When Lindsey posted recently about Diamond Bear’s putting their Southern Blonde in a can, I immediately started trying to figure out how I could try it. Unlike a lot of craft beer fans, I like beer out of a can — it stays fresh longer, gets colder, and can be taken to a lot of places where glass bottles aren’t allowed. I’d previously triedCore Brewing brew from a can, and it was fantastic. Craft beer in cans is going to go a long way into pushing regional breweries into the mainstream, something that I think is exciting.

Lucky for me, Diamond Bear had a tent at yesterday’s Stone’s Throw Block Party, and they were slinging those cans as fast as they could. The cans are bright and attractive, featuring a classic blonde pin-up sitting atop the DB logo. I ordered up a can, and the gentleman behind the table cracked it open (which is a satisfying sound), slid it into a cozy, and handed it to me with a grin. I took that first swallow, and a smile crossed my face. Delicious!

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To be perfectly honest, the Southern Blonde had never been one of my favorite brews from Diamond Bear, although that has more to do with how much I like their classic English pale ale. But this beer was a lot better than I remembered — clean-tasting, crisp, and light, but with a good flavor that is far superior to mainstream beers like Bud or Coors. This is a brew that will fit in nicely at your next barbecue, pool party, or trip to the beach — and it’s a good way to introduce folks to craft beer.

I’m really happy that some of my favorite local breweries are moving toward offering some of their brews out of a can. Keeping beer fresh and fantastic is important, and a beer that doesn’t get touched by light is just superior to beer that gets even a little light in bottles. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not abandoning bottles by any means, but the ability to take Arkansas beer on the go like this is very appealing — especially when it tastes this good.

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