Post
by f00b4r » Sun Jul 24, 2022 8:13 pm
Beer has a shelf life that depends upon a few things, including:
- Storage conditions eg temperature and if it fluctuates
- Amount of oxygen present in the beer after fermentation has finished (usually introduced by transfers/packaging)
Beer stored at room temperature, especially in warmer months, will degrade much much faster than fridge or cellar temperatures stored beer. Oxygen, particularly with certain beer styles (very hoppy ones are particularly prone) will also degrade beer. Cask beer is exposed to air when prepared for serving so should then be drunk in a matter of a few days (unless eg a cask breather is used that blankets the beer with CO2 rather than just drawing air in).
You should try and take care when packaging to avoid any unnecessary splashing etc to avoid oxygen damage. I’ve also seen a couple of homebrewers show oxidation caused by shaking bottles to mix priming sugar (darkened beer compared to the non shaken ones is an indicator) so you might want to try that for yourself (just shake a couple of bottles and do a side by side check by look and taste 2-3 weeks later).
In terms of filling, if you use a bottling stick then you fill to the top, when you pull the stick out you will find it leaves just the right space (similar to a commercial bottle).
In terms of “best before date”, some beer types will be drinkable for a long time but others (eg Hefeweizen/heavily hopped American style beers) are better drunk pretty fresh, especially if you cannot store them at cellar temperature or below. Some beers do benefit from aging, usually the darker and stronger beers. Tasting and keeping notes will help you determine what you like with them. Personally I have not found beer to be as good after a year unless it is dark/strong and even then it might not be. Once again, having some bottles to taste over time will help you decide what you like for different beers.
