Aluminum Beer Bottles Launched

PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh Brewing Co. here has replaced the glass bottles for its Iron City beer with aluminum bottles developed by Alcoa. The bottles have the potential to replace glass beer bottles across the country, according to an Alcoa official.

The new bottles became available this week and will be marketed in specially designed 24-pack cases. The bottles are made by CCL Container in Hermitage, Pa., out of Alcoa aluminum.

"Since we introduced this we've gotten calls from all of the major players in the industry, on the global, national, and regional basis," Kevin Lowery, director of communications at Alcoa, told Progressive Grocer.

Lowery said the aluminum bottle can keep beer colder about 50 minutes longer than beer packaged in a glass bottle, and it gets the beer colder faster.

"Another advantage is that these weigh significantly less than a glass bottle," Lowery said, noting that they are three times thicker than an aluminum can. "It doesn't break, so there are lots of benefits on the consumer side, as well as on the manufacturer side."

The bottles are also easily recycled.

"Pittsburgh Brewing and our Iron City brand have a long history of innovation, from the first pop-top can to the first twist-off resealable cap to our new aluminum bottle," said Joseph Piccirilli, vice chairman of Pittsburgh Brewing Co.

-- Richard Turcsik
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