Sam Adams Boston Lager to be available in cans for convenience, outdoor events

BOSTON — Early this summer, you can expect to see Sam Adams Boston Lager in what the company is calling the Sam Can: a can two years in the making that beer manufacturer Sam Adams said it believes offers a slightly better drinking experience than the standard beer can.



Over the past two years, the company thoroughly researched the can's design, putting it through considerable ergonomic and sensory testing in order to develop a new kind of can that tastes more similar to drinking from a glass. Sam Adams worked with can manufacturer Ball Corp. to understand can design, technology and hot o package premium beer in cans; then they teamed up with a design team at IDEO, a recognized global design firm; and finally, they consulted with GEI Consultants' Roy Desrochers, a beer flavor expert for the Master Brewer's Association of the Americas.



While Sam Adams said in a press release that the difference between its Sam Can and a standard can is modest, it believes the new design offers enhanced flavors and a more comfortable drinking experience. The new product can be taken where glass bottles sometimes can't, such as the beach, sporting events or the golf course.



"I worked with Jim and the other brewers at Sam Adams on an ergonomic and flavor study to understand the benefits of the new can," Desrochers said. "The flared lip and wider top of the new Sam Can work in concert to deliver the beer in a way that makes the flavor closer to drinking out of a glass. Although subtle, this can delivers a more pronounced, more balanced flavor experience — something that was very important to the brewers. The extended lip of the can also creates a smoother, more comfortable overall drinking experience."



Sam Adams Boston Lager will be available Sam Cans in 12-packs this summer for a suggested retail price of $14.99 to $17.99.