Light struck beer at outdoor patios

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by ZAP, Jul 15, 2019.

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  1. HoppingMadMonk

    HoppingMadMonk Grand Pooh-Bah (4,679) Mar 3, 2017 New Jersey
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    I drink in the shade,keeps beer cold longer and I stay cool
     
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  2. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
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    Plus, lots of bartenders or (uptight) party-throwers frown on drinking directly from the container when it comes to draught beer...:grin:
     
  3. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
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    Thank goodness there are some 'free spirits' out there!?!

    [​IMG]
     
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  4. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I've mentioned an experiment I tried bottling a home-brewed Blonde Ale in a clear bottle. Took it to a summer picnic and chilled it in one of those ice-filled, 5 gallon galvanized metal buckets with a bunch of other beers -- plunked right in the sun. I capped the bottle in less than half-an-hour and the skunkiness almost knocked me over!

    Upside was, it aired out pretty well and dissipated the skunk.

    Truth be told, I've consumed a lot of beer in glass vessels out-of-doors over the years and never noticed a big skunkiness. Maybe just the right amount of shade and drinking speed? :wink:
     
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  5. MikeP64

    MikeP64 Zealot (661) Jan 24, 2015 South Carolina

    First of all,BS....Drink your beer faster...So am I to believe this is light or heat causing this??
    This post should have been in the 'Controversial Beer Opinions 'thread.
     
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  6. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
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    I am uncertain what you exactly intend by "believe" but skunking is chemical reaction involving light (otherwise referred to a lightstruck).

    Really no genuine controversy here.

    https://beersensoryscience.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/lightstruck/

    Cheers!
     
  7. Kinsman

    Kinsman Maven (1,433) Aug 26, 2009 Nevada

    I generally avoid drinking IPAs outside as it usually takes no more than 5 minutes for me to pick up the smell. Regardless of the beer, I do what I can to keep it in the shade as much as possible.

    What always amazes me here in sunny CA, is come spring time at my local ski resort during apres-ski, people will order IPAs like Fresh Squeezed by the pitcher and let it just sit there in the sun. Just standing near the pitcher I'll get a big of whiff of skunk, yet the consumers of said pitcher seem to happily drink their degraded over-priced beer.
     
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  8. Oktoberfiesta

    Oktoberfiesta Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2013 New Mexico

    I'm with @denver10 for Albuquerque.

    Beer gets warmer faster than it does skunking. Never had a issue. But you'd be pretty stupid to be drinking in direct sunlight in NM.
     
  9. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
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    I take it you're unfamiliar with skunked (light-struck) beer? It's not BS.
     
  10. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
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    All this discussion about how beers skunk in location A but not in location B reminds me of the grit scene from the movie My Cousin Vinnie. Maybe some areas have ‘magic’ IPAs?:confused:

    Cheers!
     
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  11. TriggerFingers

    TriggerFingers Initiate (0) Apr 29, 2012 California

    True, it's not BS.

    Let me be of some assistance:

    1) Get an ice chest (and place it in the shade)
    2) Put (preferably canned) beer inside
    3) Top with ice
    4) CLOSE THE LID!!!
    5) Drink in the shade
     
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  12. bbtkd

    bbtkd Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,326) Sep 20, 2015 South Dakota
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Pretty simple, if you drink outside stay in the shade or drink from a can or chug it. Or just drink New Belgium Hemperor, comes pre-skunked. But I don't advise that.
     
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  13. deleted_user_1239096

    deleted_user_1239096 Maven (1,275) Jun 4, 2018

    I live in Minnesota too, and it happens within about a minute. I thought I was losing it the other day when the beer was fresh and about 45 seconds later, smelled of skunk. 90+ degree weather...grrrr
     
  14. NYR-Zuuuuc

    NYR-Zuuuuc Maven (1,307) Jan 1, 2013 Connecticut

    Local brewery near me has growlers on the outdoor tables that have a little umbrella attached to them . This way you can keep your beer shaded when sitting outside. Keeps it from getting light struck. It’s a nice touch. Surprised more places don’t do it.
     
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  15. anfield86

    anfield86 Pooh-Bah (2,594) Nov 21, 2006 New Jersey
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    I just did a quick blind taste test just to test out this "my beer skunked in 30 seconds!" theory; special thanks to my wonderful fiancee....

    The beer is Cape May IPA, 12oz can packaged 6/21/19. One can was split between two glasses: one glass is in direct sunlight for exactly 2 minutes, the other half was poured indoors in relative darkness. It is currently 86 degrees Fahrenheit outside with a UV Index of 9. My lovely assistant poured each glass into separate unmarked glassware while I looked away in relative embarrassment for what I am asking her to do.

    I won't get into tasting notes because I think flavor descriptors are for assholes (relax, i'm joking..i'm just extremely lazy). Much to my surprise, I correctly guessed the beer that was outside for two minutes. However, the difference was extremely negligible; I really had to "reach" for the flavor differences. No "skunk" notes by any stretch of the imagination, the only difference I was detecting was a very subtle loss of citrus hop flavor in the 'outdoor pour'. Both pours still tasted very good and I wouldn't turn down either one of them. If anything the outdoor pour warmed up just a few degrees, enough to bring out some of the wonderful malt flavors this beer has (for an IPA).

    Perhaps my next one will be less hop forward. Maybe something more nuanced like Ayinger Pilsner (though it was bottled in January so it's not the best test subject).

    TL;DR = For my tastes, my original opinion was more or less confirmed: direct sunlight really does not skunk your beer in 30 seconds. Results my vary. Cheers.
     
  16. meefmoff

    meefmoff Pooh-Bah (1,848) Jul 6, 2014 Massachusetts
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    No single study is conclusive of course, but the fact that you ran off and immediately did an experiment is fantastic. Cheers to you good sir :grin:
     
  17. anfield86

    anfield86 Pooh-Bah (2,594) Nov 21, 2006 New Jersey
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    Hahaha thanks man! Of course, that's why I had to throw in that "results my vary" thing at the end.

    I'm sure folks with more sensitive palates than mine can pick up on that "faded" hop flavor much easier and probably extrapolate that into a 'skunk' characteristic. I just wanted to throw out my 2 cents as to what I was able to detect. I do not have a very discerning palate at all. I can't think of many beers off the top of my head that disgust me or I'd refuse to drink. Likewise, I do not have any foods that I do not like or refuse to eat (it used to be Brussels sprouts but that ship sailed many years ago thankfully). This is one of the few times I'm glad I do not have a hyper-sensitive palate; I waste enough money on beer as it is!
     
    #37 anfield86, Jul 16, 2019
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  18. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
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    Maybe putting Hemperor in the sun would "fix" it - the two different sources of skunkification counteracting one another!
     
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  19. bbtkd

    bbtkd Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,326) Sep 20, 2015 South Dakota
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    ...or they could brag about it being double-skunked. :grimacing:
     
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  20. bubseymour

    bubseymour Grand Pooh-Bah (4,656) Oct 30, 2010 Maryland
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    Interesting, I never realized how quickly skunking/flavor change can occur. I thought it takes hours of direct sunlight.

    For what its worth I've drank beer from a glass many many times outdoors and never noticed.
     
    rightcoast7 likes this.
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