Remember that band Wide Mouth Mason? Yeah, me too. Remember when you realised that they were named after something your granny kept cases of in her root cellar? Yeah, me too. What does all this have to do with anything? Well, as ads I’ve seen around the city have told me, Molson-Coors has introduced Widemouth beer bottles. And I just do happen to have six of them in my hands as I type this. Obviously, I’m speaking figuratively, as I am unable to hold all six at once, and even if I was able to do this magnificent feat, I would hardly be able to type while doing it.
Molson-Coors Widemouth Bottles
Now, let me warn you all in advance: I’m not about to go on a tirade about the products in the widemouth containers. None are products I go out of my way to drink, true. But I actually really like these bottles for a few reasons.
First, these are actually basically bottle-shaped aluminum cans. So they have the same benefits as cans. Totally light-proof to prevent getting skunked. Lighter than glass which leads to less carbon footprint in shipping. More durable than glass when dropped, etc. And, of course, you can take them anywhere glass is not allowed (dock at the cottage, campsite, boat, etc). I’m not sure if these are solid enough to be reused like a bottle, but it’s certainly possible (Forest, want to weigh-in?). The box does note that they are 100% recyclable.
In addition to this, the twist tops are similar to a water bottle, or soda bottle. This means they’re resealable. While most people are looking to drink these in a few big mouthfuls, if you are on the dock or in a hammock, this feature might save you from finding a live bug in your sip of beer. Which really really sucks. They mention in the info that it’s helpful to prevent hand talkers from being spilly-talkers (to sample from an ad you will never ever see again).
I know there is a lot of muttering in craft circles about the wide mouth being designed for no other purpose than more quickly moving the beer from the container, to your belly. And while that’s generally not the reason why I drink beer, occasionally I just want to swallow a cold bottle of Steam Whistle whole. So I kind of get it. Molson Canadian, Coors Light and Coors Light Iced Tea aren’t exactly beers most people would sip from a chalice noting the juxtaposition between the floral fragrant New Zealand hops with the tannic sturdy English hops. But for heaps of drinkers, these beers are what you look forward to at the end of mowing the lawn, on the 14th tee, or after the long drive to the cottage. There is a time and place for slamming down an iced-cold beer, and for many people, these wide-mouth bottles will fit the bill perfectly.
I read on the packaging, that the idea behind the wide-mouth is to provide better airflow while you are drinking, which will increase the aromas getting to your nose. This doesn’t sound entirely unbelievable, although I presume most consumers buying this beer aren’t particularly worried about that. I may be prejudiced, but there you go.
I also have heard people saying that this is an Americanization. And I wouldn’t really argue that. Many people, though, seem to think that the fact that the US did it first somehow makes it bad. I’m not even sure the US has widemouth bottles (I know they have aluminum ones, though). I don’t think that a change from what we know to something new is necessarily bad either. I remember people complaining when our soda cans went from skinny 280ml cans to fat American-style 355ml ones. And when the opening went from a smaller one that you could get your finger stuck in, to a wider one that you can easily fit your thumb in. At the time, there was no shortage of grumbling, and yet, these things are commonplace and most people probably don’t even remember the older varieties. These bottles might be different and have an American vibe to them, but I bet, if they stick, we won’t even think of them in three years time.
So all-in-all, I say good work to Molson-Coors. I think they have introduced a format that will please a lot of people. What do you think? If you’re a Molson-Coors drinker, will you buy the new wide-mouth format?
They’re available in 4 and 8 packs at your local Beer Store, if you would like to give them a whirl. Prices vary by province.
Late Addition
If you’re interested in reading a bit more about where these are filled and how, Jordan St John (who has commented below) has a great article about the new packaging line at the Downsview Molson Plant here: http://saintjohnswort.ca/tag/widemouth/
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