Buy Fresh Beer: A Guide To The Best Brews

Beer is best enjoyed fresh. While it won't make you sick, stale beer loses its vivid brightness and flavour. To ensure you're drinking beer at its best, there are a few things to keep in mind when buying. Firstly, check the bottled on or best by date. Beer is perishable, and its flavours dull and disappear over time. As a rule of thumb, beer is best enjoyed within the first 30 days of bottling, and should be avoided if bottled more than 90 days ago. Additionally, look at the storage temperature. Beer doesn't react well to hot temperatures or direct sunlight, so it's best to avoid beer that has been sitting on a warm shelf or in direct sunlight. Instead, opt for beer that has been stored cold, especially hoppy beers like IPAs and pale ales. Buying local also increases the likelihood of drinking fresh beer, as it reduces the travel time from the brewery to your glass. Finally, ask the staff at your local bottle shop or grocery store about their beer operations and when their latest shipments came in.

Check the 'bottled on' date

Checking the "bottled on" date is one of the most important things to do when buying beer. While beer past its expiration date is not unhealthy, it certainly won't taste as good as fresh beer. Beer tastes best in its first 30 days in a bottle, and a good rule of thumb is to avoid beer that has been bottled for more than 90 days.

The "bottled on" date is often printed on the label or bottle, and it is worth seeking out. Some bottles will have ""enjoy by" dates instead, which can be deceptive as there is no indication of how long it has been since the bottle was filled. Packaging codes are often unreadable, which can be frustrating when trying to determine the freshness of a beer.

If you are unable to find a "bottled on" date, there are other ways to estimate the freshness of your beer. You can consider the popularity of the beer and how quickly it is likely to sell. You can also ask the staff at the store about when they received the beer and how quickly it usually sells.

In addition to checking the "bottled on" date, it is important to consider the storage conditions of the beer. Beer should be stored in a cool, dark place, as heat and light can negatively impact the flavour. Checking the "bottled on" date and ensuring proper storage conditions will help ensure that you are getting the freshest beer possible.

When it comes to buying fresh beer, it is also worth considering the style of beer. Hoppy beers, such as IPAs, pale ales, and hazy beers, are best when fresh. On the other hand, some beers, such as Belgian beers and darker beers, can get better with age. However, even for these beers, freshness is still important, and most beers will taste best when consumed soon after bottling.

Look for the fridge

When it comes to buying fresh beer, the temperature at which it is stored is a key factor. As a general rule, you should never buy an IPA that has been stored at room temperature. This is because hop oils, which give beers their fruity, piney flavour, lose their potency in a warm climate. This will leave you with a beer that is all bitterness and no flavour.

So, when you're looking to buy fresh beer, head to the refrigerated beer section. This is especially important if you're buying an IPA, pale ale, dry-hopped saison, or anything remotely hoppy. The brewer will appreciate your respect for their beer, and your taste buds will thank you too.

Of course, it's not just about the type of beer. Beer doesn't react well to hot temperatures in general, so it's best to avoid beer that has been left in a hot storage space or sitting out in the sun. Light can also destroy the flavours in beer, so steer clear of beer that's been sitting under halogen lights or in direct sunlight.

If you're unsure about how the beer has been stored, don't be afraid to ask. Venue owners and staff will likely take notice if enough customers express an interest in how their beer is handled. By asking questions, you can help improve the industry standards for beer storage and handling, ensuring that you get to enjoy your beer at its freshest and most flavourful.

Avoid mix-a-six packs

When it comes to buying fresh beer, it's important to consider the potential risks of spoilage and damage. Here are some reasons why you should avoid mix-a-six packs:

Variety may not always be beneficial: While having a variety of beers to choose from can be appealing, it can also lead to buyer's remorse if you don't end up liking some of the beers in the pack. It's important to consider your own preferences and tastes before making a purchase.

Limited availability: The selection of beers in mix-a-six packs may be limited compared to what is offered by a dedicated beer store or even the entire selection of the grocery store. You may not be able to find the specific beers or styles that you are looking for.

Risk of spoilage: Beer is highly perishable, and the mix-a-six section of a store can often be where slower-moving products are placed. It is crucial to check the dates on the beer before adding it to your pack. Buying expired beer, even at a great price, is a waste of money.

Risk of light damage: Mix-a-six packs may be displayed under bright UV lights in stores, and exposure to UV light can negatively impact the taste of beer. Clear and green bottles are particularly susceptible to this, although brown bottles and cans offer better protection.

