Born on Date

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HOP-HEAD

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Dumb question...

Is the born on date of a beer the day that the wort was first created, the day it left the primary for a better life in the secondary, or the day it saw the inside of a bottle?

I guess I'd assume the first, but the last might be also viable?
 
Considering these "beers" are usually of the BMC crowd, I'd say "who cares?"

Really, these big breweries have tried to convince the drinking public that "young & fresh" beer tastes better - so they can sell beer that hasn't properly aged. Aging is time that their investment is sitting idle, so they want to minimize the aging time.

Homebrewers know that beer tastes better when it's aged...

But to answer your question - it's probably the date it went into the bottle. That would be the very last point they can stamp a date on it, and in their marketing scheme, younger is better...
 
I recently started to put dates on my labels. I put the date that I brewed the beer, not bottled it. This way, when someone asks me when I brewed my beers that need a good amount of aging, I can just look at the label instead of referring to my software.
 
I recently started to put dates on my labels. I put the date that I brewed the beer, not bottled it. This way, when someone asks me when I brewed my beers that need a good amount of aging, I can just look at the label instead of referring to my software.

Pretty much where I was going with the question.
 
Considering these "beers" are usually of the BMC crowd, I'd say "who cares?"

Really, these big breweries have tried to convince the drinking public that "young & fresh" beer tastes better - so they can sell beer that hasn't properly aged. Aging is time that their investment is sitting idle, so they want to minimize the aging time.

Homebrewers know that beer tastes better when it's aged...

+1


And they have also convinced the majority of Americans that Bud Light etc is actually "Beer".

Sad but True!
 
Born on Dates are the dates that they are bottled. I know it doesn't make any sense to me, I believe a beer is born the minute you steep!
 
Born on date is only important when you have dead beer (BMC) which is ironic because it should be died on date instead.

Live beer (like we make) improves with time, dead beer decays rather quickly.
 
Born on date is only important when you have dead beer (BMC) which is ironic because it should be died on date instead.

Live beer (like we make) improves with time, dead beer decays rather quickly.

LOL! I think that the born on date is not a bad thing if you drink that beer. Firstly, it's most often used on the yellow fizzy stuff, which it necesarily goign to benefit from aging like bigger beers are.

The biggest benefit, though, is that the consumer is able to see when the beer was bottled, so he can avoid purchasing really old beer from the corner store. Plus, the stores can more easily rotate their stock to help keep really old beer from happening.

I've recently seen a commercial where Sam Adam's owner has gone to stores and checked the dates on the labels and actually bought back the old beer. I think I've seen where they use it in a dunk tank at their company picnic... :drunk:

Personally, I'm a fan of born on dates, because it lets the consumer know when the beer was bottled, and they can then make an informed purchase.
 
Born on date is only important when you have dead beer (BMC) which is ironic because it should be died on date instead.
:D :mug:

I'd love to be at the marketing meeting where that idea gets pitched. "Budweiser - the beer that only died very, very recently".
 
Considering these "beers" are usually of the BMC crowd, I'd say "who cares?"

Really, these big breweries have tried to convince the drinking public that "young & fresh" beer tastes better - so they can sell beer that hasn't properly aged. Aging is time that their investment is sitting idle, so they want to minimize the aging time.

Homebrewers know that beer tastes better when it's aged...

But to answer your question - it's probably the date it went into the bottle. That would be the very last point they can stamp a date on it, and in their marketing scheme, younger is better...

Its all funny marketing schematics. I got into an argument with a Budweiser sales rep about something he said: "I drank a Budweiser from the keg that was a day old!" He obviously has fallen into the BMC brain washing thinking they know beer.

It's all in their perception of when beer is good. We ALL know that a beer that sits a few weeks longer in the bottle/keg its that much better!

That's why we homebrewers "loose" a bottle or two of every batch in the fridge so, when we find it and try it, its all the better.

Cheers!
 
I vote for pitching date (which is usually the brew day, except for some Aussies). I am led to understand that "wort" becomes "beer" upon pitching.
 
Born on date is only important when you have dead beer (BMC) which is ironic because it should be died on date instead.

Live beer (like we make) improves with time, dead beer decays rather quickly.

yep. our beer is getting ready to drink at a month. they're starting to panic as theirs passes a month :mug: i like beers that take so long to age (except hefe) theirs has already died
 
It's all in their perception of when beer is good. We ALL know that a beer that sits a few weeks longer in the bottle/keg its that much better! When BMC is bottled, it isn't going to get any better. IMO it's all down hill from there. I'll drink it if it's offered, but it just reinforces how much better homebrew is.
 
I've always thought of the born on date when the beer was bottled, and thinking about it I wish all bottle conditioned beer had a bottled on date.
 
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