First, let me say that I have traded, given or exchanged OLD beer with people. HOWEVER, I've always disclosed it, either by asking if someone wanted an older beer; or, making a representation that a beer that I had for trade was of a certain age, or simply saying that this undated beer had been in my cellar for X amount of time. So, just to be clear, I'm not saying don't! I'm not saying don't trade or give away or perhaps even sell old beer - I am saying just be up front about it. This is not intended to be controversial. It is an attack on no one in particular. I'm hoping that it is simply a reminder that if any of us represent beer as fresh it should be fresh. Perhaps everyone's definition of "fresh" is different so perhaps "fresh" should be defined by us all when trading or exchanging beer/giving/selling beer. But none the less, the representation of a beers as "fresh" when it is not is doing no one any good. This usually is a problem, of course, with beer that is intended to be consumed fresh. Otherwise, we all take pride in an "aged" stout or gueuze or other such beer where aging is desireable. No, this applies to those styles where we want them fresh. Let's face it, should a beer be misrepresented, the beer gets a bad review, it influences how one feels about the brewery, and could well blossom and affect others, whereas perhaps fresh the beer was killer and the effects of that review would have the opposite affect. I raise this point since I just jumped into a box of beer to taste and opened a beer represented as fresh and which is generally perceived to be desirable fresh. Suffice it to say that what should have been a bright, citrusy sunny beer tasted like a stale barleywine! It smelled old and oxidized; it looked old and oxidized and it tasted like.....well, it tasted not so good. Yet, the bottle was represented by the person who sent it to me as "fresh" because I specifically ask those questions. I DID NOT GRADE OR REVIEW THE BEER. I concluded that the bottle was likely very old and perhaps a "mistake." I choose to conclude that someone did not deviously screwed me but rather made a mistake or perhaps did not know himself/herself. Yet, there are people who would grade or review the beer which, in and of itself, is misleading. Anyway, I'm just pointing out that in the end if we misrepresent something like freshness and the bottle ends up with a negative review, it can well be like a snowball rolling down a hill with growing and growing ramifications. Ultimately, it helps no one. We all suffer. Just my opinion.
Not every brewery dates the bottles though..that could definitely play into the desirable tastes of whatever beer. I certainly hesitate to send out local ATL IPA's at times because most do an 'enjoy by' date, or do not date at all, and we know that definition fluctuates between breweries. I try to be the 'tester' in situations like that, buy a 6 pack and try one before I send it out. Sometimes I get stuck with a stale 5 pack because I don't want to send that out and represent that beer. Plus some beers, or ingredients rather, fall off quicker than others. I doubt anyone was trying to mislead you. Definitely a bummer when it happens though.
stale beer is the biggest bummer to me man. seems like more than half the beers I buy from stores are already old. you think you spend alot of money on beer. shit I would pay double to know it was fresh. the amount I throw away on maltbombs is outrageous. I think it should be a requirement to date bottles. sorry new breweries but as customers we need to know the beer is fresh, it doesnt do the brewery any good to have me think foul of the beers because theres no dates on them either and just assume they make beer that taste like satans taint because I bought it in a store that claimed it was fresh like bottle king on route 17 in paramus/ramsey nj did to me with 30$ worth of beer last week. grr
I couldn't agree more. As an example I frequently think about this in reference to heady topper and I see a comment from some that it was nothing special. Now maybe it's personal taste. But I'm of the opinion that these people have been traded a can that's been floating around 5 he Internet for years. To a certain extent I also believe it's caveat emptor. If you see a FT for something,like heady and I'm just using HT as an example, there are many others, and the person lives in Florida or California or anywhere but vermont and the border states.....you SHOULD be asking questions. Likewise if you're in search of something and some responds not in the distro area that should be a red flag.
