoto-42.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0593-drostphoto-42/ 20130418_hum0593-drostphoto-42 0 0 248673 OI operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.20130418_HUM0591-DROSTphoto-41 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0591-DROSTphoto-41-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0591-DROSTphoto-41-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_HUM0591-DROSTphoto-41.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_hum0591-drostphoto-41/ 20130418_hum0591-drostphoto-41 0 0 248662 This silo contains the raw materials to make new bottles.20130418_MGL4663-DROSTphoto-69 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4663-DROSTphoto-69-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4663-DROSTphoto-69-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4663-DROSTphoto-69.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl4663-drostphoto-69/ 20130418_mgl4663-drostphoto-69 0 0 248661 A front-end loader dumps a pile of rejected bottles into a bunker full of cullet and other bottles.20130418_MGL4685-DROSTphoto-70 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4685-DROSTphoto-70-100×100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4685-DROSTphoto-70-640×426.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20130418_MGL4685-DROSTphoto-70.jpg 640 426 https://torontoist.com/2013/04/what-happens-to-beer-bottles-when-you-return-them-to-the-beer-store/slide/20130418_mgl4685-drostphoto-70/ 20130418_mgl4685-drostphoto-70 0 0 Our tour of the beer bottle recycling process started at a new Beer Store at Eglinton and Laird.

1. The first stage happens in the back room, where clear bottles, coloured bottles, and proprietary bottles (meaning bottles designed for one particular brewer) are separated, placed in cases, and stacked on skids.
2. When brewers arrive with new shipments of drinks, they carry away the skids of empties.
3. From there, the bottles go to one of two places: either a bottling plant, or to a third-party recycler who crushes them into small pellets called “cullet,” which are then sent to glass manufacturers to use in producing new bottles.

The brown bottle we all know and love is an industry-standard bottle, and many beer brands use it. These standard bottles are the ones that get sent to bottling plants. One-time use bottles, which include imports like Heineken and Corona, are unique in size and shape and can’t easily be reused, so they’re turned into cullet.

Clear ones must be separated, because the smallest trace of coloured glass will contaminate a clear batch once it’s melted down. Not only does the beer store recycle its bottles, it recycles packaging. “Anything we sell, we take it back and recycle it,” says Jeff Newton, President of Canada’s National Brewers, who was with us throughout the tour.

Newton points out that the bottle return program is 100 per cent industry funded and diverts bottles from going in the trash. It’s a closed system, where any given bottle can go through the full cycle in under 120 days. After the Beer Store, we pile into our cars and head off to the Molson Brewery near the airport.

• We’re made to wear safety glasses, toe caps, and ear plugs to counter the roaring sound of machinery.
• We start at the loading bay where the skids of empties are unloaded off trailers and put onto conveyer belts to be depalletized.
• A machine lifts them up to a second level and shifts off the cases one row at a time.

Two workers stand by to make sure everything rolls along okay, but the machines do most of the work. “In the old days, when I was a youngster, we had to put them on the line by hand!” muses Bill Patterson, a veteran worker of the factory line. The bottles roll down the line, clattering and clanging along the metal conveyor belts.

Machines separate the broken ones and divert them down another line where they fall into a chute and are saved in a hopper. The next stage on the line is cleaning. A humungous machine with a big rotating drum takes in 60 bottles at a time and washes them thoroughly with detergent, rinses them out, and removes the labels.

The thousands of brown bottles file down the line to the filler stage. An electronic detector flashing like a strobe light scans each bottle looking for minute defects that could spell disaster later on. Rejects are spat onto a separate line and recycled.

• The good ones go through to the filling machine, which is like a whirling carousel that fills them, caps them, and spits them out into another scanner.
• Reject bottles are, again, spat down a separate line and dealt with in another factory process.
• Next, the bottles are pasteurized.
• Molson does this by heating them up to 61C for ten minutes.

This kills off any microbes that could make people sick, and increases the beer’s shelf life. The bottles come out of the pasteurization stage at around 28C. The bottles, now filled with delicious beer, continue down the long steel conveyor belts to the labelling machine, which slaps on labels with astounding speed: first on the neck of each bottle, then on the body.

The machine is sometimes blindingly fast, sometimes slow and steady. At top speed, it labels 1000 bottles a minute. After that, the labelled bottles go down the line to be boxed—another job done by a machine in mesmerizing, rhythmic motions. When we were there, two-fours of Carling were being loaded in the blink of an eye, while another machine across from us continually unfolded the cases, glued the bottom flaps, and shot them onto a conveyor which fed them into the loading machine.

Everything in the plant happened with clockwork precision, and all with very few actual human beings involved. In another age, the place might have employed hundreds of people. Today, only 35 employees man the production line. The entire process, from start to finish, only takes two and a half hours.

As for the used aluminum cans that end up at the Molson plant, machines tear off the tops and crush them flat as pancakes. Molson sends them off to another company to process into sheets of aluminum, which are then turned into cans all over again. The last stop on our tour was in Brampton, at the largest glass manufacturing company in the world, Owens-Illinois (OI).

The factory is visible from Highway 410. It has a dirty, rusted exterior. A tall silo contains the raw materials used to make new bottles and is connected to the plant by catwalks high in the air. Down below, a worker drives a front-end loader through heaps of rejected bottles and cullet, dropping them into a bunker that can hold 1000 tonnes of glass.

• This may sound like a lot, but that’s only enough to last OI about a week.
• Railway spurs go into the facility so trains can drop off shipments of cullet from the U.S.
• Inside the factory, 1000-square-foot furnaces powered by natural gas and electricity use 1500-degree heat to melt the cullet on the second floor.

The molten glass drops down though a funnel and mechanical jaws chop it off at regular intervals. The glowing orange globs fall into machines on the first floor, which turn them into bottles by blowing compressed air into them. The glowing hot bottles shuttle down the line and are cooled, inspected, and, ultimately, shipped out.

The plant runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, only stopping when it’s necessary to change the bottle moulds and during power outages. OI uses 50 per cent recycled materials in its bottles, but wants to increase that number. “I think that every glass company out there would like to get their hands on more recycled glass, because it’s just much more energy efficient,” says Walter Dovigo, manufacturing manager at OI.

“The demand is high, and we just can’t get enough of it at times because of the demand. We’re making 500,000 bottles on that one line. If every consumer in the GTA brought in a bottle every once in a while we’d have enough to keep ‘er going.” “It helps divert a lot of material from landfills, but in the process of doing that, and in the process of recycling and reusing the glass as cullet to make new bottles, the greenhouse gas savings and the energy savings associated with that are also huge,” said John Zanini, OI’s vice president of sales.