Out of date lager?
Discussion
Bought a 5L mini keg a couple of weeks ago for a party coming up in a couple of weeks time and just realised it is out of date. Must have literally been around the day I bought it when it expired which isn’t cool.
It’ll be a month after the date by the time it’s used. Will it be safe to serve? I’m normally pretty blasé about dates on stuff but I really don’t want this party to be known as ‘that time everyone got sick off the out of date beer and chundered all over the new carpet’.
It’ll be a month after the date by the time it’s used. Will it be safe to serve? I’m normally pretty blasé about dates on stuff but I really don’t want this party to be known as ‘that time everyone got sick off the out of date beer and chundered all over the new carpet’.
Must have been very old when you bought it.
Assuming it has not been unopened - and that it has been stored somewhere reasonably cool it should be fine (rather than left somewhere exposed to heat or sun )
(I used to work for a major UK Brewer)
Note: shelf life on canned and bottled beer is usually 12 months from packaging date it is safe beyond that ..
(Keg and cask beer in pubs has a much shorter shelf life)
Note - the flavor of packaged beer can deteriorate slightly even at around 6 months after packaging ... as dissolved O2 levels increase slightly over time.
Assuming it has not been unopened - and that it has been stored somewhere reasonably cool it should be fine (rather than left somewhere exposed to heat or sun )
(I used to work for a major UK Brewer)
Note: shelf life on canned and bottled beer is usually 12 months from packaging date it is safe beyond that ..
(Keg and cask beer in pubs has a much shorter shelf life)
Note - the flavor of packaged beer can deteriorate slightly even at around 6 months after packaging ... as dissolved O2 levels increase slightly over time.
It will be fine. Is it a best before or use by date? Usually it will be a best before date on lager and although the flavour will deteriorate slowly over a long period of time it won't do you any harm. The deterioration of lager flavours early on is mainly to do with UV light but if you have a keg it won't matter, bottles than sit in the sun will go pretty horrid quite quickly.
I used to work in brewing many years ago and I've tasted lager a year after best before dates and although it doesn't taste it's best it is harmless.
I used to work in brewing many years ago and I've tasted lager a year after best before dates and although it doesn't taste it's best it is harmless.
BRISTOL86 said:
Bought a 5L mini keg a couple of weeks ago for a party coming up in a couple of weeks time and just realised it is out of date. Must have literally been around the day I bought it when it expired which isn’t cool.
It’ll be a month after the date by the time it’s used. Will it be safe to serve? I’m normally pretty blasé about dates on stuff but I really don’t want this party to be known as ‘that time everyone got sick off the out of date beer and chundered all over the new carpet’.
How out of date is it?It’ll be a month after the date by the time it’s used. Will it be safe to serve? I’m normally pretty blasé about dates on stuff but I really don’t want this party to be known as ‘that time everyone got sick off the out of date beer and chundered all over the new carpet’.
Its lager, it doesn't spoil that quickly as it's brewed to be preserved. I think the biggest issue is that it might be flat (nitrogen/CO2 cylinder may have lost pressure).
Maybe save this keg for personal consumption and get another one for the party though, like you I'm happy to risk it myself but not to risk others (or others chundering on the shagpile).
Fun Fact: the word "lager" came from the German word "Lagerbier" which is "beer brewed for storing" as "lager" is German for storehouse (going to guess its where we got larder from). I drink and I know things.
Best bet would be to open it once the party has been going on for a while, that way people will be drunk and won't notice if it is slightly off or flat.
Don't like getting Kegs as people will generally pull a pint then drink half of it and put it down then forget about it and pull another, the next morning you'll find dozens of half empty glasses leftover.
Don't like getting Kegs as people will generally pull a pint then drink half of it and put it down then forget about it and pull another, the next morning you'll find dozens of half empty glasses leftover.
untakenname said:
Best bet would be to open it once the party has been going on for a while, that way people will be drunk and won't notice if it is slightly off or flat.
Don't like getting Kegs as people will generally pull a pint then drink half of it and put it down then forget about it and pull another, the next morning you'll find dozens of half empty glasses leftover.
This! That's genius Don't like getting Kegs as people will generally pull a pint then drink half of it and put it down then forget about it and pull another, the next morning you'll find dozens of half empty glasses leftover.
I've drank it 6 months after the best before date, it was lacklustre but I wouldn't notice by the fourth pint
Big E 118 said:
alfaman said:
(I used to work for a major UK Brewer)
Who did you work for Alfaman?I was with Anheuser Busch for some time, although I worked in the financial side I did some extra work in the brewing side
Sheepshanks said:
I thought the issue with cans is that the plastic coating on the inner surface deteriorates?
Not heard about that ... AFAIK the beer deteriorated over time especially if the nitrogen capping has a higher than expected O2 content ... basically cans and bottles are capped off with nitrogen to flush the air out ... it’s the O2 which slowly gets into the beer and spoils the flavor . Inert gas keeps the beer fresh . As well as pasteurization and filtration obviously AFAIK - it’s nitrogen used for capping .. CO2 is added into the beer for sparkling. Don’t think used to top it off but not 100% sure
Edited by alfaman on Thursday 7th June 18:08
Just drink it, it won't taste any different. A year past the date i could understand. It's not illegal to sell it after it's best before either although it would be bad customer service for them not to exchange it. Half of my cupboard is out of date, some of it by years, nothing tastes any different.
Ambient food/drink will always have a best before while fresh food/drink will have a use by
Ambient food/drink will always have a best before while fresh food/drink will have a use by
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