|
There are five key things to remember when
storing cases of 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 shouldn’t 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°-38° F.
Most people like drinking their beer cold –38°- 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, 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.
|
