In 2002, Oskar Blues became the first American craft brewery to can its own beer. Most of the industry thought they were insane. The conventional wisdom was that cans imparted metallic flavors, that serious beer drinkers wanted bottles, that craft and cans were incompatible. Dale’s Pale Ale spent the next decade proving all of that wrong.The beer itself is assertive by design — Dale Katechis wanted something that could stand out at a ski resort in Lyons, Colorado, where it was first sold. It pours golden-amber with an aggressive white head. The nose is big: pine, citrus, some floral notes, and a solid malt backbone. Compared to a modern West Coast IPA, it’s not extreme. In 2002, it was a statement.At 6.5% ABV and 65 IBUs, it drinks heavier than many modern IPAs of similar strength. The malt presence is genuine — this is a pale ale in the truest sense, where grain and hop share the stage. The finish is bitter, dry, and long. It’s a beer that demands your attention rather than disappearing into easy drinkability.The can defense is complete. Modern can linings eliminated the metallic issue years ago. Cans protect from light better than bottles, seal more completely against oxygen, and are more sustainable. The craft industry eventually followed Oskar Blues. Dale’s just got there first.🍺 Style: American Pale Ale📊 ABV: 6.5% · IBU: 65🏭 Brewery: Oskar Blues — Longmont, CO★ Rating: 4.2/5A piece of craft beer history that still tastes good. That’s not something every pioneer can claim.
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