After placing its beer in 150 local bars and restaurants this year, the Kansas City Bier Company has announced plans to make its German-style lager available in area stores by summer 2015.

“That will be our next big step,” said Kansas City Bier Company founder Steve Holle. “I wanted to make sure that there was good brand awareness in the Kansas City area, before we started putting packaged beer on shelves in liquor stores and grocery stores. And I think we are at that point right now.

“Secondly, to buy a quality canning or bottling line is a large investment. I just wanted to make sure that we had the volume of sales to support the use of that equipment.”

Yet a crucial retailing question remains: Bottles or cans?

Holle, who in February opened his brewery and tasting room in the Waldo neighborhood, is still gathering information and mulling his packaging options.

Canning is a new trend in the craft beer industry, Holle said, because cans are easier to transport than bottles and don’t allow penetration of light, which can damage beer quality. But pre-printed cans cost more for a brewer to purchase than do generic brown bottles, which can be labeled as needed.

“The most critical issue with filling a bottle or a can is limiting the amount of oxygen that is taken up in the filling process,” Holle said. “Just as with bread, oxygen causes the flavors to go stale in beer. So what I will be primarily focused on is the most cost effective way to minimize the level of oxygen pickup in the bottle or can, when we are filling those containers.

“Cans are probably going to provide more consumer interest, but I think the bottling technology for the cost will provide the best protection to the beer.”

Stay tuned.

In other Kansas City Bier Company news, Holle has made a World Series wager with 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco. If the San Francisco Giants defeat the Kansas City Royals in the series, Holle and his staff will wear 21st Amendment shirts in the Kansas City Bier Company tasting room.

“And if the Giants lose, they’re going to have to wear our shirts in their tasting room,” Holle said.

Of course, the Royals won’t lose. But might wearing another brewery’s shirts take anything away from the taste of Kansas City Bier Company beer?

“It shouldn’t,” Holle said with a laugh.