Dusty beers, worth a try?

There is a bottle shop I go to every once in a while and there is always dust on the bottles, for me I guess it depends on what type of beer the dust is on.

 

Ask if they'll take it back if it's skunked.

 

This:
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1339/27186/
I saw it sitting on a shelf at my local and decided to buy it without knowing much about it. When I took it to the counter, the owner told me it's been there forever. We couldn't find a date on it so, he discounted it. I got it home and it turned out to be quite delicious. Sometimes, it's worth taking a chance.

 

I've a general personal policy that if the beer is undated and I've no other way to establish freshness (e.g., it’s a recent seasonal) I pass it up and buy something else, just as you did.

That said, it also depends in part on the style of the beer. With something like an ESB I don't think they age well and are best fresh. With something that ages well (e.g., a good stout, a Belgian style Strong Dark Ale, etc.) I might be willing to gamble on dusty bottles.

 

All depends on the beer. Best dusty beer I ever found was at the BCM liquor store during a reunion visit to my home town where no one drinks craft beer. The year was 2008 and the beers were the last two Stone Imperial Stouts from 2005. Pre-RIS and already aged. Drank one and cellared the other one for two more years.

 

I'd pay a premium for dusty Cantillon.

 

I've had some bad dusty beers but I've had some great ones too (low ABV ones as well). Sometimes I'm confident it's fine, sometimes I'll pass without hesitation, and other times I'll throw caution to the wind depending on the circumstance.

A dusty-as-Hell Anderson Valley ESB sixer - I personally wouldn't. If you are a "huge fan" of both ESBs and Anderson Valley (as you've said), and you've never had it... and you've never seen the beer for sale before... and you doubt you'll see it again... and you're not already buying lots of beer... then I'd spend the $10 and try it regardless of the odds not necessarily being in your favor.

Edit: Even with the best by date, Fullers can be hit or miss too.

 

Dusty ESB maybe not, dusty Belgians, BW, and big stouts might tempt me.

 

Once in a similar situation: super dusty bottle tucked away on bottom shelf. I brought the bottle to the counter and the guy at the register surprisingly whipped out a dirty old feather duster and lazily ran it over the bottle. Maybe he considered it service but it was a terrible sight.

 

Good rule of thumb is that beers like stouts and belgians with a higher abv age better than lets say esb's porters and IPAs. So if you find an old barleywine go for it, but leave an old lager behind.

 

I just purchased a really dusty pack of Founders Breakfast Stout at a small town shop in Minnesota - dated 2012. Obviously not a risky purchase but haven't had it and wanted to try even though I knew the coffee would be gone. I wouldn't buy a dusty undated Ale, ESB, etc.

 

I run a liquor store. We probably have 10,000 bottles in our store. Dust happens. Dusting happens. Sometimes there are more important things for us to keep up with than dust. Plus our store is carpeted so any beer near the floor gets dusty. I don't know what i'm getting at here but just because it's dusty doesn't mean it's old. I'd avoid dusty Ipa's though. 2 cents.

 

Maybe it's fresh and the store is just dusty.

 

If its bottle conditioned beer it might be worth a chance.

If its a hoppy beer besides an american barleywine I would say dont bother.

 

Not dusty, but I recently took a risk on a discounted sixer of Narragansett Bock tallboys and at $6.75 I'd say I hit the jackpot. It's not the greatest bock I've ever had but really good and totally worth it at that price, even if it's out of season.

I liked it so much I ended up going back there and buying the last four six packs. They were further marked down to $5.

Should add that I think it helps that it's A: 6.5% ABV and B: Canned, not bottled, so no light could get in.

 

If I found a dusty case of Cantillon tucked away in my local beer shop, I would try both without question or caution.

 

This must be why so many barley wines have "old" in the name..

 

Dusty beers I will purchase if the beer is something that can withstand the time such as an imperial stout or a barley wine. I wouldn't try a dusty ESB but I have had Anderson Valley's ESB and it is really good, a solid beer.

 

From experience, most beer arrives at liquor stores already covered in dust from transport. Maybe it's just an Alaska thing, but even our Enjoy By comes covered in dust. It has nothing to do with age.