How long is homebrew good for?

[PsychoBrew]

I know that we had a thread on this subject at one time - maybe about two years ago, but for the life of me I can not find it.

I was cleaning out the brewing room over the weekend and trying to box up all the loose bombers I have - must have about 9 or 10 cases of the buggers. Any how I came across a sixer of my 2006 Christmas brew and four 16s of a casual amber from 2006. The Christmas brew has mellowed out and is quite tasty now (it was pretty strong flavored to start) and the amber is great. So this got me thinking.

How long is homebrew good for?

Is it as age able as any other beers - say monk beer found in storage from long ago?

Usually I do not have to worry about this because my homebrew never reaches this type of age, but I am curious what you guys think.

[Saint-Thomas]

There are too many factors to go into in one reply, so I'l try to be brief and open some discussions. it depends. How careful were your sanitation practises, did you get too much (any) oxygen in the bottle when you bottled it, what type of beer, how strong in alcohol, what type of packaging, what temperature is the storage area.

Assuming that the brewing practises were flawless, let's examine the packaging. It should be impervious or at least highly restrictive to UV light. Brown bottles are the best and I wouldn't use any other color unless you keep them in darkness or package in kegs. UV excites one of the compounds in hops and changes it into the same chemical that skunks emit. This is why your Spaten or Heineken, etc. tastes pretty skunky out of the bottle, but pretty good on draught. Light beers are more susceptable to this process. And, once it starts, it continues even after you put the beer in darkness.

Warm temperatures accelerate aging which includes some of the things you don't want such as oxidative compounds which can give off a cardboard flavor. Keeping bottles in the cellar at 55f and in the dark is best.

Stronger beers tend to age better and will often improve. Hefeweizens tend to not do too well with age.

[PsychoBrew]

Thank you Saint-Thomas. I think that was a great way to open the discussion.
I have read about using brown bottles vs green and have used only brown glass since when bottling. I also store my brew in boxes covered with a blanket or a towel so that limited to no light gets to them. My beer room stays pretty cool unless the summer days crank up the heat and then I have to resort to alternative cooling so that the room does not get above 70 max. I prefer to keep it at a constant 65.

[Mad Scientist]

Warm temperatures accelerate aging which includes some of the things you don't want such as oxidative compounds which can give off a cardboard flavor. Keeping bottles in the cellar at 55f and in the dark is best.


My 2006 Xmas ale was kind of rough on the first go round, so I did a test, and aged one bottle in the fridge for a year, and another at room temp for a year. the result was that the room temp bottle was far more pleasent, and tsty, while the fridge aged beer was virtually unchanged....

[beerking]

It is good for as long as I have any left. :D

Seriously, my consumption rate is much below my production rate, so i frequently have beers WAY older than most people would recommend. They are bottle in brown glass, and kept in boxes in the basement.

Sometimes, a bottle slowly develops contamination character over time, sometimes it does not. All homebrew is contaminated, it is only a question of how much. Many of my beers improve for several years, and the bigger beers even longer. Lighter beers generally don't fare too well.

Probably my biggest impact is oxidation. Lesson learned: transfer and bottle VERY CAREFULLY.

Worst case: contamination builds enough to make the beer undrinkable. Even then, it still won't hurt you.

Best case: you get a beer that improves to a well aged barleywine, etc. I have even had beers that did not taste so good improve with age.

[corkybstewart]

I've had 6 year old homebrew that was great, 3 year old stuff that was nasty. I've had kegs of beer that weren't drinkable until their 2nd year, kegs that were obviously stale after 3 months.
Taste it and see, that's the only way you'll know.

[fretlessman71]

I've heard that hoppier and smoked beers also fare well with age, although the hop character is somewhat lessened. I find it to be more complex of a hop flavor although not quite as strong.

[beerking]

When I talk about "aged" homebrew, I am usually referring to something 10+ years old. I have had some of my homebrew 20 yrs old (only had a couple of bottles left).

[PsychoBrew]

My 2006 Xmas ale was kind of rough on the first go round, so I did a test, and aged one bottle in the fridge for a year, and another at room temp for a year. the result was that the room temp bottle was far more pleasent, and tsty, while the fridge aged beer was virtually unchanged....

That’s kind of a coincidence - I did the same thing because it was our first xmas beer the balance of spices were all off - had way too much nutmeg. My results were the same as yours. The bottles that aged at room temp came out ok while the bottle in the fridge was still strong enough to blow your head off with nutmeg. It really pretty tasty now - I think I will save the last couple for this weekend ;)

[PsychoBrew]

When I talk about "aged" homebrew, I am usually referring to something 10+ years old. I have had some of my homebrew 20 yrs old (only had a couple of bottles left).

