A New Can Design Supposedly Pours the Perfect Beer

One Japanese firm wants to help you drink better

Beer glasses raised in a toast. Close-up hands with glasses. Blurred bar interior at the background
The perfect pour isn't just for drafts anymore
Getty Images

The Japanese do a lot of things really well. Drinking culture is a big deal in the country, which obviously explains their expertise in everything from cocktails to whisky. But beer is also a beloved beverage in Japan, so design firm Nendo decided to create a can that will make pouring the perfect brew a breeze.

“Beer heads are considered essential for having beer taste better, at least in Japan,” the company wrote. “It is because a layer of foam with adequate thickness acts as a lid to prevent beer from coming into contact with the air, and keeps it from releasing aroma, flavor and carbonation.”

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It makes a lot of sense when you think about it, but pouring beer from a can really doesn’t let you achieve this perfect ratio. That’s where Nendo’s two-tab can comes in. When the company was in the research stage, they found that two factors had to be considered for the design: the drop in pressure when the can is opened, and bubbles that form when the liquid hits the top of the can. So Nendo placed not one, but two, tabs on opposite sides of the can’s opening, and each serving a different purpose.

nendo two tab beer can design
Two tabs are better than one
Masahiro Ohgami

When you pull the first tab, the lid opens partially, which creates a bubbly foam when poured into a glass. When the glass has been filled halfway, you pull the second tab to fully open the can and allow the rest of the beer to flow. “In this way, a glass with a liquid-foam ratio of 7:3, [the] so-called golden ratio, can now be easily achieved with canned beer,” the company said.

While we have no idea if breweries will start using this can (an extra tab sounds like extra $$$), anything that improves the quality of an alcoholic beverage sounds like a win to us.

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