Brewed by date vs. Best by date

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by defunksta, Aug 4, 2019.

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  1. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Preach it Brother!!!!!!
     
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  2. AZBeerDude72

    AZBeerDude72 Initiate (0) Jun 10, 2016 Arizona

    OK I need to clarify my posts since @jesskidden woke me up to my misstatements. My desire is to see a canned on date lol. I just want to know when the shit hit the can/bottle then I can decide to buy.
    :stuck_out_tongue::stuck_out_tongue:
     
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  3. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    Id assume that when they can it it’s at the point they’d prefer you drink it. So for most beers the further from that point the beers starts degrading. But, fresh Heady canned is already 5 weeks old, but I’d also assume that’s when Klimmish thinks his beer is at it peak. So a canning date is about right, I’ll adjust from there.
     
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  4. BeastOfTheNortheast

    BeastOfTheNortheast Pooh-Bah (2,153) Dec 26, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I knew someone would use food, which is a tremendous point. However, I trust food companies who have been around for decades much more than a brewery that has been around for a couple years and just slapped a 3-4 month best by date on their newest IPA.

    Also, see my earlier post. I could tell that beer was off that was close to the best by date. As far as Coke Zero, I couldn't tell the difference when I had a 12 pack close to the best by date not too long ago. Sounds like they have their product down unlike said brewery.
     
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  5. WhiteHart

    WhiteHart Aspirant (245) Apr 16, 2018 North Carolina

    My comments go back to the OP's use of "we," referenced below. Your suggestion is of course sound, but it doesn't address the questions that I asked in their appropriate context.
    Cheers

    Can we come to some sort of standardization between brewed by date and best by date? ...

    Please, we could easily make this standardized.
     
  6. officerbill

    officerbill Pooh-Bah (2,228) Feb 9, 2019 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    :+1: sad, but true
     
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  7. AZBeerDude72

    AZBeerDude72 Initiate (0) Jun 10, 2016 Arizona

    Correct, once it hits cans its ready for consumption. The consumer then can decide if its too green or just right, etc. I am not worried at all about the time before canning that is part of the process, I was always focused on knowing the date canned so then I could decided when I want to stop buying based on this only. For me my rule is always fresh is better and if I can get it days after canned sweet. But I also use judgement and industry advice to guide me. IPA = 90 day or less, NEIPA = 6 weeks or so. Other styles longer shelf life but again it always come down to your taste buds. I can drink an 8 week old IPA and say it sucks and someone else can say it rocks. The issue is we all have different tastes so this is why canning date is so important you can use your history to determine what time range works for you.
    I know one thing I never said a beer sucked because it was too fresh. That just does not happen with me.
    Cheers
     
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  8. Wrigfen

    Wrigfen Savant (1,072) Feb 23, 2013 South Carolina
    Trader

    Thank you for that information and reference source.
    I fully agree Brewed By is meaningless. As far as the ABV, I am frustrated that often, it is NOT listed. I am positive, I have encountered this multiple times on the outer pack, and pretty sure on some of the individual bottle/can. Anyway, I am enjoying a Stone IPA, and hope everybody is enjoying their day too.
    Cheers!
     
  9. Ranbot

    Ranbot Pooh-Bah (2,389) Nov 27, 2006 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    We can go further on this... The quality of the canning/bottling lines and QA/QC varies between breweries. Some breweries (like Bell's, Sierra Nevada, Victory, *cough*ABInBev) have invested way more in their systems. That stuff costs money that's not always feasible for many small local brewers. Some brewers can stand by their best-by dates far better than other brewers. Not all cans/bottles are created equally. That said I still support a packaged on date, but a Best By date from certain breweries is OK with me too.
     
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  10. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yup, having low TPO values at packaging is important. Also, how the beer is stored at the various distribution locations (Wholesale Distributor, Retailer) with colder (refrigerator) conditions being the better. I feel much better purchasing beer at my local Retail Beer Distributor in February than I do today (August) where those beers are stored stinkin' hot.

    Cheers!
     
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  11. bleakies

    bleakies Maven (1,319) Apr 11, 2011 Massachusetts

    I prefer both, because I like seeing the brewer's own determination of how long the beer remains fresh and comparing it to my own judgment upon drinking it.

    If I can only have one, I prefer the packaging date, but I also think that a best-by date is far more useful to the large majority of beer drinkers who aren't interested enough to learn all the particulars people here nerd out over but just want to know "how long it will be good" the same way they (and I) want to know how long they can trust a carton of milk.
     
  12. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    If your ever in Charlotte you can drink NEIPAS at Resident Culture right from the brite tank, I want to say they have like 3-4 taps set up like that.
     
  13. AZBeerDude72

    AZBeerDude72 Initiate (0) Jun 10, 2016 Arizona

    LOL now that is fresh :stuck_out_tongue:
     
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  14. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    Crazy place, they make great beers in all flavors. Imo best place I’ve been too in NC, that includes Asheville and by a lot too.
     
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  15. Prince_Casual

    Prince_Casual Savant (1,212) Nov 3, 2012 District of Columbia
    Trader

    What the hell is a "brewed by" date?
     
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  16. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Well, there was that one infamous "Brewed by" date:
     
  17. defunksta

    defunksta Pooh-Bah (2,980) Jan 18, 2019 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Either way, there should be a consensus. I'm tired of either seeing no date or a date 1 month ago that I'm not sure was the packaged date or the the best-by date. You can't depend on the majority of retailers to monitor this expired beer. It should at the very least specify ""BB"" or "packed on" said date. Half the time I'm drinking a beer a month after the ambiguous date on the can. I have no idea if it's expired or 1 month fresh.
     
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  18. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    I would argue that we really want both for different valid reasons. Anything less impacts our ability to make certain decisions. Regular consumers won't care much and probably prefer the "best buy" the know from other products.
     
  19. honkey

    honkey Maven (1,326) Aug 28, 2010 Arizona
    Trader

    I think I know of one exception you make :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
     
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  20. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Really, my problem is when an IPA from one brewery. is just as or even more fresh at two months as another brewery’s IPA at one month. How do you deal with. that just ignore it or have you a strategy? Curious.
     
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