{09.07.12} Food & Drink

 

$10 for a six-pack (which comes with a metal church key).

Retro Brew

 

Your granddad drank beer out of a flat top can. Your dad's first sip might've even came from one. First introduced in 1935, the sturdy steel cans required an opener that pierced a triangular hole in the top. The tool was dubbed a church key—an old nickname garnered from brewers and bottlers, and it was the industry standard until the mid 1960s when the pull-tab was introduced. We had never really seen a flat top steel in person until we were handed a Churchkey beer. Part of the craft-beer-in-a-can movement, this small batch pilsner is the brainchild of actor/musician Adrian Grenier and former Nike designer Justin Hawkins, who partnered with some Portland home brewers for the recipe. Which brings us to the beer itself. Puncture the can with two holes (this also helps it pour without the usual glug-glug) and out comes a light pilsner with a lot of toasty malt flavor and a touch of honey sweetness.

But why go back to the now extinct can style? The guys have talked about how steel keeps your beer colder longer and its superior recyclability, but let's be honest—it's a way to differentiate. Cry "hipster" all you want, but with old-timey Instagram filters and archival menswear collections, there's something undeniably cool about things from a previous generation. And cracking open one of these cans is just fun. Available in select bars and specialty shops around the West coast, Churchkey is making its way to other American cities this fall and will soon be available to buy from their website.

 
 
 
 
 
 

{09.07.12}

 

Retro
Brew

 
 
 

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