In the past, customers visited a shop to buy bottles of beer and drink them at home. However, most of the beers that have been on store shelves for days or weeks arenât usually fresh anymore. Because of this, the quality of the beer is not as good as newly brewed ones.
Nowadays, beer lovers are more knowledgeable in selecting which beer to purchase. Because of this, it has made brewers to working doubly hard to offer the freshest beers in the market. This is why some beer drinkers opt for craft beer than the mass-produced ones because of the more controlled brewing process.
Regardless of whether itâs a craft or big brand beer, here are five factors that affect the beerâs quality.
1. Shelf life
Full-flavoured craft beers and IPAâs taste better when consumed as fresh as possible. However, there are exceptions to this rule, like dark or aged Belgian beers. Most of the time, however, recently brewed beers taste better than those on shelves for weeks.Â
That said, itâs nearly impossible to brew beer, bottle it, and sell all of them at stores inside a month. Because of this, the quality of the beers will remain for about three months from the production date before there will be a drop off in taste.
2. Do not rely on the âbest beforeâ date
Some breweries canât determine an appropriate best before date because itâs mainly a guessing game. The so-called expiration date usually happens a year from the time of brewing, yet itâs unlikely that you will incur sickness if you drink a bottle that is beyond the best before date. However, you can be certain that the beer wonât taste as good anymore.
Take note that regulatory agencies require breweries to place a best before date on the label to uphold beverage standards. Therefore, itâs best to check this date if youâre buying Pale Ale or other specially crafted beers to have an idea of its taste. Stay on the safe side and opt for bottles with a best before date that is still months away.
3. Storage temperature
Never leave the beer in hot storages because heat can destroy the beerâs flavours regardless if itâs a bottle or a can. Always place your beer in an ice chest if youâre going outdoors to retain its taste. As much as possible, do not constantly change its temperature from cold to warm and back to cold because the beer may taste differently. Generally, a beer that is left in a consistently cold space will taste better than the ones kept in hot areas.
4. Go for local beers
Local breweries can guarantee fresher beers when compared to big brands because the bottled brews are transported at a shorter distance. These smaller breweries can be profitable via cellar door trade, and they can brew more variants with less intervention.
5. The breweryâs reputation
Go to brewery tours to learn how they brew and date the beer. Youâll also get a glimpse of their production process for seasonal beers. Finally, you can peek at their storage for bottled beers and determine if itâs cold enough to maintain the beerâs freshness. Knowing how they operate will help you determine whether or not they are a reputable company.
Discover new brews by joining beer tours that feature blends from local brewers. Geelong Beer Tours can take you to Valhalla, the place where they produce five great craft beers, and Queenscliffe Brewhouse for fantastic beers. You will have the opportunity to listen to an energetic tour guide that can give loads of information about what youâre drinking as well.
Are you ready to explore and enjoy the best beers in Geelong? At Geelong Beer Tours, we have the right package just for you. Book your beer tour today!