STORING PACKAGED BEER

There are five key things to remember when storing cases of packaged beer.

1. Rotate your stock

  • Beer doesn’t improve with age after packaging.
  • The shelf life for Anheuser-Busch domestic brands is 110 days from the "Born On" date.
  • Don’t stack new deliveries in front of or on top of cases already in your storeroom/cooler.
  • Restock coolers to always sell the oldest beer first.
  • Consider restocking bar coolers at day’s end to ensure proper chilling of the beer.
  • Fresh beer tastes best.

2. Storage temperature

Warm storage should not exceed 70° F, because high temperature can cause the flavor of beer to depreciate rapidly.

Avoid cold storage below 28° F. The best cold storage range is 36° to 38° F. Most people like drinking their beer cold, 38° to 40° F. If it is colder than 36° F, there isn’t much taste to enjoy; however, many ale-style brands taste best above 40° F.

If bottles or cans freeze:

  • Fix any malfunctioning thermostat or cooler.
  • Let the cases thaw, but avoid high temperature.
  • Gently turn the cans or bottles over end-to-end to remix the beer.
  • Open the package to check for clarity. If flakes are present, do not sell.

Cold…Warm…Cold?
Bottles and cans may be refrigerated, allowed to warm and rechilled without sacrificing quality. Just be sure the temperature range isn’t extreme (colder than 28° F or warmer than 70° F).

3. Storage cleanliness

Keep all your storage areas clean and dust-free. Cases stored in dirty areas can absorb odors that drinkers may detect when drinking directly from the package. This affects canned beer more so than bottled because of its wider surface area.

Try to avoid storing food items that emit odors near beer stock.

Remember: If the can or bottle looks dirty, the drinker may feel the beer is bad tasting. So, eye appeal is buy appeal.

4. Keep it dry

  • Dampness in storage areas can breed mold or mildew.
  • Consider stacking your cases on pallets or racks to protect them from damp floors.
  • Damp cardboard cartons can fall apart, causing breakage.
  • Damp storage coolers may cause labels to soften or shred, making bottles less appealing.

5. Storage areas for bottled beer should be "dark"

Many beers are brewed with hops, which are sensitive to light. Most brands are bottled in brown glass to protect the beer from light. Too much sunlight or artificial light can make beer skunky—that is, it may smell like a skunk. Brewers call this lightstruck. Draw shades in storerooms to prevent sunlight from penetrating bottled beer. Canned beer will not get skunky, but direct light can cause overheating.

Summary:
Bottled and canned beer tastes best when it is cool, clean, dark, dry and FRESH.