I'm afraid I know the answer to this question, but figured I'd confirm it here. I picked up a bottle while I was on vacation to take home with me as a gift. I packaged it very well...put it in a sealable bag and used copious amounts of bubble wrap and put it in between clothes in my bag. I thought all was well when I got home. However, upon taking off the bubble wrap a few days later, I noticed just a tiny trace of liquid inside of the sealable bag. And this stuff stinks. It smelled like teriyaki sauce. From the research I've done, it appears that the bottle is bad/oxidized. However, it's puzzling because nor the cap or bottle was punctured and the bottle was both capped and corked. I thought maybe it came from the cap and not the bottle, but that's the glass half full side of me. This was supposed to be a gift for a friend, but I don't want to give them a skunk bottle. Is the bottle bad? I keep wanting to believe that maybe it's something else and maybe the bottle is fine but I just want someone who is versed in this to confirm (to the best of their knowledge!) that in fact I should assume the worst here. Thanks for your time.
You answered you're own question. If it stinks then it's probably bad. As far as leaking, sometimes beers will leak if the cork has shrunk or the cage isn't on tight enough. What beer is it?
The cork is in the bottle and then capped on the top. I cannot see anywhere where the leakage could've/would've taken place. It pains me to say this, but it was a bottle of Saint Lamvinus.
Well, cantillon usually has a barnyard funk to it. And some find it off putting. If it looks fine and you move the bottle around and nothing comes out then it's probably fine. What does it smell like?
Your bottle's not necessarily oxidized or ruined, the liquid that leaked out smells that way because it became oxidized upon leaking. I've heard Cantilion bottles leak often in transit, you could still gift it, but I'd urge your friend to drink it soon just in case.
Hey thanks guys for the feedback! I have put the bottle completely upside down and held it there and no liquid leaks from the bottle. The amount of trace liquid in the bag is so minimal. I'm just confused as to what happened if it's such a small amount and it can't be replicated. But you think it's fine to still gift?
It would make a terrible gift to a friend, but not to a stranger like myself. I'll PM you my shipping address shortly.
I would not worry about it. I sent a bottle of St. Lamvinus out to California in September for me and the people I was staying with to drink. A little bit leaked out of the bottle into its wrapper and my buddy said it smelled bad. We chilled the bottle down and drank it. Tasted absolutely delicious.
Don't worry but as others have said it might be best to drink it soon. I was on the receiving end of a St. Lamvinus that leaked a little while shipping. Drank it within a month of receiving the bottle on my birthday and it was great.
I just figured that this may have happened before during a trade (where a bottle had arrived with this) and figured others here may have known.
Cantillon bottles are notorious for leaking. They use crappy caps and there is sometimes leakage from the cork, which then escapes. Almost every account that I can recall where someone had a bottle that leaked, it was the same story. They opened it (either immediately or months later) anticipating the worst. The leaked beer between the cap and top of the cork was nasty and gross looking, but then they opened the bottle and it tasted perfectly fine. TLDR: I wouldn't worry about it.
Have you had it before? If yes, what did it smell like? If no, well maybe you don't like the smell. I don't understand people asking on this forum if something is bad or infected. How do we know? We aren't there to smell or taste it. Everyone says beer X is the best but I had my first one and thought it sucked. Did I get a bad bottle? See what I'm saying? Maybe you don't care for it. I personally think Hanaphu (?) sucks. But I'm not gonna argue with the millions that will riot for it.
Did you read the original post? I've not had it before, but the bottle had some leakage. The leakage smelled like some old soy sauce or something. Since the leakage smelled off, I wasn't sure if I should take that to mean the whole bottle was off or if it was just the leakage. Especially since the bottle does not leak at all when I tip it upside down.
I brought back two bottles of St Lam from Rome with the same issue. The bottle isn't compromised...my bottle share group can vouch Enjoy OP!
