This Gadget Turns Any Beer Can Into a Pint Glass

The popularity of craft beer has soared in recent years, prompting some analysts to fret about a potential "beer bubble". In the U.S. alone, new breweries are opening at a rate of roughly one to two per day, according to the Brewers Association.

To meet the ever-increasing demand for quality beer, craft brewers are returning to old-school methods of beer delivery—namely, cans.

Canned beer tends to taste fresher than bottled beer, presumably because it prevents light damage. But, more importantly, it just tastes better. (Yes, I realize that's a debatable position, but I'd take a can over a bottle most days of the week.)

But there's one big problem with drinking beer directly from a can or bottle: Without the head, you don't get the aroma. That's why glasses are the preferred vessel for serious beer drinkers. But a new Kickstarter-backed product believes it has found a compromise: Just cut the lid off the can.

The Draft Top is a pocket-sized bar tool designed to safely remove the tops of aluminum cans. The wood-and-stainless mechanism works by spreading four splitters out toward the rim of the can, separating the top from the rim and folding the perimeter over itself to ensure a smooth edge for safe drinking.

Oh, and there's also a bottle opener. You know... just in case.

{{amazon name="Thermos Stainless Steel Beverage Can Insulator", asin="B0000644AF", align="right"}} It's a cleverly designed contraption, and it's easy to see how it might attract a small audience of hardcore beer nerds. But the creators point to a variety of additional uses that might attract more casual drinkers, including the option to add ingredients to create Bloody Marys, Mimosas, Beer Sangrias, and Micheladas.

You can get your own Draft Top for a Kickstarter pledge of at least $45. The campaign currently has 12 days to go and has already nearly doubled its initial funding goal of $75,000.

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