Countdown to Skunk

[FizorZed]

Hey all, I'm new to brewing and am just wondering if there is any ballpark rule of thumb about how long different types of HB can sit in a bottle before turning to the dark side. I'm storing my first batch of Imperial Pale Ale in my dark, cool basement in brown bottles. As I make more batches of different beer I don't want to let it go to waste but I also don't know how long it can safely sit in the bottle.

Are there any threads or resources out there that discuss this?

Thanks!

 

[smakudwn]

My breakfast stout is over 1 year old and still getting better. As long as you practice good sanitation they should keep for a really long time.

 

[FizorZed]

Okay, cool. I see those freshness dates on different store bought beers and that made me wonder about the shelf life of a HB.

 

[bryanjints]

The beer will keep in there for a long time. But some beers are just better the fresher they are. Hops lose flavor and aroma over time so an IPA or Pale ale that is great right now might not be so great in 6 months.

 

[malkore]

Okay, cool. I see those freshness dates on different store bought beers and that made me wonder about the shelf life of a HB.

BMC 'freshness dates' matter because of a few things:
1. there's no yeast left inside to keep 'aging' the beer
2. the hop levels are so low, the beer is less protected
3. they sell you on 'freshness' as meaning peak flavor...with many beer styles, fresh = green/immature beer.