Stale Beer: Drinking Expired Beer's Risks And Side Effects

Drinking out-of-date beer is unlikely to harm you, but it may not taste as good as it once did. Beer is usually labelled with a best before date, which is a guideline on quality rather than safety. After this date, the beer will start to lose its quality, and its flavour and aroma will deteriorate. However, some beers, such as stouts and porters, can improve with age, developing new flavours and becoming more multidimensional.

It's safe to drink, but it might taste bad

It's important to distinguish between a "best before" date and a "use by" date. "Use by" is a rule and is an indicator of food safety. After the stated date, the product will quickly degrade and you risk getting ill if you consume it. "Best before" is a guideline on quality, rather than safety. The product will start to lose its quality after the stated date but it's still edible. Beer typically has a "best before" date.

So, if you drink beer past its "best before" date, it's very unlikely to be unsafe and make you ill. However, it might not taste very nice. The beer will slowly change in terms of its chemical composition and flatness, and its flavour will fade. It will become oxidised, which will cause it to stale and produce off-flavours such as cardboard, sherry, or soap. It might also smell "skunky".

The higher the alcohol content of the beer, the less you need to worry about the "best before" date. Some beers, such as porters and stouts, can even improve with age. However, IPAs are almost always best within three months of bottling.

If you want to keep your beer tasting as good as possible for as long as possible, store it in a cool, dark place.

It won't make you sick like expired milk

Drinking out-of-date beer will not make you sick, unlike drinking expired milk. Beer is less perishable than milk and doesn't pose the same health risks when consumed past its "best before" date. While it's generally recommended to adhere to "use by" dates for safety reasons, "best before" dates are more of a guideline for quality rather than safety.

Beer doesn't spoil or turn unsafe to consume in the same way that milk does. Instead, the flavour and quality of beer gradually deteriorate over time. The protein structure that creates the body of the beer breaks down, flavours fade, carbonation levels decrease, and the beer becomes oxidised. This process is often described as the beer dying a long, slow death rather than a sudden deterioration.

The ageing process can be desirable for certain types of beer, such as darker and stronger beers like stouts, porters, and barley wines. These varieties can develop and integrate over time, becoming more complex and multidimensional. On the other hand, IPAs are best consumed within a few months of bottling, as they gradually lose their flavour and aroma.

While drinking out-of-date beer won't make you sick, it's important to note that the taste and quality may not be optimal. The beer may taste flat or smell "skunky," indicating excessive exposure to light. Additionally, the desired profile intended by the brewer may no longer be present, resulting in a less enjoyable drinking experience.

To summarise, while drinking out-of-date beer is unlikely to cause illness, it's always recommended to consume beer within the suggested "best before" dates to ensure optimal flavour and quality.

It's best to drink within 6-12 months of the 'best before' date

Beer typically has a 'best before' date rather than a 'use by' date. This means that it is still safe to drink after this date, but the quality of the beer will start to deteriorate. Beer is best enjoyed within 6-12 months of its 'best before' date.

Beer is best stored in a cool, dark place, such as a basement or cellar. Refrigeration can also help to prolong the life of beer, with a typical lager lasting 6-24 months after its best before date if kept in the fridge, and up to 9 months if it hasn't been refrigerated.

Beers with higher alcohol content, such as stouts and porters, can often improve with age, developing new and interesting flavours. These beers can be safely stored for several years and are best kept in cool, dark storage conditions.

On the other hand, IPAs are best enjoyed as fresh as possible and will start to lose their flavour and aroma over time. The bright, malty flavours of pilsners are also fragile and can quickly turn acidic.

Overall, while it is safe to drink beer past its 'best before' date, the quality of the beer will gradually deteriorate, and it is best enjoyed within 6-12 months of this date.

IPAs are best within 3 months

IPAs, or India Pale Ales, are best consumed within three months of their bottling date. While beers typically have expiry dates, these are more of a guideline on quality than safety. IPAs, especially the hoppy ones, gradually lose their flavour and aroma over time, so it's best to drink them sooner rather than later.

IPAs are not intended to be aged like barley wines. The hops in IPAs are highly volatile and perishable, so ageing an IPA will result in the loss of its defining characteristics, leaving you with a fairly boring beer.

That being said, the style was historically brewed to survive the long journey by ship from England to India, so while they might lose some freshness and hoppy flavours over time, they can still be drinkable for several months after their "best before" date.

If you're looking to store your IPAs, it's best to keep them in the fridge or in cool, dark storage conditions like a basement or cellar. Changes in temperature can adversely affect the flavour, and if they're in bottles, it's best to store them upright.

Stouts, porters and barley wines can improve with age

Drinking beer past its "best before" date is not the same as drinking expired food past its "use by" date. Beer has a "best before" date, which is a guideline on quality rather than safety. This means that the beer will start to lose its quality after the stated date, but it can still be drunk. The taste, however, may not be as good.

Some beers, like wine and whiskey, can improve with age. Richer and higher ABV varieties of beer, such as stouts, porters, and barley wines, can get better with age if kept in cool, dark storage conditions like a basement or cellar.

Stouts, for example, can have a "sweet spot" at around 2-3 years of aging, with some stouts even improving after 10 years. However, many stouts start to decline in quality after 4-5 years.

Porters also age well, especially those with chocolate malts, which help resist oxidation. The strong roasted flavours of porters will meld together better over time. It is recommended to age porters for a couple of months, with six months being the maximum suggested aging time.

Barley wines can be aged for much longer periods. An 18-year-old barley wine, for example, may develop a velvety mouthfeel, mellowed booze, smoothed-out bitterness, and heightened caramel flavours.

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