How long will kegged beer last once tapped????

[Fordiesel69]

I am thinking about buying a seasonal brew from a local brewery. Once I buy it, they will pretty much not be making more until next year.

I have a kegerator and C02 tank. How long will it keep?

I plan to keep the kegerator about 36-38 deg F. I would prefer it to last greater or equal to 3 months. Longer would be better.......

 

[zacster]

It should keep in the keg as long as you keep it on co2 and purge the air. 3 months shouldn't be a problem, but it won't last forever.

 

[b-boy]

I buy SN Celebration Ale every year. It will last a few months, but it does degrade over time. Your last glass won't be your best glass.

 

[Hammy71]

After some months it will start to deteriorate, but if you keep it cold it should last until you drink it.

 

[Fordiesel69]

How will it deteriorate? Loose carbonation, or start to taste bitter, sour, rancid?

 

[zacster]

It won't lose carbonation as you should keep it on CO2, but it will just start tasting off.

 

[day_trippr]

Making the assumption that there isn't a creeping infection involved, the style and character of the beer will likely dictate how long it will still be enjoyable.

Eg: A nicely hopped pale won't be in its prime anywhere near as long as a full bodied stout. For the former, the hoppy nose will fade first, then the hop flavors will mute. Meanwhile, the stout may well be getting better and better...

Cheers!

 

[Fordiesel69]

I am buyig this beer. What part will degrade first? Opinions on how long?

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/23635/63068

 

[day_trippr]

I'd put a pumpkin beer smack in the middle between a pale and a stout wrt how it ages. But age it will.

Aroma characters are almost always the first to leave the scene, so over time the (apparently modest) hop aroma will fade, along with the vanilla and other spice notes. Flavor characters will be the next to attenuate, I imagine starting with the "pumpkin pie" spices (cinnamon, etc) and perhaps ending with the biscuit flavor.

The less exposure to post-fermentation O2 (both in your hands and back when it was in brewery) and the colder you hold the beer, the longer this will take to play out...

Cheers!

 

[Fordiesel69]

They are pulling it out of the fermenter on tuesday and should have it kegged on thursday. I think it will be as fresh as it can be. It will take a quick drive home and get right into the kegerator.