Is Bottle Dating Really THAT Difficult?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by HopsAreDaMan, Dec 17, 2015.

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  1. kerry4porters

    kerry4porters Maven (1,495) Dec 31, 2012 Arizona

    Firestone Does a great Job of this as well. Its also nice that they are now popping up in Grocery stores :grinning:
     
    #81 kerry4porters, Dec 18, 2015
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  2. HopsAreDaMan

    HopsAreDaMan Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2015 Missouri

    I e-mailed Ballast Point about where the bottling dates are on the bottles I have (other than the Sculpin, which has a Julian date on the label), and they promptly responded and asked if I had looked on the BOTTOM of the bottles. Why did I NOT think to look there!? I have no idea why (even though I know that is where cans are commonly dated). Lo and Behold! there is a Julian code there, and for the three bottles it was 15329 (VaS), 15338 (Habanero Sculpin), and 15348 (Grapefruit Sculpin) putting them as being dated at somewhere between the end of November to the middle of December. Impressive, considering I bought them yesterday (12/16), and that I live in STL. Thank you Ballast Point!
     
    #82 HopsAreDaMan, Dec 18, 2015
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  3. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    @Sixpoint has posted numerous times on various BA threads that for Sixpoint Brewing Company this is not possible.

    Cheers!
     
    #83 JackHorzempa, Dec 18, 2015
  4. BearsOnAcid

    BearsOnAcid Pooh-Bah (2,239) Mar 17, 2009 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    Bottom, as in, under the bottle? Funny that the website says to look on the label next to the beer's name: http://www.ballastpoint.com/date-stamp-guide/

    or are you talking about the cans?
     
    #84 BearsOnAcid, Dec 18, 2015
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  5. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I too would have never though to look on the bottom of a bottle. One more example of the complications of not having a standardized system for package dating. I am sure that this is something that the Brewer's Association could assist in accomplishing: a standardized method for bottle/can dating craft beer. Both where to look and an easily understood system like: Packaged on Dec. 17, 2015.

    Cheers!
     
    #85 JackHorzempa, Dec 18, 2015
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  6. HopsAreDaMan

    HopsAreDaMan Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2015 Missouri

    It is on the bottles, not on a can. That is to say, it is LITERALLY stamped on the BOTTOM of the bottle. And the numbers are actually quite clear, more than can be said about the dates on a number of other beers that are stamped on the bottle itself. In the e-mail, she said they recently started doing this. When I reply tp her e-mail, I plan to suggest that she make sure to mention this on their website, at the address you list above.
     
    #86 HopsAreDaMan, Dec 18, 2015
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  7. chippo33

    chippo33 Pooh-Bah (1,993) Feb 29, 2012 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Its very simple: breweries that don't date their cans DO IT ON PURPOSE for obvious reasons - we all know what they are. It has NOTHING to do with expense. End of story.
     
    #87 chippo33, Dec 18, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2015
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  8. tillmac62

    tillmac62 Pooh-Bah (2,859) Oct 2, 2013 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    As long as people will buy it undated, there is no economic reason for the brewery to include it. The customer is the root cause.
     
    #88 tillmac62, Dec 18, 2015
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  9. MostlyNorwegian

    MostlyNorwegian Pooh-Bah (2,236) Feb 5, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah

    Having to look on the bottom of a bottle.
    One more example of the real world complications of wanting to remain lazy as a consumer.
     
    #89 MostlyNorwegian, Dec 18, 2015
  10. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,157) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    In Memoriam Pooh-Bah Trader

    Stupid lazy consumers, not wanting to play hide and seek with a magnifying glass under strong light to try and spot the packaging date breweries only grudgingly supply to us.
     
    #90 cavedave, Dec 18, 2015
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  11. Nate52

    Nate52 Initiate (0) Nov 11, 2015 Pennsylvania

    They could put the dates underneath the bottle caps – like a crackerjack box beer :astonished:
     
    #91 Nate52, Dec 18, 2015
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  12. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Surprise! You are drinking old beer!!:grimacing:

    Cheers!
     
    #92 JackHorzempa, Dec 18, 2015
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  13. Nate52

    Nate52 Initiate (0) Nov 11, 2015 Pennsylvania

    Or beer...from the future....
     
    #93 Nate52, Dec 18, 2015
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  14. Chaz

    Chaz Grand Pooh-Bah (3,668) Feb 3, 2002 Minnesota
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Some day, even the smallest of Craft brewers will have the resources to make this happen:

    [​IMG]

    Some day...
     
    #94 Chaz, Dec 18, 2015
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  15. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,145) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    How 'bout on the backside of the label.
    "HEY, YOU! I TOLD YOU BEFORE - STOP TEARING OFF THE LABELS ON THE BEER!"
    [​IMG]
    Pretty sure Wooden Shoe was one of the Ohio breweries Jim Koch's father brewed for.
     
    #95 jesskidden, Dec 18, 2015
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  16. bluehende

    bluehende Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2010 Delaware

    You always amaze me with what you can find.
     
    #96 bluehende, Dec 18, 2015
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  17. jarbraj

    jarbraj Initiate (0) Feb 10, 2014 Georgia

    That's simply not true. Even dating by this method is very expensive when you are producing tens of thousands of barrels of beer.
     
    #97 jarbraj, Dec 18, 2015
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  18. Wasatch

    Wasatch Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,050) Jun 8, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yes, there should be more of it, and the shit that is out there should be easily deciphered.

    Cheers!
     
    #98 Wasatch, Dec 18, 2015
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  19. scxcrunner

    scxcrunner Maven (1,442) Aug 24, 2013 Massachusetts
    Trader

    My guess is that many breweries think its in their best interest to leave the date difficult to find/completely off knowing that if there was an easy to find date consumers would opt for the most fresh beer making rotating their product near impossible. That being said i often shy away from IPA's if i can't find a date for fear that it's been sitting on the shelf for 8 months.
     
    #99 scxcrunner, Dec 18, 2015
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  20. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,145) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

     
    #100 jesskidden, Dec 19, 2015
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