Out of Code Beer and Etiquette

There are a number of previous threads in this forum about out-of-date beers and what should be done with these beers, so you can search back for some of them. I've read different opinions that it is the distributor's task to weed out this old stuff, and others say that it is the responsibility of the store owner. I don't know who eats the cost of these old beers if they are removed, but I suspect it belongs with whomever removes it from the shelf (and this includes the consumer). That's why they don't get removed.

I don't see anything wrong with commenting to the owner or a cashier when you purchase something that they have a great selection and that you'd buy more of their beers except that so many of them are old and that you're going to pass on them.

 

I think it's fair to recommend to a shop employee that they have a fresher selection of beers that don't age well. If they oblige, be sure to give them business so they can keep it up! If they don't oblige, find a better bottle shop.

 

In my experience it's up to the brewery representative to pull the beer, getting credit to the store through the distributor, who also gets credit - so it's the brewery paying. Of course it's the distributor who's really running the show, because their relationship with the brewery reps makes all the difference. And to be honest, some shops and restaurant/bars just don't care. In fact, I know of one place that actually seeks out old and outdated beer, which is good for the distributors as a "dump". And on their end, the bar sells those old beers for next to nothing, so everyone wins (the guys buying that old beer don't give a damn if it's a dollar a bottle!).

 

What I do is I put a stupid-confused look on my face and tell the store clerk that I can't quite make out the date on the bottle or ask them to explain the date code or what, exactly, 'best by' means. I like to hear them actually say it. It's small of me, perhaps, but beer is expensive and tormenting store clerks is free.

 

Some states don't allow wholesalers/distributors to provide this service. The stores would have to do it and eat it. I've never heard of a "ninety day out-of-code" requirement. There are so many variables involved in this issue such as the breweries own "best by" dates, the type of beer, distribution issues, foreign import time periods. Many beers don't even reach retail stores until they are ninety days old.

 

What you've heard is a misleading oversimplification its only true some of the time for some of the beers you will encounter.

First of all it depends on the style, so some styles have longer shelf lives than 90 days. Some are resistant to aging or meant to be aged and can be cellared for a few years to good effect. A few are meant to be consumed even sooner than 90 days.

Second it depends on the bottling/canning line and how much residual oxygen is left in the container when it is sealed. Some bottling lines are more efficient at removing oxygen and thereby extending the shelf life of the beer.

Third it depends on how the beer is stored. A refrigerated beer has a longer shelf life than a beer stored at room temperature.

Finally there are some reasons to believe the aromas, and possibly the flavors, of a bottled beer are impacted by the vibration they encounter while being transported.

 

I would only point out beer past the "best by" date marked by the brewer, which is the only industry standard for beer freshness. Most brewers set freshness/best by windows much longer than 3 months. Brewer's who date their beer usually have a freshness window of 6 to 12 month, and some imported beers are 18 months. If you have decided that a period less than the brewer's marked "best by" is your personal limit for a beer that's your prerogative, but I don't think complaining to the store is appropriate. If you were at a grocery looking at milk and some was approaching, but not exceeding, it's sell by date, would you complain and expect anything to be done? I hope not...

 

While sometimes it works this way, according to the guys running the retail outlets around here, it may also be the rep of the distributor who handles the account. Many smaller breweries can't afford to have their own rep covering the territory and rely on their distribuor.

 

Usually if I don't think a beer should be sold I just nicely tell the manager and if he still wants to act like its fine I just don't shop there. I really only do this with hoppy beers that are over 3-4 months old.

 

Stone Brewing recommends a 90 best by timeframe for a number of their beers:

Beer

Code Length

Stone Cali-Belgique IPA

120 Days
after bottling

Stone Delicious IPA

90 Days
after bottling

Stone Enjoy By IPA

37 Days
after bottling

Stone Go To IPA

90 Days
after bottling

Stone IPA

90 Days
after bottling

Stone Pale Ale 2.0

90 Days
after bottling

Stone Ruination Double IPA 2.0

90 Days
after bottling

Stone RuinTen Triple IPA

90 Days
after bottling

Stone Smoked Porter

120 Days
after bottling

http://www.stonebrewing.com/freshbeer

Cheers to Stone for their concern for beer freshness.

@StoneGreg

 

I would never be "afraid" of any 3 month old beer. Some touchy folks might say the hops are"fading", but it's perfectly good, a touch transformed from birth, but it's fermented, maybe different, but not bad.

 

Speaking from a perspective of what happens in FLorida, code dates are set by the brewer. Out of code beer is to be pulled by the distributor and depending on your contract either you split the responsibility of one of you eats it.

I know some breweries, Rogue for instance does not have a code date. At least that is what I have been told by them.

 

If I remember my conversation with a distributor correctly, Rogue doesn't believe in dating their beer, because the date 'shouldn't matter'.

As far as I've ever been aware, there is no standard for dating beer, since properly sealed old beer doesn't go 'bad'(read: dangerous), it just starts tasting different. Every brewery has their own standard for what they consider to be a 'Best By' period, as does every consumer. Some people won't buy an IPA when its over a month old, others 3 months, etc.

It is definitely not bad form to tell an employee about the long dates. Whether they are able to do anything about it is a different story that depends on state laws, and their distributors. It could be that they simply have no recourse when it comes to out of date beer, are unable to send it back to the distributors, and cannot eat the cost of throwing it away.

 

First let me don my flameproof suit since I am about to discuss a topic that is likely unpopular with BAs.

By bringing the amount of ‘old’ beer to the store owner’s attention maybe it will get them thinking about how best they can ‘manage’ this situation going forward. For example they could decide to cut down on the number of brands they sell in an effort to get more sales volume for their newly limited inventory and thereby have less ‘shelf turds’.

Cheers!

 

Bad taste to point out: no.

Bad taste to not buy: no.

Bad taste to return without am explicit best by date: yes, unless good relationship with shop.

 

Regarding this subject of out of code beer, a few breweries have a "report expired/old beer" function on their site. I wonder, does anyone know if this actually spurs any action? I used Firestone Walker's because of my locals awful selection (April 2015 Easy Jack, June 2015 Pivo Pils, just as two examples). Will anything actually change by utilizing these resources?

 

If you see old beer on a shelf, take your arm and a big sweeping motion clear the entire shelf and knock everything to the floor. Then go to the front counter and tell them "I took care of that old beer problem for you!"

 

I think wer are all well aware of the "best by" dates on many beers. I think his question was more specific. He used the words "code" and a "requirement."

 

From the original post: "I've heard a beer that is older than 3 months is out of code. However, I'm unsure if this is a rumor."

It just so happens that the Stone website states "code length" and uses 90 days (3 months) for that code length.

Cheers!