How Long Does Craft Beer Last? | Storage | Thompson Island

Growlers

The best way to store growlers is upright in a cool, dark space. The airtight lid will ensure the beer remains fresh for several days and even longer if the bar that filled the growler did so with carbon dioxide. Once opened, the beer will stay fresh for up to 36 hours.

Other Containers

The above guidelines are more appropriate for draft and packaged beers. Home-brews and microbrews will likely have a shorter lifespan, even with adequate storage. The life span of open beer, regardless of its container, will be notably shorter thanks to external factors like air, light and potentially bacteria.

Shelf Life of Beer by Type

As we mentioned before, the variety or style of the beer also plays a role in its shelf life. There are various methods of brewing different beers, so the shelf life of dark beers differs from that of barrel-aged beers.

Light Beers

Light beers are usually lower in alcohol, so you'll want to drink them within three months of their packaging date. This category includes pale ales, wheat beers and lagers, as well as lower-calorie versions of other types of beer. It also includes India pale ales (IPAs), though their alcohol by volume (ABV) tends to be higher.

IPAs can last as long as 12 months, but you may see a decrease in quality after a couple of months. Wheat beers and brown ales are similar and best enjoyed within four months.

Dark Beers

Heavier beers like stouts and porters have a longer shelf life at about six months. You can enjoy peak flavors when you enjoy these beers within 180 days of packaging.

Barrel-Aged Beers

As the name suggests, barrel-aged beers are sometimes better the longer they stay on the shelf. These beers, including sour ales and imperial beers, tend to have higher alcohol content and need time to reach their peak flavor. The souring agent in ales doesn't stop working until several years later, which means that the beer's taste can continue to evolve long after packaging. Oxidization ends up being a benefit for barrel-aged beers, and the barrels allow small amounts of air to interact with the beer over a longer period to take advantage of the chemical reactions.

Beers that can benefit from longer storage may also be candidates for keeping in cellars. However, it's not possible to cellar all beers — even those with a long shelf life. Storing beer correctly is crucial, and to do that, you need to know what does and doesn't work for a particular type of beer.

How Does Beer Storage Impact Taste and Aroma?

Proper storage helps prevent unwanted chemical reactions that can affect flavor and overall aroma. Ideally, you should store your beer at the same temperature you intend to serve it — since different beers taste best at specific temperatures, you'll want to take the type of beer you're drinking into consideration before setting the thermostat.

Storing beer in a location that's too warm — usually room temperature and above — will usually lead to it spoiling faster. And if you leave bottled beer in a space where it could be directly exposed to sunlight, you could end up with bitter “lightstruck” beer.

Special Considerations for Home-Brewed Beer

If you'd like to brew your own beer, you'll want to make sure you store it properly. Unless you have access to commercial canning or bottling equipment, it will likely be more susceptible to the environment than beer from a brewery.

Home-brewed beer goes through its final stage of fermentation in whatever container you put it in, which is why you should carefully consider your options:

• Glass bottles: Bottles are affordable and easy to store, but sanitizing them between brews is a labor-intensive, time-consuming process.

• Kegs: While kegging your home-brew takes much longer than bottling, it provides more control over the carbonation.

During the fermentation process, you'll want to store your home-brew somewhere warm so the yeast can get to work. Then, place it in the fridge or cooler so it'll be the perfect temperature for drinking.

How to Store Beer for Aging

Aging, or “cellaring,” beer can help bring out its subtle bready or earthy tones, creating a more complex flavor profile.

That said, you want to make sure you choose the right beer for this purpose. Full-bodied, high-ABV beers usually age well in the right conditions. Some examples include:

• Strong ales

• Dark malts

• Imperial stouts

• Barley wines

• Belgian lambics

• Barrel-aged sours

Lighter, hoppier brews like pale ales, IPAs and wheat beers aren't good candidates for cellaring because the hops will break down over time — for the best flavor, enjoy these fresh.

Creating a Beer Cellar

Although beer doesn't usually age like wine, you still need to keep it in a controlled environment. There are three factors you need to consider:

• Temperature: Keep your beer cellar fairly cool — too warm, and it will accelerate aging and oxidation. A good rule of thumb to follow is around 10 degrees below the beer's fermentation temperature.

