Beer Shelf Life

BlackDog · 01-21-2010, 09:23 AM

Hops lose their "sharpness" if aged more than a few to six months. An aged double IPA, such as Dogfish Head or HopSlam, becomes much more like a barleywine.

Malt-centric beers, if they are high abv%, age best.

Always store beers in a dark location. I am cautious about buying beers in the store too. I often take beers from the back of a shelf where the product receives less light.

kaisersozei · 01-23-2010, 06:21 AM

On New Year's Eve, I opened a bottle of this Belgian-style ale:

from 2002.

Very effervescent, fruity and tart, almost sour. It was an interesting beer, but I think it was a bit past it's age (the label said to drink it by 2007, but I had kept in the frig since then.) I tried to salvage the yeast to use in a homebrew, but didn't have much luck.

I still have some high ABV% homebrew from 1995 & 1996 that I open on occasion: a coffee stout, two spiced holiday beers, and a barleywine. I'm really surprised that they are aging so well.

01-21-2010, 09:23 AM	#1
BlackDog Gonna make you groove... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Warren Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 2,468 Trading: (19)	Re: Beer Shelf Life Hops lose their "sharpness" if aged more than a few to six months. An aged double IPA, such as Dogfish Head or HopSlam, becomes much more like a barleywine. Malt-centric beers, if they are high abv%, age best. Always store beers in a dark location. I am cautious about buying beers in the store too. I often take beers from the back of a shelf where the product receives less light. __________________ "We live in the good of this."

01-23-2010, 06:21 AM	#2
kaisersozei The Homebrew Hammer Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Gerard Location: Midlothian, VA Posts: 3,183 Trading: (40)	Re: Beer Shelf Life On New Year's Eve, I opened a bottle of this Belgian-style ale: from 2002. Very effervescent, fruity and tart, almost sour. It was an interesting beer, but I think it was a bit past it's age (the label said to drink it by 2007, but I had kept in the frig since then.) I tried to salvage the yeast to use in a homebrew, but didn't have much luck. I still have some high ABV% homebrew from 1995 & 1996 that I open on occasion: a coffee stout, two spiced holiday beers, and a barleywine. I'm really surprised that they are aging so well. __________________

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