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Unlike wine, the majority
of beers are not brewed to age. Beer typically spoils within a few
months, a year at most, with rare exceptions. Even specialty brews
aren't made to improve over the five, ten or even longer age of some
fine wines. There are some specialty brews, though, that can age up to
30 years.
Here are some tips for
home brewers and beer drinkers to keep that great bottle in premium
shape until you can no longer resist opening it.
Tip #1: Drink it all. If
you didn't resist opening that bottle, but found yourself satisfied
halfway through, don't put the remainder back into the refrigerator for
long. Even if well-sealed so it doesn't lose carbonation, air will
continue to react with what's left, leaving it unworthy after a few
hours.
Tip #2: Stopper well.
Since air is one of the main enemies of a good brew, it's ironic that
nitrogen (which makes up 79% of normal air) should be used in kegs and
some cans or bottles. Small nitrogen-containing pellets, called
widgets, are used in some applications. The gas flows out a small
pinhole when the container is opened, helping to create a nice, foamy
head.
Natural cork does a good
job of sealing bottles, but modern plastic derivatives are much better
(even if less stylish). No need to store the bottle horizontally,
though. Cork-drying isn't a problem under normal circumstances. Just
make sure the cork is inserted a half-inch or more and doesn't contain
any obvious holes or mold. It's the oxygen in air that does the damage,
along with organisms in the air.
Storing upright also
allows any remaining yeast to migrate to the bottom, where it's more
easily filtered out. Bottles stored on their sides cause yeast not only
to accumulate near the cork, but also to scatter when the bottle is
tipped upright for uncorking. Unless you happen to like the more
'complex' flavor imparted, keep it upright.
Tip #3: Keep it in the
dark. Unlike your spouse, your beer should not be let in on your plans
for it. Keeping it in a low-light area will help to combat the second
major cause of beer spoilage: ultraviolet light exposure. A condition
sometimes called 'skunked'.
Any visible light can
harm beer, but the invisible ultraviolet is more energetic and causes
several components in the brew to break down and combine with other
compounds. The products of that reaction are always less tasty than the
original. It's not called skunked for nothing. (Chemically, for those
interested, 3-methylbut-2-ene-1-thiol - a constituent of skunk spray -
is created, leading to the distinctive odor and taste.)
Tip #4: Keep it cool, not
frozen. Like most food products, beer benefits from low temperatures.
But freezing beer forms ice crystals that don't melt back exactly the
way they were initially. The result is usually lifeless and
unappetizing beer.
Some strong brews, like
Trippel or Barley Wine, store well at a few degrees below room
temperature, 12.8°C-15.5°C (55°F-60°F).
Most ales - Bitter, Dobblebock, Stout and others - will benefit from
cooler, cellar temperatures, in the range of
10°C-12.8°C (50°F-55°F). Lagers and
other lighter beers do best in colder conditions, around
7.2°C-10°C (45°F-50°F).
But, not everyone has an
area suitable for storing beer, nor can afford a specialized
refrigerator. If you can't maintain the light and temperature
conditions needed to store beer, there's really only one good
alternative: give in to that temptation soon.
Home Brewing Beer
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