"Mama's" gets the Royal Treatment

BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Oskar Blues, the pioneer of the craft beer in cans revolution, has teamed up with can maker Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) to offer its popular Mama's Little Yella Pils in Ball's Royal Pint (568-mL or 19.2-oz.) can. Oskar Blues launched the Czech-style pilsner in the supersized can at the recent Craft Brewers Conference in Washington, D.C.

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"The larger 568-mL can, or 'Stovepipe' as we call it, is a perfect package for Mama's Little Yella Pils," said Chad Melis, marketing director for Oskar Blues Brewery. "With the success last year of Dale's Pale Ale in the Royal Pint, putting the gently hopped and low alcohol (ABV just 5.3%) Mama's in the larger, easily recyclable can was a natural progression, and it allows our consumers to take it places glass can't go."

The new Royal Pint will feature the same signature graphics as the Mama's Little Yella Pils 12-oz. aluminum can. Ball is the only can manufacturer in North America who makes the Royal Pint, which is approximately the height of a 24-oz. can and the diameter of a 16-oz. can. With the launches of Dale's Pale Ale and Mama's Little Yella Pils in the Royal Pint, Oskar Blues is the first brewer in North America – craft or otherwise – to package beer in the sleek-looking, single-serve can.

"Oskar Blues recognized the beer-protecting benefits of cans more than 10 years ago, and have continued to partner with Ball to pioneer the category with the Royal Pint," said Robert M. Miles, senior vice president, sales, for Ball's metal beverage packaging division, Americas. "Packaging is an important component of branding, and the 568-mL can offers our North American customers a way to distinguish their brands. And with the aluminum can's ability to block out light and oxygen, craft brewers achieve their ultimate goal of delivering better tasting beer to their consumers."

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.

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 approximately 15,000 people worldwide and reported 2012 sales of more than $8.7 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

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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