Crown helps Norwegian brewery Ægir with switch to metal cans

Norwegian brewer Ægir has partnered with Crown Bevcan Europe & Middle East to begin canning its range of hand-crafted beers, created in the company’s Viking-style brewery in Flåm, Norway.

Ægir decided to make the switch from bottles to cans in recognition of the many benefits of metal packaging, Crown said, and the move will offer the beer maker an opportunity to use the 360° platform of the can to introduce a range of intricate concepts that will resonate with a wider audience.

The stunning designs were created by Denmark-based artist Leo Griffin, who worked closely with Crown’s European design studio and Ægir to ensure the vision for each product in the range was successfully brought to life.

To further enhance the customer experience, Ægir opted for the Crown 360 End – the world’s first full aperture end for two-piece beverage cans. The entire lid of the can is removed, allowing the consumer’s sense of smell to engage with the contents within. The ability to experience the full aroma of craft beer is a very important part of the enjoyment process, Crown said, so the full aperture end was a smart decision.

Ægir is among the first craft breweries in Europe to offer this end to its customers.

Matt Twiss, marketing and business development director for Crown, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ægir. The brewery clearly recognises the inherent benefits metal packaging has to offer in terms of brand promotion and also, importantly, its credentials from a sustainability perspective. Metal packaging is 100% recyclable, and unlike most other packaging materials can be infinitely recycled with no loss of physical properties – a message we continue to reinforce through the Metal Recycles Forever campaign.”

Evan W Lewis, founder of Ægir Bryggeri, added: “Cans were the obvious choice for us as they deliver on many levels – from taste and quality to portability and sustainability. Working with Crown has truly helped us to realise that potential.”