In these parts once the radio stations turn Christmasy and the ugly sweaters are in heavy rotation, the talk around town is the annual beer can tree. Along with an actual Christmas tree, my family puts up a second tree, all adorned with the best beer cans of the year. These are chosen due to sentimental value or as a cherished memory of the year gone by (and sometimes they check both boxes). So let’s take a long December look into the annual beer can Christmas tree and the cans that made it this year.
Bissell Brothers – Bastron
Although the almighty Heady Topper often adorns the precipice of the tree, due to petitioning by the kids, Bastron by Bissell Brothers finds its place atop the tree. The story of this can is twofold. From the outset this is just a super cool can. The design is a Transformers-esque character to represent their Bastron pale ale. Not only is the can super awesome but the pale ale itself is really good. And for the sentimental side, I purchased it on my now annual guys’ weekend in Portland, Maine!
Budweiser
No, I never was able to drink the contents of this beer but my buddy, Mike, gave me this can years ago to find a yearly place among the stars, or at least the fake branches of the annual beer can tree. This is an old school can that needed an opener to, well, open it. Without a tab, it remains hookless on the tree but every year still earns prominent placement in the tree.
Thomas Hooker – Goat Ade
On a warm August day at a Hartford Yard Goats baseball game, I was searching for a thirst-quenching beverage. Alas, the Goat-Ade shandy (think Gatorade colors with the Yard Goats label) arose out of the mist, presenting the perfect balance of refreshing but still tasting like you’re having a beer. Later that afternoon we visited Thomas Hooker Brewing at Colt and I was able to take home a four-pack of the Goat-Ade.
Mayflower Thanksgiving Ale
Annually I just need this beer. Each year the beer can is adorned with the year. This year I opted for the bourbon barrel-aged which I liked even better than the traditional.
Beer Can Art for the Ages
Many of these cans don’t officially have a backstory. Instead, the can art is just awesome. Tree House is well represented with classics such as Julius and Green but my favorite this year is Cozy. It’s a Baltic Porter and I just want to be transported to this snowy scene that is depicted on the can.
J. Wakefield is a brewery out of Florida but their Pesky’s Pole is true New England. Two Weeks Notice out of Massachusetts has a fun cartoon on the can. Trillium’s Levitate collab keeps their pencil and ink drawing staples with the funkiness of this surf and lifestyle brand. Dublin City out of Ireland’s striking red an stands out amongst the green pseudo branches.
Whether in it for taste, history, or just simply a cool can, the annual beer can tree never fails to inspire. Remember, once the calendar page turns January, these cans hit the old recycling center for eleven more months of collecting cans from the next year. I hope you enjoyed this December look into the annual beer can Christmas tree.
