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Beer Recall: Sierra Nevada Pulls Bottles Due to Chipped Glass Risk

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Two bottles of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
(Image credit: LunaseeStudios / Shutterstock, Inc.)

Beermaker Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is recalling some of its bottled beer sold in 36 states, after a flaw was found in the glass containers that could pose a risk of injury to consumers, according to the company.

On Sunday (Jan. 22), the company announced that a very small number of its bottles were found to have a flaw that could cause a small piece of glass to break off the top of the bottle and fall inside the container.

The recall affects bottles that were produced at one of the company's breweries in North Carolina from Dec. 5, 2016, through Jan. 17, 2017. Sierra Nevada estimates that just 1 out of every 10,000 bottles packaged during this time has the flaw, but the company decided to issue a voluntary recall "to ensure the safety of our consumers," a statement on the company's website said. So far, the company has not received any reports of people being hurt from the recalled bottles.

The recall applies to the following varieties of Sierra Nevada beer, sold in 12-ounce bottles: Camp Golden IPA, Pale Ale, Sidecar Orange Pale Ale, Tropical Torpedo, Nooner, Hop Hunter, Otra Vez and Torpedo Extra IPA. These bottles could have been purchased by U.S. consumers at stores in the Midwest, South and East Coast, the company said. The exact beers affected by the recall are listed on the company's website. [Raise Your Glass: 10 Intoxicating Beer Facts]

Consumers who bought any of the recalled beer are advised not to drink it, and can get a refund.

But what if people who bought the recalled beer already drank it? Sierra Nevada said that if consumers opened and drank a bottle with this flaw, they could have noticed a few things. First, before opening the bottle, the consumer might have noticed signs of the beer leaking out of the top of the bottle. And if the beer was opened, a small piece of the top of the bottle might have broken off, causing the top to appear rough or uneven. If consumed, the beer might have had a "flat" taste due to loss of carbonation, the company said.

If people think they have consumed glass, or if they have a related health concern, they should contact their doctor or call 911, the company advised.

Original article on Live Science.

Rachael Rettner
Rachael Rettner
Contributor

Rachael is a Live Science contributor, and was a former channel editor and senior writer for Live Science between 2010 and 2022. She has a master's degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a B.S. in molecular biology and an M.S. in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American.