Beer and their shelf life

Honestly, I only watch IPA, my limit is 90 days but I shoot for as fresh as possible. Any of my high ABV stuff I don't care about age, the rest or middle ground items I usually consume 6 mos give or take. Honestly beer does not last that long around me so never a real issue, and I usually am very picky buying.

Let me edit, those dates are when I buy new stuff and I maintain. Regarding store beers unless its an item I have to get I won't buy anything over month old.

 

I only check dates for hoppy beers such as APA, IPA, or IIPA. Besides these styles I really am not concerned about the date. I usually try to keep hoppy beers around 4 weeks. I also consider how the beer is stored, refrigerated versus non-refrigerated. Another thing to consider is ABV as high ABV beers will usually age better than lower ABV beers.

 

Generally I've found the suggestions by BA that are associated with each style description of to be reasonably helpful as a general guideline. Once I know more about how the beer changes over time I create my own estimate. So with Troeg's Nugget Nectar it's Short (maybe 3-4 months) on BA but for me I find it to be about 2 weeks and 6-7 weeks depending on where and how it is stored.

 

My take on this a bit different from others. I generally don't place huge differences from one style to the next.

I don't need to buy hoppy beers very fresh, but I also don't want to buy almost any beer "old." The result (to use two styles that are common in these discussions) is that I have practically the same approach to buying an IPA and an imperial stout. If someone has a different approach that works for them then that's great.

One exception is barley wines. I have no hesitation buying one that's been on the shelf for years if I want it.

There are so many variables to shelf life that have nothing to do with "style." How good is the brewer's bottling line? What plastic is under their bottle caps? Is the beer bottle conditioned? How was the beer transported? How was the beer stored?

I've bought beers that were given a long stated shelf life by the brewer that weren't great. I've also bought old bottles of beer in styles that are not considered age-able that were fine by my tastes.

In other words, it's hard to make rules that universally work as opposed to general guidelines or notions.

 

I went to grad school in Ann Arbor and was called back there to work for one day, an in and out trip. I arrived late, still had work to do that night, and I had been thinking about Bell's Amber the whole drive there. Sure, you can get it anywhere in the Midwest, but I'm sentimental. I found only one store open that sold singles, and the bottle I bought was 11 months old. I chilled it, finished my work, and popped the cap. It was delicious.

 

IPA's and hoppy beers I shoot for within 3 months but will consider up to 5 or 6 if I really want it or it holds up well(ex. Deschutes Fresh Squeezed). I would consider porters, stouts, barleywines, or other non hoppy high abv beers past date. All the stuff in between is case by case basis.

 

Little rascal is supposed to be a bit tangy. Last February id consider old though.

Ipa- within 3 months
Lagers- within 3 months
Dark beers- up to 2 years
Belgians- withing 3-6 months

Thats my plan

When in doubt, the lower the abv the sooner you should drink.

 

I want any hoppy beer to be as fresh as possible. Under 30 days. That includes IPAs, PA, Pils and such. I'd love to find a 3 month old stout on the shelf.

 

I mostly buy BA stouts, and cellar them until I feel like drinking them. Other dark beers I try to drink within 6 months, and everything else within 2-3 months. I rarely buy IPAs, but when I do I drink them right away. I never think to check dates, but probably would if there were any consistency on if, where, and how it were dated.

 

Nearly 100% of beers are better fresh. Some hold up better than others over time.

 

I never paid much attention to dates until I had a poor experience. I was in a hurry at a gas station and ended up buying a six pack of Shed Pilsner. Normally a decent beer, but with a coat of dust, and a bottle date nearly a year old, I was left very dissapointed. Everything about the brew was off. Needless to say, I got wise to start checking dates.

Basic guidelines I follow:
Hoppy: Less than two months
Dark: Less than four months
High ABV or BA: Depends
NEIPAs: Less than one week

 

Local brews, most of which are in cans; as fresh as I can get. (1 Month)
IPA varieties from around the States, 1-3 months.
Big stouts, depends on the brand, usually, within a year. I want BBA, and coffee stouts as fresh as I can get them.
Lagers, get'em fresh.
Saisons/farm house ales, quads.....one year or more, or, I can age them myself.

 

I had a Stone Xocoveza that was in the fridge for like 9 months and almost spit it out. Instead of a hot chile cinnamon stout it tasted like an apple candle smells.

 

Anheuser-Busch states 110 days as the best by duration for Budweiser. AB has top notch QA/QC so 110 days for a Pale Lager is something to be considered for these types of beers.

Beers that have higher ABV values should last longer assuming they were packaged well (and not stored too hot).

Cheers!

 

There will always be exceptions, so these are guidelines, not hard and fast rules...
Hoppy styles: preferably under 3 months.
Any other style < 7% ABV: preferably under 6 months.
Any other style 7-9% ABV: preferably under a year.
Any other style > 9% ABV: I'm not overly concerned by age.

 

I'm in agreement, we could probably learn alot from AB QC, and the freshness duration they suggest for similar styles.

We still would need to consider that their beers are quite often refrigerated at the store. Does Budweiser require distributors use refrigerated transportation?

Temp could easily add/subtract a month based on that temperature graph we see posted countless times on BA.

 

And some improve over time. A vast minority, yes, but when you find the few, the chosen, man...

 

...then you battle all the beer traders for access?

 

IPA’s freshet the better
Stouts usually older the better
Everything else I give it 6 months