Is there a difference in taste between canned and bottled beer?

Question

I'm firmly convinced that there is a metallic taste with canned beer, and bottled beer as a result tastes much better. But apparently beer tasting studies show there is no difference. If that is true, I'm pleased because I find cans to be cheaper for the expensive imports where I'm from (Ontario). I'm thinking I'm going to have to buy bottled and canned beer of the same brand and see if I can tell the difference. What do you think, is there a taste difference?

Answer 1

I personally don't like cans, but mostly because I don't like drinking from the can. I rarely use a pint glass or mug. I prefer bottles. But if you use a pint glass or mug I guess the metalic taste isn't there?

Answer 2

In the past, a metallic taste in canned beer was a common complaint. Now, all cans come with a inner liner to prevent this. Due to this innovation many breweries that never canned thier beers are doing so now to reduce costs. hope that's helpful.... Cheers!

Answer 3

A properly-lined can should taste better since the photo-sensitive hop components will not contribute a "skunked" or "light-struck" flavor.  An unlined can might contribute aluminum oxides or other flavors but I think they are all lined these days.

In addition, aluminum is easier and more economical to recycle than glass.  It's also lighter.  And can be taken in places bottles cannot (ballpark, etc).  And can chill faster if that is important to you.

Still, canning lines are out of reach of most micro-, craft-, and home-brewers.  The aluminum "bottles" are a nice compromise since they block all light and are cappable by normal means.

I agree with the idea of a blind tasting.  

Answer 4

not to me no.

Answer 5

i totally agree with you!! i taste that metallic taste in can beer!! i cant drink can beer but i can put bottles DOWN!! ha-ha

Answer 6

This is what you do.

Get together with some friends and have a 'blind tasting' ::

Unseen by them you pour an ounce of the same bottle beer into paper cups. Then do the same with canned beer. You can mark the cups 'A' and 'B' just to be able to tell.

The rest is up to you. Do the same with different beers and see what everybody likes or just likes better.

This is a way of getting a little 'education'. Eh?

.

Answer 7

I think it beer  tastes better out of  glass

Answer 8

I agree with you about the metallic taste from canned beer. But I noticed that when I pour canned beer into a pint glass and drink from it, the taste from the can isn't there. So maybe when you drink from the can you're actually just tasting the can itself?

Btw, here in California canned and bottled beer costs the same =(

and I prefer bottled beer.