Oskar Blues and Sun King Craft Breweries Launch Limited-Release "Chaka" Beer in Alumi-Tek® Pint Bottles by Ball

BROOMFIELD, Colo., May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) and premier craft beer breweries Oskar Blues Brewery of Lyons, Colo., and Sun King Brewing Co. of Indianapolis, Ind., are bringing a sleek new packaging silhouette to craft beer retail shelves. In collaboration, the breweries are introducing Chaka, a limited-release, handcrafted Belgian-style ale brewed by both companies and packaged in distinctive 16-oz. resealable Alumi-Tek® bottles by Ball.

(Photo: https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120501/LA97215)

"Unique packaging like the Alumi-Tek bottle provides both Oskar Blues and Sun King the differentiation we needed to make our limited-release beers distinct from our core lines. Plus, the sleek bottle shape is appealing to our customers," said Chad Melis, marketing director of Oskar Blues Brewery. "Craft beer in aluminum bottles is another step forward in the evolution of beer."

The Ball aluminum bottle delivers portability with a resealable twist off cap and a wide mouth opening for a smooth pour. The 100-percent recyclable bottle is lightweight, unbreakable, efficient to ship and store, an excellent brand billboard and is impervious to light and oxygen – providing unparalleled flavor protection and long shelf life for the beer inside.

"Alumi-Tek drinks like a bottle and cools like a can to deliver a clean, crisp taste experience for the craft beer drinker," said Robert M. Miles, senior vice president, sales for Ball's metal beverage packaging division, Americas.  "With the can's many advantages, including resealability, portability, high recycling rates, brand building graphics and beneficial economics to name just a few, craft brewers and consumers alike are reaching for aluminum containers."

About Oskar Blues Brewery
Founded by Dale Katechis in 1997 as a brew pub and grill in 1997, Oskar Blues Brewery launched its craft-brewed beer canning operations in 2002 in Lyons, CO. Oskar Blues was the first American Craft Brewery to brew and can its beer. Visit www.oskarblues.com/ for more information. A limited-release, Belgian-style ale, Chaka was created in collaboration with Sun King Brewing Co of Indianapolis, Ind. The beer is available in select locations during the Craft Beer Conference in San Diego, May 1–5 and in 16-oz. resealable, aluminum bottles at the Oskar Blues Tasty Weasel Tap Room, Longmont, Colorado for a limited time.

About Sun King Brewing Company
Sun King Brewing Company is the brainchild of Dave Colt and Clay Robinson and with the help of co-owners – Omar Robinson, Andy Fagg and Steve Koers – the first keg of Sun King beer rolled out the door for delivery in July 2009. Sun King is the first full scale production brewery in Indianapolis since 1948 and today is the third-largest beer brewer in the state of Indiana. Visit www.sunkingbrewing.com for more information. A limited-release, Belgian-style ale, Chaka was created in collaboration with Oskar Blues Brewery of Lyons, Colo. The beer will be distributed in central Indiana in four packs of 16-oz. resealable, aluminum bottles.

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