Buying "expired" beer

[C-Rider]

Wai`anae Store in Wai`anae Hawai`i had 12 packs of Sierra Nevada Flipside on sale for $5.99. The only problem was they were stamped on the box 9/24/13. I bought two 12 packs for myself and one for a friend. We tried one and it tasted just fine. Not sure if they have any left. This store often has great buys on "expired" beers.

 

[drainbamage]

Man, I'm jealous of that find. I've gotten some great clearance deals on "expired" beers. It's really more of a "best by" date instead of an expiration date.

Although hoppier beers can fade some with time, anything over 7% ABV or so will be ok sitting on a shelf for a while. I found a deal for a $1.25 bomber of Avery The Czar (a 10.5% RIS) that was maybe a couple of months past the sell-by date. That could've been aged for years and been perfectly fine.

 

[RM-MN]

Oh dang, expired beer. Does that suggest that my stout that recently turned 2 years old in the bottles is no good anymore?

 

[tagz]

If it's hoppy, I won't touch it past one month. There's some all day ipa in my store from October. I feel sorry for the sap that picks it up. Belgians and stouts are obviously better suited for longer shelf life but in general, for me, fresher is better!

 

[Billy-Klubb]

If it's hoppy, I won't touch it past one month. There's some all day ipa in my store from October. I feel sorry for the sap that picks it up. Belgians and stouts are obviously better suited for longer shelf life but in general, for me, fresher is better!

sometimes a hoppy beer can still fade into a great beer. it just won't be as hoppy.

 

[aiptasia]

The only beers where I would pay attention to the dates would be IPA's and lighter beers. Breweries want you to drink them young so that you get the fullest effect of the hops flavors before they fade out too much. No worries, Brah. IPA's just fade out into a PA in flavor over time. If it tastes good, drink it.

 

[Talonracer67]

Oh dang, expired beer. Does that suggest that my stout that recently turned 2 years old in the bottles is no good anymore?

Yes in fact it may be poisonous, fortunately I have an in home testing facility that will determine if it's safe to drink. I suggest you send me that stout for testing immediately. THANK YOU

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[RM-MN]

Yes in fact it may be poisonous, fortunately I have an in home testing facility that will determine if it's safe to drink. I suggest you send me that stout for testing immediately. THANK YOU

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Home Brew mobile app

Both bottles?

 

[tagz]

sometimes a hoppy beer can still fade into a great beer. it just won't be as hoppy.

I respect that some people like an aged hoppy beer, but i'm not a fan of the caramel/tea/oxidized flavors I get from old ipas/pales. I can't think of a single IPA that I wouldn't enjoy more fresh.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I respect that some people like an aged hoppy beer, but i'm not a fan of the caramel/tea/oxidized flavors I get from old ipas/pales. I can't think of a single IPA that I wouldn't enjoy more fresh.

yep. you win. personal tastes win. winning is what happened here today.


edit:

Belgians and stouts are obviously better suited for longer shelf life but in general, for me, fresher is better!

that invites the notion that all beer is better fresh. but your taste is your taste as mine is mine. I'll continue to age my Barley Wines & Imperial Stouts.

 

[Nightshade]

edit:
that invites the notion that all beer is better fresh. but your taste is your taste as mine is mine. I'll continue to age my Barley Wines & Imperial Stouts.

Yep me too as well as Porters, Dubbels, Saisons, Biere De Garde....and the list goes on.

Many styles benefit greatly from aging.

I am kind of shocked to hear an Avery Czar being "past date" and discounted to $1.25 though, I have a bottle I just drank that was approaching two years and it was a real treat IMO. I would venture to guess that three years would be possible but not too sure past that...might have to give it a shot.

 

[tagz]

yep. you win. personal tastes win. winning is what happened here today.


edit:
that invites the notion that all beer is better fresh. but your taste is your taste as mine is mine. I'll continue to age my Barley Wines & Imperial Stouts.

alright charlie sheen, settle down. i said i respect that people may enjoy aged flavors but i prefer fresh beer. there are many people who agree with you, just as there are some that agree with me...

MJ:

Most beers can only go downhill from the moment they leave the brewery. There are, though, important exceptions: the minority of beers that are designed to mature in the bottle.

You would not buy stale bread; do not accept beer in a similar condition.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

alright charlie sheen, settle down. i said i respect that people may enjoy aged flavors but i prefer fresh beer. there are many people who agree with you, just as there are some that agree with me...

MJ:

Charlie Sheen? hahahhaa!! more like this guy! brbrbrbrbrlblblbblaaaaahahahhaaa!!!

 

[C-Rider]

If it's hoppy, I won't touch it past one month. There's some all day ipa in my store from October. I feel sorry for the sap that picks it up. Belgians and stouts are obviously better suited for longer shelf life but in general, for me, fresher is better!

Flipside is a red IPA and I had one last night. Still nice and hoppy!

 

[C-Rider]

I don't get a cut for this ad but Wai`anae Store still has 28 12 packs of the Sierra Nevada Flipside for $5.99 each.

I just picked up 2 more cases total cost w/tax and bottle recycling fee was:

$28.23.

And $0.05 back on each bottle when empty.

 

[Hopinista]

.

 

[mtnagel]

2 cases would be 4 twelve packs.

 

[Calichusetts]

I have a really nice craft beer store I hit up on my drive home. One time the cashier said the IPA was getting close to past its prime and said go grab anything else in the store for free. Gave me the IPA too! Got an Achel 8 aged 2 years for $1.50

Unfortunately they also understand which beers can be aged and usually the priced don't drop much unless they are trying to push it.

 

[C-Rider]

2 cases would be 4 twelve packs.

Yup, you got the math correct.,

 

[kharper6]

There are some 2011 stamped Sofies and Deliriums at my local Giant. Seriously.

 

[VT-NAV]

Wai`anae Store in Wai`anae Hawai`i ...

I was too white to survive in Waianae. A haole like me wouldn't stand a black dog's chance in Waipahu.

 

[ktblunden]

I got screwed on a bottle of Heretic's Evil Cousin the other day. I looked all over the bottle for a date in the store and didn't see one so I gave it a shot. Got it home and there was no hop aroma and minimal hop flavor. Just sweet and malty. I've had it fresh on tap and it's delicious, nothing at all like this bottle. I looked again and finally found the bottle date, which had printed over part of the label, making it hard to read. It was bottled in August. Five months is way too long for an IIPA.

 

[C-Rider]

I was too white to survive in Waianae. A haole like me wouldn't stand a black dog's chance in Waipahu.

We do have that "rep" out here....but the Navy brought me here in 65 and I was most likely as "white" as U. Been here ever since. Never had a problem. Now a black dog in Waipahu is a whole nother story. LOL

 

[QuercusMax]

My local liquor store had a display with really cheap six packs of craft beer. I picked up a 6-pack of Clipper City Marzhon, and didn't notice till I got it home that its best by date was nearly 4 years prior to purchase.

It was horrible. Super sweet, almost syrupy, oxidized, with no bitterness at all to balance. It even had little chunks floating around...