Does Beer Expire?

[morethananyonex]

I wanted to buy beer for someone that won't be drinking it until late May (don't ask LOL). Would it be okay if I bought it now or does it go bad if sitting for that long? Sorry if this is an obvious answer, I have no clue about beer.

 

[Luv'sTink]

It should have an expiration date on it. I know I threw out some of DH beer because it was past the expiration date on it.

 

[marcyinPA]

I do think beer can go bad...my DH would say it was "skunked"...but I don't think it will go bad from now until May. (you ARE talking about bottles/cans, right? I don't think a keg would last). Beer never lasts long enough in our house to go bad, but we have had a case last a couple of months. I think you'll be fine buying it now.

 

[morethananyonex]

Yup, it would be cans. I figured I'd ask here first before going to the liquor store just for them to tell me don't bother. Thanks guys!

 

[Cleocat]

If you buy it warm and keep it in a cool, dry some what dark area you should be fine. Beer goes bad from light and temp changes.That is why I buy it warm and cool off what i think I'm going to drink. Espeicially when I travel to Disney this way I bring home what I don't drink. Is it a beer that you are afraid you may not find again if you don't get it now. I know some brewers make specialty beers only available at certain seasons. The color of the bottle also can help control beer going bad.

 

[morethananyonex]

If you buy it warm and keep it in a cool, dry some what dark area you should be fine. Beer goes bad from light and temp changes.That is why I buy it warm and cool off what i think I'm going to drink. Espeicially when I travel to Disney this way I bring home what I don't drink. Is it a beer that you are afraid you may not find again if you don't get it now. I know some brewers make specialty beers only available at certain seasons. The color of the bottle also can help control beer going bad.

That's what I was planning to do ! There's nothing special about the beer, but my brother is holding off drinking until May (when he's done university) and I wanted to get it for him now for his birthday that's in a couple of days so he can "see" the light at the end of the tunnel haha.

 

[BunsenH]

Suggestion:

Get him a gift card to the beer store.

Insures fresh beer that he likes.

Removes the temptation of the beer being around.

 

[tvguy]

Well, the beer makers want you to think so, but I drank a bottle of Michelob at my moms house a couple of months ago that was fine. It has been refrigerated it's entire life. Best we can figure it was bought by me when I still lived at home, and I moved out in 1982, so it is at least 28 years old.

 

[badblackpug]

Not in MY house!

 

[pogo791]

One beer lover checking in here.

Yes, beer can go bad. In addition to long shelf time, changes in temperature and overexposure to light are the main culprits (which is why many beers are sold in dark brown bottles; cuts down on sunlight). But there are beers and beers. You didn't mention what type of beer you are thinking of buying; there are some beers out there that actually improve with age.

I assume you are thinking of the standard pasteurized stuff that you can pick up at any supermarket. Opinions vary, but mostly you'll hear of a shelf life of six months or so. If you buy now, you (or your friend) shouldn't have any problem drinking it three months down the road, in May.

If you want to get into the details, check a website like "Beer Advocate", which has more information on beer (including on storing beer) that you probably would want: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/store

 

[cluvsdisney]

Some brands have a "born on" or "good until" date printed on the label or somewhere on the can. I use that as a guide.

 

[kirbsam]

It should have an expiration date on it. I know I threw out some of DH beer because it was past the expiration date on it.

please dont throw it out again. send it over to my house. thank you.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Beer snob here.

It really depends on the beer. Certain types of beer are meant to be drank young (Wheat beers, Bitters, etc.). Other beers are meant to age, like a wine, so that their flavors can really start to work (Belgian Trippels & Quads, Porters, Stouts, etc.). A good rule of thumb is the ABV%. Your higher gravity beers (which are higher in ABV) are the best candidates to survive longer. I've aged several Belgian beers for 2-3 years, and they've been fantastic. I've also aged one of my homebrew Wheat beers just to see what would happen, and the result was pretty lackluster.

The BMC stuff (BudMillerCoors) will usually last for awhile, but I don't trust anything canned for an extended period of time. If it's a seasonal beer, you might as well try it, but use the suggestions here about keeping it in a place where the temperature is consistent. Honestly, it's March now, and May isn't too far off, so it will be fine regardless of how you treat it.

 

[Pigeon]

My husband's family was once visiting his grandma sometime in 1990. Grandma offered FIL a beer. He picked up the odd looking can, which read "Visit the Shaefer Pavilion at the World's Fair." The World's Fair was last held in NY in 1965, and indeed, that beer had long passed it's prime. Grandma was known for never letting anything go to waste.

Under normal circumstances, though, the beer will be fine in a few months. Just don't go 25 years.

 

[Disnydad]

I worked at a national brewery in Merricmack, NH while going to college waayyy back. The brewmaster there once told me beer has a shelf life of about 90 days once bottled.