Wow - what beer did you age for 20years?

Back in 2000 someone gave me a millinium box set of Spudweiser (big bottle + 2 glasses in a presentation box) its been in my closet since then - ya think time would actually make it any good? NAhh I dont think I will even try - I should sell it to some Bud fan on ebay for big bucks.

[fretlessman71]

Wow - what beer did you age for 20years?

Back in 2000 someone gave me a millinium box set of Spudweiser (big bottle + 2 glasses in a presentation box) its been in my closet since then - ya think time would actually make it any good? NAhh I dont think I will even try - I should sell it to some Bud fan on ebay for big bucks.

If the box is unopened and unmarred, I think that would be the best use of such an undrinkable item. ;)

Hey, Bud themselves say their beer has a short shelf life, so it's not like I'm dissing them (this time anyway)...

[PsychoBrew]

If the box is unopened and unmarred, I think that would be the best use of such an undrinkable item. ;)

Hey, Bud themselves say their beer has a short shelf life, so it's not like I'm dissing them (this time anyway)...

Yep - unopened. I usually do not allow beer like it in the house (beer snob), but it was a gift from a friend. Hey I could probably get enough out of selling it to make a batch of home brew - that would make it worth something to me :D

[beerking]

Wow - what beer did you age for 20years?

I had some barleywine (extract) from 1986 recently. I may still have a bottle or two of a BIG weizenbock I made around the same time.

[PsychoBrew]

I had some barleywine (extract) from 1986 recently. I may still have a bottle or two of a BIG weizenbock I made around the same time.


Impressive - you have inspired me to start stashing some away. I have a Scottish red that is pretty stiff - I bet in about 5 to 10 it would be a bomb. Metaphorically speaking of course.

[beerking]

The real key is making sure it is clean. Any noticeable infection now will only grow over time.
Then again, just give it a try and see. If you are only stashing a few bottles, and you find that they don't hold up...oh well. You have already paid for the batch, and enjoyed most of it, so it is a very minor loss, in exchange for the possibility of some very interesting and enjoyable beer.

[Mad Scientist]

Wow - what beer did you age for 20years?

Back in 2000 someone gave me a millinium box set of Spudweiser (big bottle + 2 glasses in a presentation box) its been in my closet since then - ya think time would actually make it any good? NAhh I dont think I will even try - I should sell it to some Bud fan on ebay for big bucks.

Well, if you wanted to know what it tastes like, go ahead and drink it...then fill the bottle with fizzy yellow water, and no one will be any wiser.....

[Mad Scientist]

I had some barleywine (extract) from 1986 recently. I may still have a bottle or two of a BIG weizenbock I made around the same time.

I'm thinking I might give last year's Xmas ale a try with this....it was 13.5% and waaay too young...

[beerking]

I'm thinking I might give last year's Xmas ale a try with this....it was 13.5% and waaay too young...

At 13.5%, I would probably have given this beer 12-18 months before diving into myself. Saving more for much later can be fun. Try saving 6-12 bottles, and open one on Xmas eve every year until they are gone. Take good notes (I often don't, and have at times regretted it).

[PsychoBrew]

Well, if you wanted to know what it tastes like, go ahead and drink it...then fill the bottle with fizzy yellow water, and no one will be any wiser.....


I think it would have to be really foamy fizzy yellow water :D

Man I hate that stuff. I seen one set just like it on craigs list for $60. I bet I could get more from a Bud fan if I put it on ebay.

[PsychoBrew]

Try saving 6-12 bottles, and open one on Xmas eve every year until they are gone. Take good notes (I often don't, and have at times regretted it).

Thats a great idea - I have a six pack of my 2006 xmas brew and I think I will stash it and see what its like for the next six years. I like to treat myself well on xmas anyway. I usually buy a bottle of expensive beer that I would not usually buy and drink it, but I would much rather be drinking my own.

Thanks BeerKing!!!

[beerking]

Thats a great idea - I have a six pack of my 2006 xmas brew and I think I will stash it and see what its like for the next six years. I like to treat myself well on xmas anyway. I usually buy a bottle of expensive beer that I would not usually buy and drink it, but I would much rather be drinking my own.

Thanks BeerKing!!!

My pleasure1 We will all expect to see reviews for the next 6 Xmas's. ;)

[Mad Scientist]

At 13.5%, I would probably have given this beer 12-18 months before diving into myself. Saving more for much later can be fun. Try saving 6-12 bottles, and open one on Xmas eve every year until they are gone. Take good notes (I often don't, and have at times regretted it).

Presently, it has been in a keg since last June (brewed in May 07). I have a beergun to bottle with, I am just wating until May to bottle it, so it will have been a year since brewing...