I has been almost four years since I put out the call about my need for a kölschkranz. And that New York Times piece by Evan Rail about kölsch back in 2007 was accompanied by one of the most gorgeous photos of beer in a kranz... or in any other container... that I have ever seen. It made my kölschkranz need even stronger. Truly, Ich brauche ein kölschkranz. And it has been ein kölschkranzbrauchen without satiation.
Until now. It appears that I may well have finally got my wish if only in cardboard care of the new packaging for Beau's Lug Tread Ale from very eastern Ontario. Look, I am the last guy to go all drippy over beer packaging but this is a fantastic take on putting beer in the hands of the consumer, this consumer. And it is a take that is, frankly, kölschkranztastick. Beau's has been using a great ceramic bottle but the costs were not unburdensome and they have had some issues with getting them returned. Now, they have turned to cardboard and a little strip of hockey skate quality cloth to create another - likely more sustainable and certainly more returnable - canny vessel for their ale's transport. While not quite origami it sure is clever.
As I said, what matters is what is in the glass not how it looks on the shelf but this is a bit of the best of both worlds.