Shelf Life of Beer – It can Last 12 Months if Refrigerated

Skunky Beer: What Causes Beer to Go Bad?

Skunky beer: everyone has had one at least once. But what makes a beer go skunky or bad? It’s all about its shelf life. The shelf life of beer refers to how long a beer stays fresh under average conditions. Unlike food expiration dates, drinking a beer past its “best by” date isn’t dangerous, but why drink bad beer?

The first beer company to use dating on its bottles to indicate shelf life was the Boston Beer Company, makers of Sam Adams beer, back in 1985. The concept of freshness dating didn’t gain widespread popularity until Anheuser-Busch began promoting it with a “born on” date in 1996.

Factors Affecting Beer’s Shelf Life

There are four key factors that impact a beer’s shelf life. Sometimes, breweries combine multiple methods to maximize shelf life. The first is pasteurization, a process usually associated with milk. Pasteurization involves heating the beer for a short period to kill any microbes in the brew. However, this can cause the beer’s taste to deteriorate faster.

A second process is sterile filtration, where the beer passes through a mechanical system that removes any remaining yeast or hops. This prevents any ongoing chemical reactions that could affect the beer’s flavor. The third process is bottle conditioning, which allows yeast to remain in the bottle, helping prevent oxidation that could lower the beer’s quality.

The fourth factor isn’t a process, but rather the beer’s recipe. Beers with higher alcohol content or more hops tend to have a longer shelf life compared to beers with lower alcohol or hop content. As a result, stouts, porters, barley wines, Belgian Ales, and German Bocks generally have the longest shelf lives and rarely go “skunky.”

Proper purchasing techniques can also extend the shelf life of the beer you buy. For instance, always buy beer that’s stored in a cooler section. Beer sitting at room temperature can degrade quickly, and you also risk purchasing beer that was shipped chilled and then allowed to warm up, which is always a bad sign. Cold storage helps slow the oxidation process that occurs in a beer bottle. Oxidation is what gives beer that flat, cardboard taste over time.

Also, look for freshness dating. Every brewery has its own method of indicating this date, sometimes with fun names like “born on date” or “freshness date.” The date may appear on the bottle, case packaging, or cap. This is a reliable indicator of how long the beer will taste great. If a brewery doesn’t use freshness dating, it might be a good idea to skip that beer.

Another clue that beer has been sitting around too long is dust. If the beer has collected dust, it likely hasn’t been stored properly and probably isn’t worth the risk. Similarly, avoid beer that has been sitting in direct sunlight, as this can spoil the hops and create that “skunky” flavor.

Finally, be cautious with sales. While a great deal might seem appealing, remember that there’s often a reason why a beer is on sale: it’s likely being moved quickly because it’s past its prime. Any beer that needs to be sold fast is probably not the freshest option.

To help your beer achieve its maximum shelf life, treat it well. Common beers have a short shelf life of about six weeks. You can extend that by storing beer between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit and keeping it away from light. Some beers, like bottle-conditioned ones, contain living yeast and can be stored at room temperature (away from direct sunlight) for up to five years.

Avoid purchasing beers from microbreweries that aren’t meant for immediate consumption. Since microbreweries typically lack the pasteurization and filtering facilities that large breweries use, these beers have much shorter shelf lives and tend to “turn” faster. Buy microbrews on an as-needed basis.

As a general rule, beers from large breweries will have a shelf life of about 8 to 12 months if refrigerated properly and kept out of direct light, or 4 to 6 months at room temperature. Keep in mind that these shelf lives refer to the time from bottling, not the time of purchase, so plan accordingly to ensure you have the freshest beer available.