How often do you check bottling dates?

As a beer manager, every day.

 

And we thank you for that kind sir

 

Any time I look at an IPA I look for a date.
I'll look on stouts and beers with brett too, but age is a good thing here.

 

I don't buy undated beer unless its a seasonal and I can confirm that it is the current year's offering.

In addition, if I go shopping for a particular beer and find the bottle and case it comes in are both undated, I'll buy something else that is dated. Then I'll go home and send email to the brewery whose beer I didn't buy and tell them why I didn't buy a case of their beer and whose beer I bought instead.

 

Every time I buy something, but it doesn't always deter me from purchasing. Sometimes I get lucky with it, like the two bottles of 2014 Saison Brett I found gathering dust on the back of a forgotten shelf.

 

every time.

 

I always look for dates when in a strange store, but at my two local spots, I visit enough to know what's new with out bottle dating to help me. Way too many good beers out there to completely discontinue drinking them just for lack of bottle dating. How do you handle this when at a bar? What about draft on tap?

 

Always. Unless I'm already a few deep

 

If it is an IPA, I check it every time. It depends for all other beers. Usually it is just out of curiosity, not necessarily necessity if it isn't an IPA.

 

Virtually every time.

Also, with few exceptions, I no longer buy non-dated breweries' beers.

 

Depends on the store and the beer. Epecially if its a new beer or newly imported beer I don't have to bother. But if its an older beer and its a bigger distributor here in NYC I certainly have to look at dates. You can easily find IPA's on the shelf for over a year old right next to something brand new and bottled/canned for the very first time.

 

Always check dates, unless its a brand new one-off or seasonal from the brewery (even then i take a look)

 

I always check a bottle/can for a freshness date but it doesn't usually affect my purchase unless the beer is a style that really benefits from freshness (like an IPA).

 

All the time, that's why i started the site

 

99.999999 percent of the time- the other fraction of a percent is by mistake.

 

always. if i am in the mood for a dipa (which is always) i check the dates of those i already know i like or would consider buying. usually the freshest one gets bought.

 

Always. Unless I am at the gas station buying Natural Light. Then I don't care.

 

all the time, tough part is the best IPA out here in MT doesn't have a date at all but found a place to get it that constantly goes through stock and never have gotten old or bad cans there