Crown Lager has launched a 330mL recyclable aluminium bottle for use at events and venues where glass is prohibited.
Released in July 2008, the bottle has been deployed at Queensland island resorts, racecourses, golf clubs and on Virgin Blue flights, as well as at events including the Caulfield Cup and the Global Gathering music festival. The format unavailable through retail channels.
Foster’s Group said the decision to adopt a bottle form rather than a standard can was deliberate, citing the brand’s positioning at the premium end of the market.
“We believe the bottle is consistent with Crown’s iconic bottle shape and it reflects the quality cues of the beer over a can, which is often perceived to be more mainstream,” a company spokesperson said.
The aluminium bottle mirrors the silhouette of Crown’s glass bottle, which has been a registered shape trade mark in Australia since the brand’s 1954 launch. The company said Crown Lager holds the distinction of being the first beer bottle registered as a shape trade mark in the country.
A limited-run aluminium bottle was previously produced for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games where, as a sponsor, Crown Lager was required to supply product in a non-glass vessel.
The current bottle represents a redesign using more recent manufacturing technology, with production consolidated at the Abbotsford brewery following minor upgrades to accommodate the lighter aluminium format.
The beer is identical to that in the glass version.
