Can beer really go out of date?

[Colossal Squid]

Found an old case of French lager in the garage and thought it'd do nicely with the tennis this afternoon however it has a bit of a funny taste and looking at the bottle I notice the best before date is December 2008. That's pretty old. Like two and a half years old.

But it's just lager. Why would it go mouldy? Looks ok, and even though it tastes weird it's still drinkable. But am I going to die?

Here it is

 

[Conkers]

Probably won't die but it tastes FOUL.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

No your not going to die. I drank 2009 beer a few months ago. Tasted vile but it got me drunk. No after or side effects at all...none...none I said mother none!

Honestly you'll be fine.

 

[BensGrandad]

. But am I going to die?

]

No probably not but you may not be able too move too far away from the toilet this evening/early morning more so if it was real ale and you think curry is bad. This would be a good remedy for aids perhaps wouldnt cure it but show what the a..e is meant for.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

I had an "off" Stella in Vodka Revs a few weeks back. It stank and tasted of egg.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I have four bottles of this, dating, of course, from 2000.

Ben's Grandad will no doubt be pleased to hear that I think it is probably undrinkable.

 

[Colossal Squid]

That Ouse Booze was well nice. Shame we'll never see the likes of it again

 

[BensGrandad]

I wouldnt think that it is any worse now than when it was brewed but then there are people that like it so whose to complain.

 

[Gully]

Only problem is if that French lager was crap to start off with, as much of theirs is, then it is unlikely to have improved with age.

 

[vegster]

I have four bottles of this, dating, of course, from 2000.

Ben's Grandad will no doubt be pleased to hear that I think it is probably undrinkable.

With respect, it was probably undrinkable in 2000

 

[Mackenzie]

I've got a 1974 bottle of Merrydown Cider in the wine cellar (at the pub)......I don't think I'll be drinking it!

 

[CheeseRolls]

I moved house a month ago and toasted my old house with a bottle of millenium Russian Imperial Stout brewed July 1999. Absolutely bloody marvellous it was too. If a beer is bottle conditioned and brewed to a high gravity it can be good for up to 25 years. Inert beer in a bottle is probably good for about 6 months before going stale.

Worthington White Shield it used to be said would go off after it's best before date, but if you waited a few months the yeast would recover and it would become drinkable again. Can't say I ever tried this though.

 

[Scotty Mac]

my friend once had cans of boddingtons that were about three years out of date to the point where the can had become all squishy

naturally, we drank them and as a result i was violently sick all over his kitchen floor

 

[BensGrandad]

Worthington White Shield it used to be said would go off after it's best before date, but if you waited a few months the yeast would recover and it would become drinkable again. Can't say I ever tried this though.

That was the original White Shield not what they concocted at K & B in Horsham. It was said that it was at its best 6 weeks after brewing or 18 months later but if drunk later it was apparently much stronger.

 

[8ace]

Does Champagne go off if you keep it too long?

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

Does Champagne go off if you keep it too long?

Depends if you have opened it or not.

 

[Mackenzie]

I moved house a month ago and toasted my old house with a bottle of millenium Russian Imperial Stout brewed July 1999. Absolutely bloody marvellous it was too. If a beer is bottle conditioned and brewed to a high gravity it can be good for up to 25 years. Inert beer in a bottle is probably good for about 6 months before going stale.

Worthington White Shield it used to be said would go off after it's best before date, but if you waited a few months the yeast would recover and it would become drinkable again. Can't say I ever tried this though.

I've got a can of that knocking about somewhere as well.

 

[8ace]

Depends if you have opened it or not.

No, unopened.

 

[BensGrandad]

I've got a can of that knocking about somewhere as well.

It must be the recent type as brewed by K & B as the original continued working in the bottle and experienced bar staff were very particular about watching for the sediment as they poured it which you couldnt do with a can unless is was see through like a bottle.

 

[beorhthelm]

lager beer is sterile drink sealed in solid, gas proof bottles, like canned good it should last years. ales, not quite so much because there will be some trace yeast, but then they should be dead and the beer still last years. might produce an off taste.

but then, i drank a 1 year old bottle of Harveys christmas ale once and coincidently had urinary infection a few days later