Can You Drink Expired Beer? Is It Safe and What Happens to Your Body?

You’ve probably asked yourself, “Can you drink expired beer without suffering from adverse effects?” which is important to know since this is something that you are going to consume.

You might be asking this when you find a forgotten beer box in your home or during an intense round of truth or dare.

If you’re wondering whether you have to risk it all, don’t fret. Keep reading to know what to do when you end up with expired beer, and the answer isn’t to take a risk.

Can You Drink Expired Beer?

Yes, you can drink expired beer; it is safe to drink stale beer because beers are usually filtered or pasteurized to get rid of bacteria. This causes resistance to spoiling, ensuring that your beer is always good even when it expires, but this doesn’t mean that the brew tastes good, only that it’s safe.

– What Does Expired Beer Taste Like?

Expired beer has off-flavors and is less carbonated; it tastes malty, sweet, and flat. Remember that stale beer isn’t the same as spoiled beer, and the latter tastes worse. You won’t notice apparent changes in the taste if your beer expired a few days ago, but the more months your beer has expired, the worse the taste becomes.

Thus, it’s okay to drink beer that expired about a few weeks or days ago, but the taste is most likely gone once it has expired for months. You won’t get the refreshing bitterness from lagers or hoppiness from IPAs once they are expired for too long.

– Can Expired Beer Make You Sick?

No, most of the time, stale beer does not make anyone sick. If a beer has expired for a few months, it would taste awful but not cause sickness. But if it is newly expired, you might not notice any changes in the taste.

If the expiry date is a few years ago, the entire structure would have changed, so you should not drink it. It can cause stomach problems and nausea.

Why Does Beer Go Bad?

Beer goes bad because of the oxygen in it. Breweries have to consider that the oxygen in the beer can cause the hop compounds to oxidize as time goes on. This leads to the aroma and flavor compounds dissipating, and it will change the intended flavor. With this in mind, they stick an expiration date set before this happens.

Beer also goes bad based on the ABV content and the storage method. When you refrigerate beer, it doesn’t age as quickly, so it’s best to store it in a cool place. Also, highly alcoholic beers last longer than those with low alcohol.

If you want to enjoy your beer, you should consume it within three to six months or before expiration. Purchase the beer cold and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to drink it.

– Sticking to the Expiry Date

The expiry date on beer is meant to show when the beer will have a good flavor. The shelf life will also depend on how you stored the beer and at which temperature, and the manufacturer won’t know how you did it.

If you don’t want to risk it, you can throw the beer bottle out once it’s way past its expiry date, but you can also check to see if it still tastes good by simply tasting it. Since it’s safe to drink, you won’t notice any adverse effects except for the bad taste on your tongue. It can also cause a mild stomach ache.

Before consuming any stale beer that you find in your house, it’s essential to check the exterior. Make sure that the can or bottle has not been compromised, and if it has, you should throw it out. Bacteria and microorganisms might have gotten into the beer and will make you fall ill if consumed.

– What Is a “Born On” Date for Beer?

This is the date that the company brewed the beer. Usually, brewers add an expiration date on the beer packaging, but a new trend involves adding a “born on” date instead, which shows the date the beer was made.

By knowing when the beer was made, you can guess the shelf life or simply drink it before the six-month mark. This is also a good idea since the expiration date does not always mean that the beer is spoiled. The same goes for your craft beer.

How To Tell if Beer Has Spoiled

This guide states that just because a beer has passed its expiry date doesn’t mean it has spoiled.

Sometimes, it tastes fine after it has expired, but other times, it has gone bad. Also, beer can taste bad before it expires. Here are some signs that your beer has gone bad.

– Bottle Appearance

The first thing you should check is the bottle or can. Usually, beers that have gone bad have dust buildup at the bottom.

– Opening Sound

When a beer has gone bad, it won’t make the fizzing sound that it’s supposed to when opening.

– Foamy Head

Spoiled beer does not have the white foamy head that an average beer is meant to have.

– Skunky Smell

Once you open the beer, you might be hit with a skunky smell. This is because of exposure to UV rays.

