Best before dates on homebrews.

[brizleciderarmy]

Me and the missus will be upping sticks and moving within a month or two and as a result we wont have any room for all of our brewing gear. With the exception of one corny and a bucket. I have bottles coming out of every orifice, probably enough to do at least 4 full length beer kits.

Now the thought i had was i might just go on a mad brewing mission and do as many kits as possible before we go. Was thinking maybe an Irish Stout, 2 bitters and possibly 1 good quality turbo cider.

I know that with the right cleanliness etc a beer will last for yonks in a bottle even though it will lose its quality over time. What would you say is a good best before date to put on home brew, After its conditioned?

I was thinking possibly 6 months but a year would be handy. Last thing i want is to brew loads only to find in 8 months time it tastes like its already been drank at least once.

 

[RobWalker]

Hops tend to start wearing off after 6 months. There's no reason it's "off" as such, it just begins to lose aroma and what have you, in a sterile bottle it can last decades I guess.

A high IBU or ABV beer will keep and age better than a low one. IPA's used to be high ABV and high IBU because it took them 6 months to transport them over - by the time they got there, they were great. My dark, hoppy, strong beers are aged for 6 months before I consider touching them.

Cider and wine will get better with age, so brew as much of that as you want. I would suggest a TC compared to a kit cider - the actual apple juice will mature and get better and better.

 

[graysalchemy]

I have had beers which are 12-18 months and wished I had the rest of the 55L :lol: :lol: . The higher the abv the longer they will last. I would say a 5% would be lovely in a years time. Hop bitterness probably mellows becomes more rounded with age which in my opinion is a good thing. I try not to drink any of my beers for 2 months after bottling.

As with TC it actually matures better in bulk than the bottle but it certainly would mature in the bottle just not as well as in bulk. My last tc matured for 10 months in a FV before i could be bothered to bottle. Tastes good though.

 

[oldstout]

I would say a 5% would be lovely in a years time. Hop bitterness probably mellows becomes more rounded with age which in my opinion is a good thing. I try not to drink any of my beers for 2 months after bottling.

+1 :thumb:

 

[brizleciderarmy]

Cheers for the replies. A few kits on the go tomorrow i think. As for the cider, TC over a kit any day. Ive done 3 cider kits and they were all minging.

 

[RobWalker]

Same, although i keep hearing good things about on the rocks, so should you want a quick easy one, don't turn your nose up :p

 

[Hawks]

I opened a couple of old bottles the other evening - no labels as they lost them when we moved house a year ago. They would have been at least 18 months old by now, good chance even older.

I realllllly wish I had more of it - it was fantastic :thumb:

 

[RobWalker]

actually that does remind me, I remember reading a story about someone who picked up 2 bottles of 30 year old wine from a car boot sale. Don't quote me but I think it was something a little odd like watermelon wine.

Anyway, they said it was beyond belief. Maybe it's time to start brewing for the future!

 

[graysalchemy]

I have a bottle of elderberry port from 19 years ago and others which are 10-15 yrs old. I can't bring myself to drink them. :lol: :lol:

 

[oldstout]

I have a bottle of elderberry port from 19 years ago and others which are 10-15 yrs old. I can't bring myself to drink them. :lol: :lol:

I'll pm you my address GA :party: :party: :party:

:lol:

:

 

[graysalchemy]

Not a chance :lol: :lol:

 

[oldstout]

Not a chance :lol: :lol:

:wha: :wha: :wha:



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 

[ScottM]

You don't by any chance own a Supra do you oldstout?

 

[TonyT40]

My Dad just gave me a bottle of Blackberry wine from 1981, Purple Velvet from 1985 (probarbly blackberry) and a bottle of Fruit Melange? (he can't remember whats in it! - Can't even see what colour it is!) from 1998. My Mum used to come up the the fancy names ! Think we will try the 1998 first and work back. I'll let you know how we go on (if we live to tell the tale). :

 

[oldstout]

You don't by any chance own a Supra do you oldstout?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I wish :thumb:

People carrier for me Scott - four kids and the kitchen sink and all that and a little car to get to work and back

Mind you, back in the day me and Mrs oldstout - who incidentally was always mistaken for Jaggers bit Jerry Hall (yes we actually really are a handsome couple) could be seen tootling around in an original Honda CRX in white

Of course, when you have a babe wife it's not gonna be long before four young 'uns come along :whistle: :whistle:

Supra :wha: once upon a maybe.......

:

 

[ScottM]

You don't by any chance own a Supra do you oldstout?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I wish :thumb:

People carrier for me Scott - four kids and the kitchen sink and all that and a little car to get to work and back

Mind you, back in the day me and Mrs oldstout - who incidentally was always mistaken for Jaggers bit Jerry Hall (yes we actually really are a handsome couple) could be seen tootling around in an original Honda CRX in white

Of course, when you have a babe wife it's not gonna be long before four young 'uns come along :whistle: :whistle:

Supra :wha: once upon a maybe.......

:

Hahahaha

The reason I ask is that you have a very similar posting style to one of the guys on the Supra forum. Just wondering if you were one and the same :)

 

[oldstout]

You don't by any chance own a Supra do you oldstout?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I wish :thumb:

People carrier for me Scott - four kids and the kitchen sink and all that and a little car to get to work and back

Mind you, back in the day me and Mrs oldstout - who incidentally was always mistaken for Jaggers bit Jerry Hall (yes we actually really are a handsome couple) could be seen tootling around in an original Honda CRX in white

Of course, when you have a babe wife it's not gonna be long before four young 'uns come along :whistle: :whistle:

Supra :wha: once upon a maybe.......

:

Hahahaha

The reason I ask is that you have a very similar posting style to one of the guys on the Supra forum. Just wondering if you were one and the same :)

TWO handsome, witty, debonair chaps on different forums??

How VERY dare he........ :lol: :lol:

: