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Bomb Lager, A Can-Only NYC Craft Beer

By

Garth Johnston

Published Oct 31, 2011

Modified Oct 31, 2011

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Don't judge a beer by its packaging.

 

By

Garth Johnston

Published Oct 31, 2011

Modified Oct 31, 2011

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For the past few years quality craft beer has slowly been making its way into cans (hi Sixpoint!) but a quality craft beer available only in a can still remains a rare sight in your average cooler. Which is something Bomb Lager, which currently just makes one beer and only sells it in cans, is trying to fix.

Seeing a can of Bomb Lager in a fridge your first response might be, "what kind of crazy soft drink is that?" But look closer, it isn't a soda! Its a craft Maibock/Helles Bock beer that happens to be in a neon green and black can. And it is a surprisingly solid, not-very-hoppy craft beer. That the quirky designs on its cans are the work of East Village artist Billy the Artist just makes it tastier.

"Craft beer without craft beer prices," is how the beer's owners describe the brew to us, and the lines around their table at Village Pour earlier this month seemed to back up their claims (seriously, we could barely approach it). When we tried a few at Gothamist HQ we were initially very skeptical (see: the packaging) but found it to be a nice, easy beer at the end of a long day.

Right now Bomb Lager pretty much only available in the East Village and the Lower East Side, but they plan to keep expanding to more retail outlets. As for why the beer is brewed in Pennsylvania not New York, where the company itself is located, its all about the Benjamins. Their contract brewer, Lion Brewery, keeps the cost of the startup down—and real estate in New York ain't cheap.

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