PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Mainers tend to be on the go at this time of year -- headed to camp, the lake, the beach. Shipyard Brewing Company saw an opportunity in that outdoor fun, so the company will start offering some of its beer in cans.
"People want to be able to drink Shipyard Export on their boat, golf courses, around the pool and with glass it's difficult," according to Shipyard owner Fred Forsley. "So we have been shut out of a lot of those locations and right now consumers are looking for micros in cans so that they can enjoy them wherever they can take them. So from our standpoint it was a great opportunity to put our flagship beer in a can."
The first shipment of Shipyard Export in a can arrived in Portland Monday. The beer will start showing up on store shelves next week. Shipyard's extremely popular autumn brew, Pumpkinhead, will also be available in cans this year. The company says the move to cans will help meet the growing demand for the pumpkin-flavored beer.
The Brewers Association ranks Shipyard as the 16th largest craft brewery in the U.S.