About five years ago, Samantha Lee and her husband Stephen Bossu, both co-founders of Chicago’s Hopewell Brewing, were cleaning up after hosting a party at home. “We realized there were a lot of half-empty 16-ounce cans of beer left, as some guests were interested in sampling different beers,” Lee says. Motivated by the opportunity to reduce waste, Hopewell soon after launched Lil Buddy, a “little lager,” in 8-ounce cans. “These days, with people sampling a lot more than in the past, an 8-ounce can helps to cut down on the waste,” she says, adding that the small cans also turn heads in beer shopping aisles.

While sourcing the mini cans became a challenge during the pandemic—Hopewell pivoted to putting the beer in 16-ounce cans and called it Big Buddy—Lil Buddy was relaunched nearly two years ago, and today it’s available in Illinois, Michigan, New York, Tennessee, and Texas, with 4-packs generally priced between $7-$9. With an abv of just 4.2%, Lil Buddy has been embraced by consumers seeking moderation, Lee notes.

Small beers are nothing new, of course—mainstream domestic and imported brews have offered 7- and 8-ounce bottles and cans for some time—but the package does appear to be enjoying a bit of a resurgence. City Barrel Brewery & Kitchen in Kansas City teamed up with Bally Sports last year on Short Boys pale wheat ale in 8.4-ounce cans, a salute to Major League Baseball’s new pitch clock, and tagged, “Shorter Games. Shorter Beers.” Some craft brewers have even taken to packaging high-abv brews, such as imperial ales and barleywines, in 8-ounce cans in an effort to help consumers moderate consumption. At Chambers Wine & Liquors in Aurora, Colorado, managing partner George Sterling says he began stocking cases of Modelo Especial in 7-ounce bottles for $24 a year ago, and the package is already outselling cases of small bottles and cans from Bud Light, Coors Light, and Corona Extra.

Corona’s 7-ounce Coronita bottles have long been featured in Corona ’Rita frozen Margaritas at on-premise venues around the country. Last year, the brand expanded into 8-ounce cans, and according to Saul Trejo, director of brand marketing for Corona at Constellation Brands, “the initial response has been great. Consumers have loved Coronitas, so we saw the opportunity to bring the format to cans.” The cans are currently available in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina.

Beer retailers agree that small beers are becoming increasingly appealing to consumers. “They can be just the right amount of beer when you’re mowing the lawn and want a quick refresher,” says Steven Rowland, beverage manager at Maryland Farms Wine & Spirits in Brentwood, Tennessee, which stocks 4-packs of Lil Buddy for $6. Phillip Shoemaker, grocery and specialty manager at Chicago’s Dill Pickle Co-Op, which also offers Lil Buddy, adds, “they’re a nice option for consumers who are drinking less alcohol these days. They feel they can have one with dinner, and it’s not too much alcohol.” The diminutive cans also stand out in a sea of 12- and 16-ounce cans, Shoemaker says, noting, “for first time customers, they’re cute and a novelty.” At White Horse Wine & Spirits in Absecon, New Jersey, beer manager Nick Rogers says 7- and 8-ounce beers are popular with golfers, boaters, and beach goers. “Consumers like the idea of being able to drink socially while consuming less or simply finishing a drink more quickly than with a larger format,” the retailer notes.

Lee and Trejo say the mini cans provide retailers with incremental sales without cannibalizing sales of other packages. “This pack format gives retailers another purchase occasion and type of consumer to bring in,” says Trejo. “The cans are highly incremental. They expand the choices for consumers and then for retailers, the purchases.”

While small beers remain a niche, retailers and marketers see opportunity ahead. “These packages have been doing well for years,” says Rogers. “I don’t see them slowing down anytime soon.” Trejo concurs. “Everyone loves a mini,” the beer marketer explains. “We definitely see a growth trajectory for the smaller format.”