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Image 1 of / 17 Caption Close Image 2 of 17 Top-selling Fancy Lawnmower will be one of the first Saint Arnold beers to be released in cans. Top-selling Fancy Lawnmower will be one of the first Saint Arnold beers to be released in cans. Image 3 of 17 Santo, a black-malt version of Lawnmower, will be the other. Summer Pils and other seasonals will follow. Santo, a black-malt version of Lawnmower, will be the other. Summer Pils and other seasonals will follow. Image 4 of 17 Conroe brewer Southern Star was the first local craft brewery to package in cans. Here, pallets of cans to be filled with Bombshell Blonde. Conroe brewer Southern Star was the first local craft brewery to package in cans. Here, pallets of cans to be filled with Bombshell Blonde. Photo: Chronicle Image 5 of 17 Image 6 of 17 Beer cans sit in a cooler during the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of the Karbach Brewing Co., 2014, in Houston. Beer cans sit in a cooler during the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of the Karbach Brewing Co., 2014, in Houston. Photo: Houston Chronicle Image 7 of 17 Buffalo Brewing Co. released More Cowbell in 16-ounce cans. Here, founder Rassul Zarinfar, right, and Troy Witherspoon were on hand for the launch. Buffalo Brewing Co. released More Cowbell in 16-ounce cans. Here, founder Rassul Zarinfar, right, and Troy Witherspoon were on hand for the launch. Image 8 of 17 Richmond's Texian Brewing Co. uses a mobile canning service. Richmond's Texian Brewing Co. uses a mobile canning service. Photo: For the Chronicle Image 9 of 17 Colorado's Oskar Blues Brewery is credited with kicking off craft beer's can revolution in 2002. Colorado's Oskar Blues Brewery is credited with kicking off craft beer's can revolution in 2002. Image 10 of 17 Image 11 of 17 New Firemans Four Squared cans from Real Ale Brewing. New Firemans Four Squared cans from Real Ale Brewing. Photo: Real Ale Brewing Image 12 of 17 Karbach Brewing releases Oktoberfest seasonal in cans. Karbach Brewing releases Oktoberfest seasonal in cans. Photo: Karbach Brewing Co. Image 13 of 17 Saint Arnold Brewing Co. previously sold all packaged beer in bottles. It also sells draft beer in kegs. Saint Arnold Brewing Co. previously sold all packaged beer in bottles. It also sells draft beer in kegs. Image 14 of 17 The new Saint Arnold cans will be released initially in six-packs. The new Saint Arnold cans will be released initially in six-packs. Image 15 of 17 Image 16 of 17 Canned beers no longer are considered synonymous with cheaper, mass-produced beer. Canned beers no longer are considered synonymous with cheaper, mass-produced beer. Image 17 of 17 Saint Arnold to release its first canned beers 1 / 17 Back to Gallery

Houston’s oldest craft brewery is the latest to embrace the aluminum can.

Saint Arnold Brewing Co. this month acquired a 20-valve canning line capable of filling 160 cans per minute and plans to begin producing 12-ounce cans of its Fancy Lawnmower and Santo by the end of February and selling them in six-packs.

Founder/owner Brock Wagner said this week that the new packaging is in response to growing demand from consumers and from client retailers, including some that do not allow glass containers.

“I have to backtrack on all the terrible things I’ve said about cans,” said Wagner, who maintains a preference for glass and until now has sold his beers exclusively in glass bottles or in kegs. ” … Clearly, the market as a whole has accepted cans for craft beer.”

Several local crafts, including Southern Star, Karbach, Buffalo Bayou and Texian, already sell beer primarily or substantially in cans. Colorado’s Oskar Blues Brewery is credited for being the first American craft to jump into aluminum in 2002, when it began canning its flagship Dale’s Pale Ale.

The national trend was clearly evident when I wrote this story three years ago and it has accelerated (see this follow-up from 2013) for a variety of reasons. Can fans claim the packaging is better for beer by sealing it more completely and better protecting it from sunlight; better for the environment because it is lighter and takes less fuel to distribute while also being more recyclable; and better for on-the-go activities such as bicycling, hiking and other activities on the beach or at parks where glass containers are prohibited.

Canning also is generally a less expensive process.

Saint Arnold will follow Lawnmower and Santo with Summer Pils and other seasonal releases, Wagner said. Twelve-packs are a possibility in the future.

Wagner declined to say how much the new canning line cost.

Chances are pretty good the new packaging will boost sales, as consumers appear to have lost any residual stigma toward canned beer.

And Saint Arnold has already demonstrated how changing packaging can have a big impact on the bottom line: Sales of Ale Wagger, formerly Brown Ale, were up 32 percent last year after continued poor performance in the market. Wagner said sales of the brown ale have about doubled since the new labels launched in September.

That increase contributed to another year of double-digit growth for the Houston brewery. Saint Arnold is now reporting production grew 14 percent last year, to 66,579 barrels.

While that is a slower rate than in recent years, Wagner said the final production figures fell within his pre-year forecast of 65,000 to 70,000 barrels.

Join Beer, TX on Facebook at facebook.com/rcrocker.beertx or follow me on Twitter: @rcrocker. I’m also on Google+.

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