Old Beer: Is It Safe To Drink?

Drinking old beer is a common occurrence, especially when you stumble upon a long-lost can at the back of the fridge. But what happens if you drink it? The short answer is that it's unlikely to make you sick. The fermentation process used in brewing, as well as the low pH level and alcohol content, make it difficult for microorganisms to survive. However, the taste of the beer will definitely change over time, and it might not be a pleasant experience for your palate.

It's unlikely to be harmful to health

Drinking old beer is unlikely to be harmful to your health. The alcohol content in beer, along with the presence of hops, which have antimicrobial properties, means that no known pathogens can survive in beer. As such, there's no real risk of pathogenic growth.

While old beer is unlikely to make you sick, it might not taste very good. The delicate characteristics of hops are one of the first things to break down in old beer, and this can cause the beer to taste stale or like wet cardboard.

However, some beers are better at outlasting the test of time than others. For example, barley wines and imperial stouts are sometimes brewed with aging in mind and can acquire richer flavours as they slowly oxidise.

To keep your beer fresher for longer, it's recommended to store it in a cool, dark place, preferably a refrigerator.

It might taste bad

Drinking old beer will likely be an unpleasant experience, as the taste will have changed over time. Even if the beer is not harmful to health, it might taste bad.

Oxygen, heat, and light are the three main factors that can cause flavours in beer to go awry. Oxygen interacts with the compounds from malt, yeast, and hops, causing oxidation and a papery taste. The longer the beer is stored, the worse it gets. Once the bottle or can is opened, oxidation goes into hyperdrive, and the beverage will be left with a sad version of the drink.

Heat speeds up oxidation, so it is recommended to store beer in a refrigerator. Major changes in temperature, such as from an ice-cold cooler to a hot car, can also negatively impact the taste. Sadly, this cannot be reversed.

Light, specifically ultraviolet light, can also cause a chemical reaction in certain hop compounds, resulting in a skunky taste and smell. Brown glass offers the best protection against UV light, while green and clear glass provide little to no protection.

Old beer might taste overly sweet, sour, or like wet cardboard or vinegar. It might be bitter or unpleasant, and you might experience a "skunky" flavour.

While drinking old beer is unlikely to be harmful to your health, it is also unlikely to be an enjoyable experience.

It won't make you sick

Drinking old beer will not make you sick. The fermentation process used in brewing, as well as its low pH level and alcohol content, make beer an unfriendly environment for microorganisms. Even if a beer sits on the shelf for years, as long as it's sealed, it's unlikely to make you ill.

The worst thing that will happen is that the beer won't taste very good. Over time, the taste of beer changes, and what was once refreshing could become unpleasant. Old beer might taste overly sweet, sour, or like wet cardboard or vinegar. It could also smell like skunk, which is caused by a chemical reaction triggered when ultraviolet light comes into contact with certain hop compounds.

While drinking old beer won't make you sick, it's still recommended to drink beer as fresh as possible, especially hop-heavy styles like IPAs, as the volatile aromas from hops tend to dissipate over time.

It could have a vinegary taste

Drinking old beer is not dangerous, but it might not taste very nice. If a beer that isn't supposed to be tangy or acidic has a vinegary taste, it's a sign that bacteria has gotten into the beer, and you should throw it out.

The fermentation process used in brewing, as well as the low pH level and alcohol content of beer, make it an unfriendly environment for microorganisms. Even if a beer sits on the shelf for years, as long as it's sealed, it's unlikely to make you sick. However, the taste of beer can change over time, and it may become vinegary.

Beers with higher alcohol content and malt-forward styles, such as barley wines and imperial stouts, are sometimes brewed with aging in mind. These beers can develop richer flavours as they slowly oxidize. However, for hop-heavy styles like IPAs, the delicate hoppy aromas and flavours can dissipate over time, leaving the beer tasting stale.

To keep your beer tasting fresh, it's best to store it in a cool, dark place, preferably a refrigerator. Exposure to light and temperature fluctuations can cause off flavours to develop, and while these won't make you sick, they can affect the taste of your beer.

It might be safe to drink, but not very pleasant

Drinking old beer is unlikely to be harmful to your health, but it might not taste very pleasant. The fermentation process used in brewing, as well as the low pH level and alcohol content of beer, make it an unfriendly environment for microorganisms that could do you harm.

However, the taste of beer changes over time. Even if an old beer is safe to drink, it might taste stale, sour, or like wet cardboard. This is due to the breakdown of oils and sugars in the beer, as well as chemical changes. One of the first things to happen to beer as it ages is the dissipation of volatile aromas, especially those from hops. This means that an old IPA, for example, is unlikely to have the characteristic hoppy aroma that makes this style of beer so appealing when it's fresh.

If you're thinking of drinking an old beer, check that the seal is still intact and that it's been stored in a cool, dark place. If the beer has lost its fizz, or if it has an unpleasant vinegary taste, it's best to throw it out.

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