High Five Yes we can: Colorado’s best craft beer in cans

Beer in a can is just as good, if not better, than beer in a bottle. Glass is fragile, and the slightest mishap can result in a mess of sticky, razor-sharp slivers of danger. Cans can’t break, so the only way a can is going to hurt you is if you try to crush it on your forehead. Cans are portable, so no matter what awesome Colorado activity you’re doing—snowboarding, camping, going to the pool, tripping balls on the Flatirons—cans make sure you can drink beer while doing it. On top of all this, due to their recyclability, cans are easy on the environment and can even help buy more cans of beer if you take them in and redeem them yourself.

Over the past few years, several craft breweries have noticed the increasing awesomeness of putting beer in a can, which means these days, you can enjoy portability and Colorado pride without resorting to Coors. There are a ton of delicious craft beers coming from the Colorado Beer Triangle, so we’ve tested the options and brought you five great local beers that you can enjoy in the can.

Hazed And Infused
Boulder Beer Company
Boulder Brewery is Colorado’s oldest microbrewery, and over the past 30 years, Boulder has developed and created many of Colorado’s favorite craft beers. Hazed And Infused is a delicious choice of beer in any container, but this unfiltered (Hazed) beer is dry hopped (Infused) for a very drinkable, slightly malty, unique brew. Then it’s packed into perfect little cans so it is ready for any adventure a beer enthusiast can enjoy.

Avalanche Ale
Breckenridge Brewery
Breckenridge Brewery is constantly changing the way we look at beer with its innovative styles, but its Avalanche Ale is a Colorado favorite. It’s light enough for those times you’re planning on having more than just a couple. The flavors are subtle, and the light caramel color makes it as inviting as it is delicious. Avalanche has been a rock-steady go-to for Coloradoans for decades, perfect as an anytime beer, and putting it in a can just means you can also enjoy it anywhere.

White Rascal
Avery Brewing Company
This Belgian style wheat beer is light and refreshing, with fruity undertones. It’s well balanced, so none of the subtle flavors are overwhelming, and a great beer to try if you are new to the craft scene. It’s also unfiltered, and the yeast is just floating around in there. If you like Blue Moon, this is a great next step into the Colorado craft brew culture.

India Pale Ale
Upslope Brewing Company
Back in the day, English sailors on long voyages to India would bring this style of beer along because the tremendous amount of hops would preserve it for the entire trip. That way, if all the food went bad, they still had something to drink. Smart. This version, by Upslope Brewing in Boulder, combines the hops of a traditional IPA and some malty character to give the brew a deliciously complex, bold, and bitter taste. All of Upslope’s beers come in a can, but this one is sure to capture the attention of any beer drinker, and keep long enough to get to your destination.

Dale’s Pale Ale
Oskar Blues Brewery
This is one of the best. Oskar Blues is a pioneer of the craft-brew-in-a-can frontier, and Dale’s has helped the cause as much, if not more, than any other beer. Dale’s is the very picture of golden awesomeness in a can. It’s a perfectly balanced beer with sweet, pine, and honey tones, so it’s not too bitter, but it still has the floral hops that pale ale drinkers crave.