Posted: 5/23/2008 4:43:29 PM EDT
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I'm having a barbeque this weekend and I'm gonna be serving a lot of beer. My plan is to have it out in several iced tubs around my yard. Here's the thing, I've heard if I ice beer and then remove the unused bottles from the ice and store them for later use, they won't taste right. Essentially you can't cool/warm/cool beer, even if the bottles are sealed. They'll get "skunk" as my friend said so eloquently. True or false? |
 Now that's funny.But yes beer will get a nasty taste if cooled , warmed , and recooled. It is safe to drink however as long as sealed , and sometimes it alters the taste , but not necessarilly makes it "Bad". Have fun at the BBQ - and just drink all the beer... -JC |
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False. Skunk beer happens with exposure to light. Brown bottles are resistant. Green and clear? No good. That is why Rolling Rocks are now shipped in complete, light-blocking boxes. Brown glass of forget it. And if you need someone to help you finish the beer, give me a shout! |
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true statement. Think of beer like bread. it has many of the same ingredients, and is under many of the same processes, and the same rules apply. beer should be stored in a cool, dark place such as in an indoor closet or ideally a refrigerator. even in an iced tub, beer out in the sun is bad news. light is beer's worst enemy. that's why most beers come in brown bottles-- to reduce the ammout of light the comes in contact with the beer, thus providing a longer shelf life. if you're putting out shit beer like Bud or Keystone it doesn't really matter, as that beer tastes like shit to begin with, and only serves as a means to a buzz, but if you're putting out beer for people who enjoy beer, then you would do well to only put out as much as will be consumed, and keep more in reserve in doors. |
FREE BEER AT DOW'S HOUSE!!!!!! 
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Generally false. But it depends on how warm the beer gets. Warmed to room temperature after being cooled really isn't a problem. Warmed to 80 or 90 degrees can be a problem over time. Depends on how hot and for how long. Even beer cooled for a long period of time can go bad. My late grandmother gave me a beer once that had been refrigerator cooled for FIVE YEARS, it was not drinkable. I still laugh over it. It also depends on the color of the bottle. Brown bottles protect the beer from light better than green bottles. Beer in green bottles can get skunky very quickly when exposed to light. Keep your beer cool, in the dark and in brown bottles, and consume (generally) within 6 months, and you're good. Naturally conditioned beer can have a longer life (Try and find some Thomas Hardy's Ale) extending into decades if kept properly. But, your average Michelob, or Miller is best "fresh." |
As a homebrewer, I have to disagree. Proper temperature storage is VERY important. Now if you (you being the general public) are just a typical redneck beer drinker and do not care particularly about how your beer tastes, then perhaps it doesn't make a difference. If this makes me a "Beer Snob" - so be it..... A good link: Beer Storage |
But wrong. Bacteria cannot live on light in a solution containing ethanol without oxygen. Bacteria with oxygen can convert the ethanol to acetic acid (vinegar) but they don't need light. The bacteria that can "feed" on light are the cyanobacteria, AKA blue-green algae. While there is sufficient CO2 in the bottle, the pH is way too low from the ioinization of the CO2 dissolved in the water. The ethanol inhibits any growth. In bottled beer, no bacteria can grow. |
I have a buddy who is very particular about his beer. He hates pilsner. He once whined because the 20 minute trip home from the store was going to allow the beer to get warm. If we walk into a restaurant and learn they only serve Bud Light, he'll walk out. So. One time I had a case of pilsner Urquell sit in my trunk for two days due to a brain fart. I park outside and it must have gotten over 100 F in there. I got it into the refrigerator a few hours before he arrived. During dinner, he remarked that this was the first pilsner he liked!  |