All Grain Brew in Beer Bottles

[BigEasy43]

Just wondering how long all grain brew will last in a beer bottle before it goes bad. New to the world of all grain brewing.

 

[max384]

Are you new to brewing in general? Or are you an extract brewer making the jump to all grain?

If it is the latter, your AG beer will last just as long as your extract in a bottle.

How long it will last will depend upon the style of beer and how you've stored it. If you store it cold and in the dark, it will last considerably longer than beer kept warm and in the sun. Some beer styles, like a big Barleywine, do well being aged months, or even years, before being drank. Other beer styles, like IPAs, should be drank fresh, before the hoppiness begins to fade.

Also, how long it will last depends upon your definition of what lasting means to you. If you mean how long will it be at its delicious prime, than this will be a much shorter time than if you mean how long will it physically be able to be consumed.

 

[BigEasy43]

New to brewing in general and was wondering if it would last a number of weeks. I have bought growlers from a brewery and this is only good for about two weeks at best.

 

[Jaybird]

New to brewing in general and was wondering if it would last a number of weeks. I have bought growlers from a brewery and this is only good for about two weeks at best.

That is just because they are 1, exposed to O2 and 2, the carbonation peters out in the growlers because they are filled from a tap not under counter pressure..
If you are bottle conditioning and you are good in the cleaning and sanitation aspect of bottling then your beer can last years in the bottle.

Cheers
Jay

 

[max384]

New to brewing in general and was wondering if it would last a number of weeks. I have bought growlers from a brewery and this is only good for about two weeks at best.

That is just because they are 1, exposed to O2 and 2, the carbonation peters out in the growlers because they are filled from a tap not under counter pressure..
If you are bottle conditioning and you are good in the cleaning and sanitation aspect of bottling then your beer can last years in the bottle.

Cheers
Jay

And, in addition, sanitary procedures aren't taken when filling growlers, but they are (or damn well should be) when bottling.

There's no comparison between a bottle of homebrew and a growler, in terms of how long they last.

 

[MaxStout]

+1 to the factors pointed out above.

It will also depend on the style. Hoppy beers, like IPAs are better enjoyed fresh, as the hops flavor and aroma dissipates rather quickly. OTOH, some big beers, like barleywines, imperial stouts, Trappist dubbels and tripels, etc., don't even reach their peak until they have bottle-conditioned several months, and can teast great after a couple years.

Edit: I now noticed max384 already said the same. Then, I concur!

 

[BigEasy43]

Thanks for all the great info!!!!!

 

[GreenDragon13]

I found two bottles of an (extract) stout I made 8-10 years ago. They were in returnable Old Mill pounders, kept in the heavy cardboard case in the basement. No "ring" around the inside of the top to indicate something growing in it. I chilled them and popped one open and got a nice "pshhht", so they were still carbed. I poured one into a glass, no chunks or funny odors...so I drank one. I didn't die, so I drank the other. They tasted excelent!

 

[yono1986]

It should last as long as commercially bottled beer lasts. Hop presence will fade over time as in commercial beer, and bottle aging of strong beers happens as in commercial beer. I have a barleywine that is over a year old in bottles and is just coming into its own, and I've done a Zombie Dust clone that was still drinkable, though quite faded at the 9 month mark.

tl;dr

for storage and shelf life purposes, treat your homebrew as if it is commercially bottled beer.