One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Adrian Grenier Wants To Make Opening A Beer In L.A. Difficult
Adrian holds the key (via Facebook)
Adrian Grenier seems to think opening a beer in Los Angeles is easy, perhaps, too easy. Or we can only assume that's why the actor has just introduced L.A. to his Portland-based Churchkey Can Co. beer, which requires a churchkey tool to open. Not content with easy-to-open modern beer cans, the Entourage actor's craft beer cans must be punctured—not once, but twice—just like your grandparents used to do.
Co-developed by former Nike designer Justin Hawkins, the Churchkey Can Co. was launched in 2012 in the Pacific Northwest, after Grenier and Hawkins thought it would be cool to give a nod to the old-school design and packaging of mid-20th century American beer cans. The two were somehow surprised to find that no other craft breweries are using steel cans with flat-tops that require a tool.
While other beer companies are busy adding widemouth openings to make chugging easier, these cans are supposed to be a throw-back to 'simpler times' when people opened their beer with more effort and had to walk to school uphill both ways.
According to the L.A. Times, the Churchkey Can Co. beer does actually taste good, even if it does require a bit of muscle to open: "While it’s tough to enjoy the subtle aroma through the triangular notch cut into the can’s lid by the included churchkey opener, the brew’s medium body and balanced bitterness make it fine sessionable option for backyard BBQs and pool parties."
Let's just hope someone brought a churchkey to the pool party.
Six-packs of the beer can now be found around Los Angeles—just in time for the upcoming release of the Entourage movie—for your can-opening and drinking enjoyment.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
