What happens to old beer?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by amp138, Jul 14, 2013.

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  1. amp138

    amp138 Initiate (0) Dec 21, 2011 Rhode Island

    If a distributor is on top of stuff and actually picks up old beer, what happens to it? Does it get destroyed? Given to the less fortunate craft beer fans? Shot into space?
     
  2. chocosushi

    chocosushi Initiate (0) May 1, 2011 Oklahoma

    Where i come from the distributor usually tries to sell it anyway.
     
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  3. Mebuzzard

    Mebuzzard Grand Pooh-Bah (4,216) May 19, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Big distributors will sell it at their warehouse at a discount, or give it to employees. Smaller ones usually don't take back the old product anyway and stiff the retailer
     
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  4. bkov33

    bkov33 Zealot (630) Dec 5, 2007 New Jersey

    it sits on the shelves until it sells

    some breweries take it back, remove the label, and put a new label on it, than sell it again
     
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  5. ontherocks

    ontherocks Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2008 Georgia

    Perhaps another beer can collector? Rheingold did have a Los Angeles brewery for a short time, back in the 1950s (I think).
     
  6. ng85

    ng85 Initiate (0) Dec 15, 2011 California

    Work for a beer store and is sold at a discounted price.
     
  7. GeddyLeeRocks

    GeddyLeeRocks Initiate (0) Oct 14, 2012 Pennsylvania

    No, no they don't.
     
    tarawho, cnbrown313, KFBR392 and 9 others like this.
  8. Devi0us

    Devi0us Savant (1,124) May 3, 2011 California
    Trader

    If it's a beer that im seeking, I'll snatch it up before the distributor has a chance and it ends up in my stomach...

    Cheers!
     
  9. BeerWizard

    BeerWizard Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2012 Colorado

    It lies down and goes to sleep, and when it wakes up, it's in heaven.
     
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  10. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,301) Nov 20, 2005 England
    Pooh-Bah Society

  11. lic217

    lic217 Pooh-Bah (2,066) Aug 10, 2010 Connecticut
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

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  12. Tidesox28

    Tidesox28 Initiate (0) Apr 21, 2013 Maine

    That seems like a colossally bad idea, especially if the brewery wants to sell fresh tasting beer to their consumers, and borderline illegal.
     
  13. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    I will let you know when my area starts getting out of code craft beers taken back.

    But I always assumed in places it did get picked up that it went to a craft beer shelter where the less fortunate could come drink it instead of their paper bag wrapped Colt 45.
     
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  14. kell50

    kell50 Pooh-Bah (2,272) Jul 25, 2007 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    They can send me any "out of date" Belgian ale.. Keep the IPAs however.
     
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  15. boilermakerbrew

    boilermakerbrew Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2010 Indiana

    I know at school the old Busch Light made its way to the one campus bar that had $.25 bottle night
     
  16. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Under typical brewer-wholesaler contracts, it is supposed to be destroyed and, if state/federal laws are followed, the excise tax paid could be credited.

    Some "macro" contract language via lawsuits over the issue by AB and Stroh (respectively):
     
  17. Swik

    Swik Initiate (0) Oct 2, 2012 Indiana

    Discount, there's been a dwindling stack of alpha klaus at my local store, retails for the same as most of three floyds bombers $12 on sale now $5, but what got me on this one is the fact that its a porter, I'm more of a hop head so may be a little dumb when it comes to this category but wouldn't a big boss of a porter like this get better with a lil age on it?
     
  18. Tidesox28

    Tidesox28 Initiate (0) Apr 21, 2013 Maine


    Nice. There was a bar at Alabama that had 10 cent Rolling Rock nights. :slight_smile:
     
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  19. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    As jesskidden points out, although the macro lager companies have a policy for the destruction of out-of-date beer and as far as I know they enforce it, there is no such policy among the craft brewers. Most of the time, it just sits on the shelves of the store or in their cooler. And judging by the amount of out-of-date beers I have seen at various stores, either the distributors don't take it back or the retailers just try to sell it so they don't piss the distributors off. And who suffers? The consumers, of course.
     
  20. spookyspeeg

    spookyspeeg Initiate (0) Feb 18, 2013 Connecticut

    That is cool, 'cuz we all know how horrible Rolling Rock gets after it is a month old.
     
    Tidesox28 likes this.
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