To ensure you are getting the freshest beer possible, it is generally recommended to buy beer in its original six-pack or from a store with high product turnover. Additionally, always check the "bottled on" dates or "enjoy by" dates to make sure the beer is within its optimal consumption period.

Choose big brands

When it comes to buying fresh beer, choosing big brands is a safe bet. Here are some reasons why:

Wide Distribution Network:

Big beer brands often have a vast distribution network, ensuring their products are readily available worldwide. This means you're more likely to find their beers at your local store or pub, making it convenient to purchase their fresh offerings.

Financial Stability and Consistency:

Large breweries typically have greater financial resources, allowing them to invest in quality ingredients, state-of-the-art equipment, and rigorous quality control measures. This results in consistent beer quality and flavour across batches, so you know what to expect with each purchase.

Diverse Brand Portfolios:

Major beer companies often own multiple popular brands, giving them a diverse portfolio. For example, Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest beer company, owns 500 different beer brands, including Budweiser and Bud Light. This variety means you can explore different flavours and styles while staying within the same reliable brand family.

Marketing and Advertising:

Big brands invest heavily in marketing and advertising, ensuring their products are highly visible and recognisable. This extensive marketing helps build brand trust and loyalty, and you'll likely find their beers prominently displayed in stores, making it easier to spot their freshest offerings.

Innovation and Adaptation:

To maintain their market position, large beer companies constantly innovate and adapt to changing consumer demands. They may introduce new brands, flavours, or varieties to capture a wider fan base. For instance, Asahi, Japan's largest brewery, launched "Asahi Super Dry," the country's first dry draft beer, contributing to their success.

Tech Infrastructure:

Some big beer brands, like Heineken, invest heavily in technology. They leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and big data to optimise production, increase efficiency, and enhance the customer experience. This tech infrastructure contributes to their ability to deliver fresh beer consistently.

Ask the beer person

When it comes to buying fresh beer, it's a good idea to talk to the beer person at your grocery store. They might be a totally uneducated teenager or a beer aficionado, but they probably know more about the store's beer operation than you do. Ask them when shipments came in, what beers they're excited about, what's coming in soon, and if there's anything to avoid. This is a great way to verify the freshness of your beer and, sometimes, beer workers keep a stash of the good stuff in the back for interested customers.

If you're buying beer from a local brewery, it's worth learning about their brewing processes. Go on a brewery tour to find out how they handle beer, when they brew, and how they date their beer. Some breweries will store packaged beer warm, and some won't. Knowing how they operate will help you make an informed choice.

If you're buying beer from a bottle shop, it's worth asking about their storage conditions. Craft beer is relatively new in Australia, so there is still a lot of education to be done across the board. If bars or bottle shops store beer hot, or in the sun for weeks, it will ruin the beer. If the venue doesn't move a lot of beer and a beer stays onsite for months before being tapped, it's going to be past its best. If they have dirty lines, perfectly good beer could go through the lines and taste sour or worse when it gets to your glass.

How to spot fresh beer

The best way to drink beer is to drink it fresh. Beer tastes best when it's fresh, and only a small number of beers taste better with age. Beer has four main enemies: light, heat, oxygen, and time. All beers are exposed to each of these to some extent, and there is no universal defence against them.

When buying beer, always look for "bottled on" dates printed on the label or bottle. Different beers age differently, but a good rule of thumb is that beer will taste best in its first 30 days in a bottle. If the label says the beer has been in the bottle for more than 90 days, avoid it.

Some bottles will have "Enjoy by" dates instead of bottling dates. These are better than nothing, but they can be deceptive because there's no indication of how long it's been since the bottle was filled. If you can't tell how fresh the beer is, consider where you are. Does beer sell fast at the shop you're visiting? Can a salesperson estimate when they got that beer in? How close is the brewery to where you're buying the beer? These will give you hints about freshness, but you're better off with that "bottled on" date.

How to store fresh beer

Never leave your precious beer exposed to direct sunlight, unless you're sitting in a beer garden and drinking it there and then!

Beer doesn't react well to hot temperatures, so never leave it in a hot storage space or sitting out in the sun for any length of time. Light in particular can destroy the flavours in beer almost instantly. Don't ever leave beer in the sun, or under halogen lights. Beer stored in a fridge but under halogen lights will still go skunky after a while.

Beer in kegs, cartons, and cans are safest. Beer in bottles is most susceptible to skunking, especially beer in clear bottles. Brown bottles are best for filtering out UV light, followed by green bottles. But for some, cans always win.

Frequently asked questions