what happens to beer when it sits in your basement for 7 years?

lovebeer · 03-14-2008, 08:23 AM

I was cleaning out my basement today and to my surprise found three cases of beer unopened. The only problem is they're 7 years old. there's a lot of floating sediment in some of the bottles, which i assume dormant yeast? or some unfermented ingredients like hops? It's probably unhealthy to drink, but i wanted to get a second opinion before i emptied all the bottles to use for future bottling of beer. Could the beer be filtered or should i just pour it all down the drain?

EvilTOJ · 03-14-2008, 08:38 AM

Drink it man! It'll taste like cardboard ass, but give it a try! There's nothing that can grow in beer that'll make you sick or die, just taste bad.

Danek · 03-14-2008, 11:12 AM

Is this homebrew or shop-bought beer? I've had really good four-year-old homebrew, and I've heard good things about 18-year-old barley wines, so it's not a cert that beer that age will suck ass. I'd recommend pouring a glass of it and checking out the aroma (if it's anything like aged wine it might need a little while for any mustiness to dissipate). If the beer smells terrible, pour it away. If it smells drinkable, I'd try at least a little bit - it might be nice, and at the very least you'll know what old beer tastes like. As EvilTOJ says, you won't certainly won't die from it.

lovebeer · 03-14-2008, 07:13 PM

think i should filter it before i drink it?

**kornkob** · 03-14-2008, 07:40 PM

No reason for that-- jsut let the sediment settle and pour slowly. It'll be fine.

I found a bunch of old forgetten mead when I went to get some bottles from Dad's place. Still tasty. The 2 bottles of honey wheat wasnt' as tasty---not much flavor at all, really.

lovebeer · 03-15-2008, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danek

Is this homebrew or shop-bought beer? I've had really good four-year-old homebrew, and I've heard good things about 18-year-old barley wines, so it's not a cert that beer that age will suck ass. I'd recommend pouring a glass of it and checking out the aroma (if it's anything like aged wine it might need a little while for any mustiness to dissipate). If the beer smells terrible, pour it away. If it smells drinkable, I'd try at least a little bit - it might be nice, and at the very least you'll know what old beer tastes like. As EvilTOJ says, you won't certainly won't die from it.

missed that first question - its store bought beer. it doesn't smell anything like beer and it tastes weird, i've never had this beer though, the case i started on is molson golden kind of tastes like honey, but its not mead. it's working though

by the way, its not flat after all this time. i didn't think it would be, so i guess i can assume no air has come in or out. the sediment at the bottom really looks bad though, it's collected in chunks, guess i'll know if its gonna make me sick in the morning.