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COVID costs adding up for breweries and cideries in Hampton Roads

Aluminum is in high demand. Craft brewers say it’s an added COVID stress, making aluminum cans hard to find.

HAMPTON, Va. — A year ago, COVID-19 brought shortages of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Now basic materials like lumber and aluminum are in high demand.

Brewery and cidery owners in Hampton told us it’s an added COVID stress that’s hiking aluminum can costs.

A variety of semi-sweet and dry ciders pump out of Sly Clyde Ciderworks each week. But lately, the aluminum can it’s poured in is difficult to keep in the machine.

“It’s hard to find cans these days,” said owner Doug Smith. “That’s costing us more. The cans' price goes up because of scarcity”

When bars and restaurants shut down last year, Smith said craft producers put all their kegs into cans and onto store shelves.

“That meant there was more scarcity at the same time there was more need for aluminum, and that has really strained the industry,” Smith said.

It’s just another hit for Smith, who is already dealing with added costs from disposable cups and juice.

“We are seeing our cost to get cider to people up about 16 percent,” Smith said. “Which is significant for a small business that is really just trying to get through a pandemic.”

Just down the road is Oozlefinch Beers and Blending. Their bread and butter are sour beers.

Owner Russel Tinsley said their can prices went up from 21 to 23 cents, which adds up when you package about 900,000 cans a year. They switched can companies.

“Signing on with a larger company. We were able to decrease our costs by 5 cents a can, almost,” Tinsley said.

They also needed to find specific cans that could handle the pH level of their brews. Still, pandemic closures also opened new doors for each business.

“Pushed our brand kind of to a level we were not at before COVID,” Tinsley said.

“We are growing, really throughout Hampton Roads and down to the Outer Banks,” Smith said.

Despite COVID challenges, both owners said they haven’t had to raise drink prices and hope they don’t have to!

They believe 2021 is turning things around.

“It makes me excited that we can open the taproom up, and to be able to add more revenue streams back in; it makes me more excited for the future,” Tinsley said.

Both are ready to bring more delicious brews to life.

“Kegs are going more, bars and restaurants are opening, which is fantastic,” Smith said. “And hopefully the industry is going to make it through this really difficult pandemic.”

Oozlefinch is also trying out hybrid beer festivals for people who want to enjoy their brews from home or in person. They have one coming up on May 22, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tinsley said 42 breweries from across the U.S. are participating.

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