– Popcorn Taste

If you taste bad beer, you will notice that it tastes like popcorn, paper, or cardboard. Although popcorn tastes good, it’s not meant to be in beer. These weird tastes are caused by the diacetyl in beer, which changes as it goes bad.

What Determines That Your Beer Stays Fresh

Different things determine that beer stays fresh, even after it has passed its expiration date. Generally, the more alcohol your beer has, the longer it will last. If you’re unsure about drinking a beer, just don’t drink it after six months.

– Packaging

The type of packaging can also determine how long beer can retain its flavor. If you purchase your beer in glass bottles, it can get spoiled through exposure to light, so storing it in a cool, dry, and dark place is essential. Also, bottled beer has some air at the top, causing oxidation to spoil the beer’s flavor.

You can also purchase your beer in cans, known for being airtight and protected against light exposure. If it fizzes when you open it, you can expect the beer to still taste good. Also, if you are presented with a stale beer in a can or bottle, you should drink from the can.

– Storage

While you don’t have any control over the packaging of your beer, you can handle the storage to make sure it stays fresh for a longer time. For one, store beer upright so that the dead yeast cells remain at the bottom and the liquid doesn’t interact with the oxygen in the bottle.

– Temperature

It’s always advisable to store your beer in the fridge as this slows down the aging process and retains the flavor for a longer time. Although if you have a beer with live yeast, barley wines, and some types of imperial stouts, you shouldn’t store it in the fridge because the flavor has to develop. Instead, keep it at room temperature.

Also, keep the beer away from light and heat if you want it to last longer. This means keeping it away from a heater, windows, or the exhaust vent in the refrigerator. Simply find a cold corner and leave it there.

What To Do With Stale Beer

Throwing out a beer because it’s expired might seem like a waste, but fortunately, there are many other things you can do with it. If it’s newly expired, you can drink it, but that would be a bad idea if it’s spoiled. But if the beer’s expiry date is many months ago, you should avoid drinking it or using it for cooking.

Drinking expired beer can lead to uncomfortable and minor health issues like a stomach ache, or your body might react to it differently. Here are some things you can do with your stale beer.

– Cooking

Different recipes include beer, and if you’ve been thinking about trying them out before, now is your chance. Cooking with beer usually requires a small amount, and if the beer expired less than six months ago, it’s still a good idea to use it in your recipe. You can search for different foods you can cook with beer like brats and chicken.

– Restore Luster to Furniture

If you have wooden furniture in your home, you can make it shiny again with your stale beer. Simply take the flat beer, pour it on a clean cloth, and use it to clean the wood furniture.

– Get Rid of Bugs

Those struggling with bugs in their home can use beers to ward them off. Simply pour the beer into buckets and put them in corners. The insects will drown in the beer because they are attracted to it.

– Remove Stains

When you have some hard-to-remove stains in your home, stale beer might just do the trick. You can just pour the beer over the stain and use a clean towel to rub it out. This works great for coffee stains on your carpet.

– Make Your Hair Shiny

It is well-known that beer can make dull hair shinier and fuller. This is because alcoholic beverages have many natural sugars and vitamin B, so you can dump your stale beer into your hair and let it sit for a few minutes. Then rinse your hair before washing it with your shampoo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some other questions you might have about drinking beer that is expired.

– Can You Drink Beer That Expired 2 Years Ago?

No, it’s not advisable to drink beer that has been out of date for two years.

– Is It Okay To Drink a 3-Week-old Opened Beer in the Fridge?

No, it is not. You should drink an open beer within 24 hours. Any longer and it would become stale. It can also get spoiled from bacteria.

Conclusion

The next time you find an expired beer in your basement, check the born-on or expiry date. Then, you’ll know what to do!

• You can consume expired beer but not spoiled beer.
• Expired beer is flat and less carbonated.
• Spoiled brews taste like popcorn, paper, or cardboard and has a skunky smell.
• You can use stale beer for cooking, cleaning, or shining furniture.
• To prevent beer from spoiling, keep it in a cool, dry place.

If your beer is expired and you don’t like the taste, you can look for other things to do with your stale beer.

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