Packaging format has more influence than it may seem on the final quality of craft beer. It is not just a matter of aesthetics or trend. From a chemical point of view, the can offers clear advantages over the bottle when the goal is to preserve aroma, freshness and product stability. Here we analyse, with data and scientific references, why the can is the preferred format for modern craft beer.
Light: an underestimated enemy
One of the most studied factors in beer degradation is hop photodegradation. When isohumulone compounds responsible for bitterness are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, they react to form 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol (MBT), the compound responsible for the so-called "lightstruck" or skunky aroma.
Research published in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing (Kobayashi et al., 2019) shows that exposure to 350 nm light for just 15 minutes is enough to generate detectable MBT concentrations. Clear and green bottles allow up to 70% of that radiation to pass through; even brown bottles only filter it partially. A can, by contrast, blocks 100% of light, completely preventing the photochemical reaction.
That is why the most aromatic and hop-forward beers keep their fruity character better in cans. The package acts as a total barrier against light degradation.
Oxygen: a critical factor for stability
Oxidation is the main process that damages beer once packaged. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and headspace oxygen combine to form what the industry calls TPO (Total Package Oxygen). High TPO values favour reactions that produce flavours of cardboard, honey or stale wine, and reduce fresh hop aromas.
Technical studies (Briggs et al., Brewing Science and Practice, 2004) indicate that keeping TPO below 40 ppb (parts per billion) is essential to preserve IPA stability throughout shelf life. Under equivalent filling conditions, cans tend to show lower and more consistent values than bottles thanks to their hermetic double-seam closure, while bottles depend on the uniformity of the cap and glass.
The difference may seem minimal, but it has sensory consequences: an increase of just 10 ppb of oxygen can accelerate the loss of key aromatic compounds such as myrcene or linalool (Perez-Carrillo & Regodon-Mateos, Food Chemistry, 2011).
Sustainability: aluminium versus glass
The environmental debate between can and bottle does not have a single answer, but recent life cycle analyses (LCA) suggest that, under European conditions, the can has a carbon footprint 10% to 20% lower than returnable glass when the recycling rate exceeds 70%. (Aurisicchio et al., Journal of Cleaner Production, 2023).
In addition, aluminium can be recycled indefinitely without loss of properties and reduces transport weight, improving the energy efficiency of the logistics chain. In urban and ecommerce contexts, that reduction in weight also means fewer emissions per shipment.
Consumer perception and technical reality
For years, the market associated bottles with "premium" beer and cans with industrial beer. That perception was based on aesthetics, not science. Today the trend has reversed. Breweries such as Verdant Brewing Co., Cloudwater and Treehouse use cans for their main ranges for purely technical reasons: freshness, stability and aroma protection.
Comparative studies between can and bottle
A study by the University of Lisbon (Food Research International, 2021) compared 24 beers packaged in bottles and cans over 12 months of storage. Although both formats maintained an acceptable profile, the canned samples retained higher concentrations of volatile esters and showed 35% lower oxidation after six months.
Other work from the University of Oregon (Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, 2020) agrees: beers stored in cans showed less loss of tropical aroma and less colour variation during the first 8 weeks.
Packaging and micro-oxygenation
Micro-oxygenation in glass packaging can vary because of micropores or small closure defects. In aluminium, gas transmission is practically zero. This detail becomes especially important in beers with intense dry hopping, where volatile oils degrade easily.
A micro-diffusion of oxygen of just 0.5 mg/L can reduce myrcene concentration in an IPA by 20% after 30 days (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2018). In other words: the lower the permeability of the package, the more faithfully the hop character is preserved.
Conclusion: technical precision and respect for the product
The choice of packaging is not a question of trend. It is a technical decision that makes the difference between a fresh beer and one that has lost its aromatic expression. The can protects against light, reduces oxygen exposure, improves thermal stability and enables more efficient and sustainable logistics.
At MASCRAFT we understand beer as a living product that deserves to be treated with the same rigour with which it was brewed. That is why we work with brands that share this philosophy and package in cans: not for convenience, but out of respect for the original flavour.
