Aluminum Can Shortage Has Michigan Breweries Turning To Bottles

Do you prefer your beer in a can or a bottle? I prefer mine in an ice cold glass but I'll settle for either.

The increased demand for aluminum cans has been going on for a few years now and the COVID-19 pandemic has added to that. Back in November, investors announced that the U.S. was short 10 billion cans in 2020.

So what does that mean for the beer industry?

With draft and keg sales being down, people have been buying more beer from local stores. Which, has left breweries scrounging to get their hands on cans. Larry Bell, the founder of Bell's Brewery, Inc. believes people buy cans over bottles because you get more,

“The market was trending toward cans, and COVID just exacerbated it because people want bigger packs in lighter packaging, so cans just really took off.  Plus, nobody sells seltzer in a bottle, do they?”

Now that I think of it, I think seltzer in a bottle would be a little weird. But hey, beggars can't be choosers, I'm here for it. The high demand of seltzers has made the shortage worse. In fact, Wes O’Leary, head of sales for Odd Side Ales in Grand Haven said they've had to wrap their Dank Juice cans in order to support their seltzer line.

Due to the shortage of cans, Bell's popular seasonal IPA, Hopslam will be released in bottles this year. Bell says it's the smartest decision because he wants to make sure there are enough cans for some of the breweries other popular beers. He believes if more breweries were to switch some of their beers to bottles, it would help other brewers in the country.