Plastic: Too drastic for beer?

The traditionalist heart of Charlie Bamforth comes to the fore regarding all things plastic, in this installment of his continuing examination of alternative outcomes to those forecast by our ground-breaking Brewery of the Future special issue. While there are barrier properties commercially available that improve the protective performance of plastics, the good professor argues that costs relative to glass and cans, but most importantly aesthetic appeal, will continue to limit brand owner's use of the packaging.