Way to Teach You Store Beer

Since beer is a perishable substance, you're going to want to stick it into a dark place that's pretty cool. The clock is still ticking. It will only taste fresh under those conditions for a couple of months.

There are always exceptions to the rule. Brews like Samuel Adams Double Bock (Imperial Series) and other doppelbocks can be aged like wines for many years.

Most others, though, quickly turn to swill if not enjoyed in a short period of time.

One factor is the process the brewmeister uses when creating the stuff. For instance, is the beer unpasteurized or pasteurized?

When beer is pasteurized, the shelf-life is extended. That's why Anheuser Busch started using the technique over 100-years ago. The company wanted to find a way to ship its product more than just a few miles away. Unpasteurized ale couldn't withstand the test of time. Between pasteurization and railroad cars that were refrigerated, a breweries output could go nationwide.

The upside to unpasteurized beer is chemical and very important. By putting the suds through the process, microorganisms are destroyed. Since this type of bacteria is bad for beer, so far so good, right?

Actually, no. Pasteurization also kills yeast. When yeast dies, the family cries because the beer is now truly dead.

We're back to stage one. Putting the beer through the process allows the taste to last longer. And it kills the beer, so that it won't last all that long.

Now that we've gotten that pesky science crap out-of-the-way, let's get back to storage.

Three things can ruin a perfectly good brew:

    * The process or lack thereof which causes the beer to become infected in one-way or another
    * Light
    * Heat

If you leave your six-pack in the car on a hot summer day, you've just ruined a perfectly good afternoon of beer drinking. Ale-makers use heat as an ingredient to regulate the taste of the finished product. They want to have control over the special bacterial mix that makes their beer taste like their beer.

Then there's the thing called "skunking." Without getting all science-y on you, suffice it to say you'll know when the brew has been light struck. Brown bottles have a tendency to protect the beverage better than clear or green translucent containers.

Bottom line: Beer is best stored for only a few months and then it should be left in the fridge. Or, if you do manage to get a great deal on 50-cases of beer, invite everyone within a three-block range of your house to a beer party.