Wednesday, June 30, 2010

How to Properly Store a Fine Beer


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Generally speaking, beer is not intended to be aged. However, some beers do require a bit of aging to reach peak flavor. If you have a beer that would benefit from some age, or if you just have too much stock, there are some basic directions that will help keep your beer in optimal condition.

First of all, store your beer upright, even if the beer comes in a bottle with a cork in the top. Unlike a fine wine, you do not want to store your beer on its side. Secondly, when storing beer, do not allow it to be exposed to heat or light. Beer that has been exposed to light (including artificial light sources, such as fluorescent bulbs) can become "light struck", which gives beer a "skunky" taste. Brown bottles provide much more protection from light damage than green and clear bottles, which is why good beer is sold in brown bottles.

However, beer in brown bottles still needs to be protected from light. One good way to protect from light is to leave it in the cardboard box it came in. Exposure to heat sources can cause oxidation in your beer, which will give it a "cardboard" taste. Store your beer between 35°F and 60°F. Keep in mind that if you store at the higher end of this temperature range, the yeast will remain active and accelerate any aging effects. If you live in a cooler climate, you can store your beer in a cellar, but for warmer climates, you will probably need refrigeration to keep your beer safe.

Most larger scale breweries pasteurize their beer, which kills the yeast and allows for longer storage life. However, most microbrews and hand crafted beers are not pasteurized. Typically speaking, heavier beers will store better and longer than lighter beers. This is especially true of heavily hopped beers, because hops are a preservative. Ultimately, you can store beer for a while, but we recommend that if you have a fine beer on hand, don't store it...drink it.

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