The process of fermentation provides us with such deliciousness as yogurt, cheese, alcohol, sauerkraut, sourdough, and other sour things in general. If you've ever been interested in trying your hand at food science, here's your guide to everything you need to get started in the wild world of fermentation!
This might not work where your water table is high in that if the hole fills with water, the can will float up.
I found some great books on fermentation techniques here.