Ball Corporation Provides 'Royal' Package to Oskar Blues Brewery to Mark Tenth Anniversary of Canned Craft Beer

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Oct 12, 2012, 10:00 ET

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL), the largest beverage can company in the world, has teamed with Oskar Blues Brewery of Longmont, Colo., to introduce the first beer packaged in a "Royal Pint" (568-mL) can to the North American market. Oskar Blues will launch its signature brew, Dale's Pale Ale, in the supersized can today at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121012/LA91584)

"2012 marks the tenth anniversary of the debut of Dale's Pale Ale as the first craft beer available in recyclable aluminum cans in North America," said Chad Melis, marketing director for Oskar Blues Brewery. "We wanted to go big with our anniversary celebration and launching Dale's in Ball's new Royal Pint size is another first for Oskar Blues."

The Dale's Pale Ale Royal Pint will initially feature special edition graphics and will later be available with the same signature graphics as the Dale's Pale Ale 12-oz. aluminum can. Ball is the only can manufacturer in North America to make the Royal Pint, which is approximately the height of a 24-oz. can and the diameter of a 16-oz. can. Oskar Blues is the first brewer in North America – craft or otherwise – to package beer in the unique, sleek-looking can.

"The 568-mL can offers our North American customers a new option to differentiate their brands and appeal to consumers," said Robert M. Miles, senior vice president, sales, for Ball's metal beverage packaging division, Americas. "Can size is an important element of branding and it is fitting that Oskar Blues is commemorating this special anniversary in a can size that is new to North America."

As with all Ball aluminum beverage cans and aluminum bottles, the 568mL can contains the highest percent of recycled content on average of any beverage package, chills quickly, is stackable and 100 percent recyclable.

About Oskar Blues Brewery
Founded by Dale Katechis in 1997 as a brew pub and grill, Oskar Blues Brewery launched its craft-brewed beer canning operations in 2002 in Lyons, Colo. Oskar Blues was the first American Craft Brewery to brew and can its beer. Visit www.oskarblues.com/ for more information.

About Ball Corporation
Ball Corporation is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

SOURCE Ball Corporation