Good bye red cup, hello flavor. It’s a clever tagline from Mike Hess Brewing Company referring to the company’s new line of Open Mike cans. Designed so that the entire top of an aluminum can pulls completely off so that the receptacle can be used in place of a glass or cup, the cans are close to making their debut for the North Park-based brewing interest.
Brewery founder and proprietor Michael Hess says that only seven or eight breweries in the country are utilizing this type of can technology, and that his is the only one of them located in California. It’s unlikely they’ll remain loners in this regard for long, as the advantages of Open Mike cans are many.
First and foremost, there’s the obvious elimination of dirtying and cleaning a glass to enjoy a beer to its fullest. Any beer geek knows that, in order to enjoy a beer’s full bouquet, sufficient open space must be provided for it to make its way to one’s nasal passages. But this also keeps beer fans from having to settle for the insufficient insulation provided by disposable paper and plastic cups, while offering a receptacle that works for poolside and outdoor imbibing.