RAISE YOUR CAN

(Photography & Written By: Jessica Bilich)

It’s Carnival season in New Orleans! Mardi Gras time is a huge extraordinary celebration that includes parades, costumes, beads, king cake, dancing in the streets and of course, booze. Most of us like to enjoy a refreshing beer on the parade route, and we can as long as it is not in a glass bottle or glass container. Luckily, beer is also sold in cans.

Today is National Beer Can Appreciation Day.  January 24, 1935 was the day when Krueger Brewing Company of Richmond, Virgina sold the first beer in a can. Although Krueger Brewing Company produced and sold the first beer in a can, the American Can Company is known for successfully creating the cans that withheld the beer.

The American Can Company had been experimenting with canned beer since 1909. It wasn’t until the year 1933 when American Can Company perfected production of the cans by using a “keg-lining” technique which coated the inside of the can like a keg. 

The beer cans were a success and are still a success today. They have been preferred over glass bottles. Many consumers favor the cans because they are lightweight, cheap, and easy to ship. Also, back then, people had to put deposits on the glass bottles and return them for refund. This was not necessary for cans. 

So while we celebrate Mardi Gras along the parade routes with our iced cold beers in our favorite koozies, we must remember to give thanks and appreciation to Krueger Brewing Company and American Can Company for making this possible. Cheers!

#NationalBeerCanAppreciationDay