Why Doesn't Every Brewery Date Their Bottles/Cans?

Yeah, 3 years. Probably should have worded that differently (and just did, via an edit ), to better distinguish the higher ABV beers which are given 3 or 5 year shelf life periods. Golden Monkey is 9.5%.

 

I don't think we, or I, should have to gamble and waste our money. that's one I the reasons I quite often don't buy something that's not dated unless I can guesstimate its fresh (ex. just was stocked on store shelves). But, I could understand, and not that I would do this if I was a brewer, that its scary to work hard and spend money on something that you might not get your money back and the simple date code could make that difference.

I think IMO if they all thought long term, having a date code would increase sales. it shows you care about your consumers IMO, being able to enjoy something fresh and know when its not.

 

I'd say the majority of people who wouldn't buy a beer because they "perceive" it as old based on the date code, are also the type of beer buyers who pass on un-dated beer, too.

 

This kinda bothers me, Sierra Nevada has a way to clearly indicate a Date, but they only use it for European export.
Why can't they use it for domestic shipments to clearly indicate a bottled on date?

 

I don't know if I can agree that many breweries don't date because...their beers sells out way before the freshness fades. What "regularly-available" IPA or other common shelf beer sells out with any sort of regularity? I would say the opposite is true. Most beers sit around on shelves forever and ever.

 

Founders just does the good ole stamp like you see on a cereal box for the EXP date. So I don't think changing the label is needed.

 

Uncle Sam says a brewery must be able to trace product in the field back to its ingredients and visa versa. Try doing that without coding bottles/cans/kegs in some way.

 

First of all, I don't believe I made any reference to a "regularly available" IPA or any other beer that might be "readily available". The statement referred to breweries whose beer sells out quickly so they don't need to date. If you give it some thought, a beer that sells out quickly, is not "readily available". In fact, readily available and sells out quickly are oxymorons so therefore, I don't have an answer for your question.
Now seasonals are another story but you didn't ask about "readily available" seasonals that sell out.

 

I believe coding for this purpose is different from dating when the beer was brewed or when it is best by.

 

fair enough

 

Coding is often done by batch number. Batch number does not have to include a date or time.

 

"Coding for this purpose" IS coding so someone can tell when and where the beer was produced. So if you see a bottle/can with zero coding they are not in compliance with the law.

 

But that is different from a bottled on or enjoy by date, which is what this thread was discussing.

 

I wonder sometimes if the real problem is that there is too much beer. Some breweries kick out so much product that it cannot be consumed fresh in all markets. It's a vicious circle.

We should toast Vinnie @ Russian River who's been on the "fresh is best" bandwagon for a long time. RR lives by the notion that quality is better than quantity. And... while many people (myself included) complain that there is not enough Pliny the Elder to meet demand - the beer (when you can find it) is always fresh. The only thing rarer than Pliny, is Old Pliny.

I often marvel at what Stone has accomplished with the "Enjoy By" product. It really is an amazing feat of coordinated production / bottling, distribution and sales followed by consumption. All of this takes place in a designated (short) time frame which ensure the beer is as fresh as possible.

 

Correct! A brewery is not required to display its production date. But if there is absolutely no code on the bottle/can most likely the government requirement is not being met.

 

Yeah, I understood. But it does not change the fact, that bottling dates would be way better.

Actually, many Euro breweries give ridiculous dates here as well.

 

In most cases you are right with seasonals. But especially with importers, it could be different story. I have bought several times over year old seasonal IPA. Sometimes, there is still old bottles at stores and you don't know it before you taste it.

And year round collection...there is a lot of bottles without dates, which don't move. Also in the States.

 

It would be best, if there would be both.

 

We're actually switching this very soon(ish) we'll now include a bottled-on date printed on the neck like in your photo.

-Bill