Pubs Dumping Beer

[Benfleet Brewery]

Forgive me if I’m missing something here but there are loads of threads on this forum saying how kegged beer will last for months, even years in some cases, and yet, there are reports on the news about how pubs and clubs are having to dump thousands of gallons of beer now they are closed as it will go off. Why can we keep kegged beer for ages but pubs can’t?

 

[Hoddy]

Forgive me if I’m missing something here but there are loads of threads on this forum saying how kegged beer will last for months, even years in some cases, and yet, there are reports on the news about how pubs and clubs are having to dump thousands of gallons of beer now they are closed as it will go off. Why can we keep kegged beer for ages but pubs can’t?

Because they are referring to Cask beer which is live and continues to have some access to oxygen which ultimately spoils the beer.

Your right keg beer can keep for a very long time, although hops fade fast.

Cask beer only really has a 3 month life in cask before its past its best. Once spile'd and tapped a cask beer goes to vinegar in about 5 days when kept well.

 

[An Ankoù]

Cask beer only really has a 3 month life in cask before its past its best. Once spile'd and tapped a cask beer goes to vinegar in about 5 days when kept well.

Even so a conscientious publican and his family and next door neighbours ought to be striving to minimise waste even if it does mean sacrificing the waistline a bit.

 

[Sadfield]

Why can we keep kegged beer for ages but pubs can’t?

Can you though? All beers change with age, and there's a big difference in having a homebrew you are happy to drink and meeting the expectations of paying customers.

 

[MmmBeer]

I was offered the opportunity to dispose of the contents of a cask left over from a small beer festival, just before lockdown. It was tapped on Saturday, I had it Tuesday, by Thursday it was turning and by Friday it was undrinkable.

Still, nice while it lasted. Obviously I need to learn to drink faster.