There are four main things that impact a beer's shelf life. More than one process is sometimes combined to increase the shelf life. It is important to understand the different factors that affect beer’s shelf life.
1.) The first process is pasteurization. This is where beer is heated for a short time period to kill microbes in the beer. This is what usually causes the beer’s taste and quality to deteriorate over time.
2.) The second process is sterile filtration. This is where beer passes through a mechanical filtration system that removes any yeast or hops still present in the beer which could cause a continuation of the fermentation process.
3.) The third process is bottle-conditioning. This is where some yeast is left in the bottle to slow the oxidation process. This helps to maintain the beer's quality.
4.) The fourth process is the actual beer recipe. Beers with higher alcohol content or more hops in the recipe will take longer to lose their freshness than beers with lower alcohol or hops content. As a result, stouts, porters, Belgian Ales, and German Bocks have the longest shelf lives.
Proper purchasing techniques can increase the shelf life of your beer. Look for freshness dating on beer. The date may be on the bottle, case packaging, or cap. Also keep in mind that beer sitting at room temperature will start to degrade very quickly. Refrigerated storage slows the oxidation process that takes place in beer. Oxidation is what gives your beer that flat, cardboard taste after a period of time. It is also best to avoid any beer that's been sitting in direct sunlight. This spoils the hops and creates that “skunky” flavor.
To achieve your beer's maximum shelf life, give it a little respect. The more common American beers have a short shelf life of approximately six to eight weeks. This can be almost doubled with proper storage. You can increase this shelf life by storing it at a room temperature of around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, otherwise you will need to keep it refrigerated. It will also need to be stored out of any form of direct sunlight, if not refrigerated, to increase its shelf life. You can also get a longer shelf life by purchasing bottle-conditioned beers (ales, bocks, etc.). These beers contain living yeast, and when stored at moderate room temperatures and out of direct sunlight they can have a shelf life of up to five years or more.
Here is a guide for the different types of beer:
Bottle-Conditioned Beers
Around the Riverwalker farm, the shelf life of most beer is measured in minutes!
Staying above the water line!
Riverwalker
woo hoo..man must still have his beer!!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't see it mentioned in your article, but there is a powdered beer, just ad water. :) It was used quite a bit in either South Africa or Austrailia for the "I gotta Have my beer" group it could make life a whole lot easier. Something to look into.
ReplyDeletePanhandle Tex
Just print out die Reinheitsgebolt (German Bier Purity Law):
ReplyDeletehttp://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/docs/Reinheitsgebot.html
The important part:
"the only ingredients used for the brewing of beer must be Barley, Hops and Water."
Find recipes to match the law, and you will never go wrong.
FYI: In German restaurants and bars, even in America, you will see this law hanging on the wall.
There is an updated version:
Vorläufiges Deutsches Biergesetz (Provisional German Beer-law of 1993) which permits wheat malt and cane sugar, but does not permit does not allow unmalted barely.
I rather go old school. Many micro-brews obey the purity law. It is the first codified set of rules regarding beer to keep people from being ripped off. Consider it a FDA type act cause I could imagine what kind of crap was being added back then.
Remember to get brewing gear! I need a means of cleaning a keg out . . .
Panhandle,
ReplyDeleteI have only seen powdered wine and beer sold from German vendors. I have also seen cubes of Bourbon and what not also, but same problem.
FYI: Aliens 4 shows the cubes when they are drinking whiskey. It really does exists.
I do not think said stuff is sold in America. :(
To: pickdog
ReplyDeleteA cold beer can bring a great end to a hard day!
RW
To: panhandle tex
ReplyDeletePowdered beer is something I might need to check out. My uncle used to make and bottle all his own and wouldn't drink the typical American beers.
RW
To: jennersen
ReplyDeleteThanks. I forgot to put a little history lesson in the post. My wife's father is a full blooded German - both his parents were from the old country!
They have some decent German bocks in my area that are pretty good. In fact, there is a brewery pretty close.
RW
Edited link.
ReplyDeleteRW