• Light: To prevent skunking, store cellared beer in a dark place where it won't be exposed to direct sunlight.

• Movement: Store your beer somewhere out of the way so you won't need to move it around. Too much movement can cause chemical changes, which will affect its overall flavor.

When you're ready to drink, slowly taper your aged beer into a glass first — this will help keep the inactive malt proteins at the bottom of the bottle so you can enjoy your brew.

How to Store Beer Long-Term

When in doubt about storage methods, a foolproof tactic is to contact the brewery directly for advice. However, that may be a solution best suited to specific cases. Most beer needs only three things to preserve or prolong its life span:

1. Correct Storage

Storage, as we've already mentioned, depends on factors like packaging — in a bottle, can, keg or growler — and what type of beer it is. A cool, dark place is the universal ideal, with the definition of "cool" being distinctly between room temperature and freezing.

2. Upright Position

It's best to keep larger containers, like kegs, away from other foodstuffs to reduce any risk of contamination. You should always try to store beer containers standing up, rather than on their sides. Even if you're aging beer in a cellar, upright is the way to go, coupled with minimal movement.

3. Temperature Control

Light — even fluorescent light — and heat can quickly accelerate a beer's best-before date, so refrigeration is always a better option than leaving it at room temperature. The cold will help slow down the aging process, which essentially begins immediately after packaging. The dark keeps the beer safe from the effects of UV rays, as well as the heat.

If you buy a lot of beer you don't plan to consume for several weeks or months, keeping it in the fridge — not the freezer — is the best way to maintain more of its original taste. If there's no room in the fridge, a cool, dark area is the next best thing, ideally one in which the beer can remain undisturbed until you're ready to drink it.

For cellar-appropriate beers, it's also essential to remember that beer is not like wine, meaning you can't leave it to age for years and expect the flavor to continue improving. While some aging will change the taste of beer for the better, letting it sit too long will help it go bad.

How to Properly Dispose of Old Beer

Beer generally isn't a threat to the local environment — even if it's expired — so you technically can pour it down the drain and toss the container in the recycling bin. But why not try putting it to good use first?

If you just have a few cans or bottles lying around, there are several ways you can recycle your expired beer:

• Bug repellant: Lure the bugs away from your backyard barbecue by placing buckets of stale beer around the perimeter of your property.

• Rust dissolver: Apply expired beer to rusty metal and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Once the beer's had enough time to break the rust down, wipe your item clean with an old cloth.

• Stain remover: Pour a little flat beer over stains and rub it in using a rag. Once the stain goes away, blot the area dry with a clean cloth.

If you need to get rid of a keg or more, you'll need to take some extra care. The Brewers Association recommends taking the following precautions for emptying kegs of spoiled beer:

• Push the beer from the kegs using compressed air.

• If you must use compressed carbon dioxide to empty the keg, make sure you're outside or in a well-ventilated space.

• Wear protective gear on your hands and eyes.

• Secure the loose hose end to prevent it from flailing and hitting someone.

• Stay within the keg's working pressure.

You can also bring your beer to an industrial distillery for recycling, though you may need to follow hazardous waste transport regulations.

Enjoy Fine Craft Beer at Thompson Island

At Thompson Island, our goal is to provide more than good food. We aim to offer a delicious meal accompanied by a perfectly paired craft beer amid a joyous atmosphere. A casual getaway from the beach, we are Coastal Delaware's premier destination for craft beer, pub foods and good times.

We pride ourselves on our locally sourced, fresh ingredients and also on the time we spend training and educating our team. We ensure all customers have a memorable experience from the moment they enter our doors until the second they leave. We strive to make guests eager to return to experience our exceptional service, unique chef's menu and our popular beer garden that offers various games.

Check out our extensive selection of craft beer on tap, or choose a new favorite with our tastings, flights and crowlers. No reservations are necessary, so you're welcome to drop in anytime between noon and 9 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday or from noon to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Or, come see us for happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. every day from Sunday to Friday.

For more information, get in touch by calling 302-309-9887.