We got a random question through the email about a month ago and I had to do my research on it before I could provide an answer. It also sparked a good debate between Lady T and I. We were asked how long does a beer last after you bring it home? That seems like a simple question to answer. But, the answer really is a complex one. And it is thought provoking. I don’t like to have beer sit out too long before putting it in the fridge. Actually, I may put most of it in the beer fridge right away. However, Lady T will often say, “why are you putting that in the fridge? I thought that we’re going to let that age for a while.” We have a dark cool spot in the house where we can keep the beer from the light and it seems to hold up well for months.
So, I did get down to the nitty gritty of the answer, I had to contact the homie Lance, who is a Certified Cicerone and is attending the Regis University Applied Craft Beer Certificate Program. Keep that info in mind because we will be talking about this in the very near future. Lance hit us with some knowledge on storing beer and aging beer and stuff. A lot of it depends on several variables. It depends on your location. It depends on whether it is canned or bottled. It depends on the type of beer. It depends on a lot of different things. For example, if the ABV is higher than 8%, you generally don’t need to worry about rushing to drink the beer. It is a good one to probably cellar. However, many IPA’s or other hoppy influenced beers are going to age quick. So, you want to drink those. Amber lagers, American pale ales, or American strong ales need to be consumed in a short period of time if you want to get everything out of the beer.
To get the best out of your beer, think of the Code of 3. If it is going to be out in anything above normal conditions, you need to drink it in 3 days time. If it is in a dark space in normal room temperature, you know, between 72 and 77 degrees, you can hold it for around 30 days before it begins to lose some of its qualities. If you plan to store it in the beer fridge, you can get about 300 days before it begins to slip. With all that being said. I have had some beers that were not stored properly that turned out very well. Unless you have a couple of refrigerators dedicated to beer, I wouldn’t get too caught up in the temp of the fridge that much. A good temperature for beer is anywhere between 42 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Most beer fridges are set at around 46 degrees Fahrenheit. With all of this info, it sort of makes you wonder about the beer that is on the shelf at some of your local bottle shops, doesn’t it? How many of you check the shelf life of the beer that you are purchasing? I admit that I sure don’t. I can’t say that I have gotten anything that was bad from any of my regular stops. Gives us something to think about though.