Buying beer - do you check the production date?

[paddyfield7]

In Switzerland it was somehow a rule that beer is best within it's first 6 months from production. If buying in Thailand from hot non-airconditioned local shops, I wouldn't buy older than 4 months.

[vogie]

During the alcohol ban I had a word around our moo baan if there was any beer to be had, all results negative. However the next day our nearest shop came to the house with 5 bags of assorted beer and asked if I was interested in buying some, I bought the lot, I have discovered I am not a big fan of Archa. Most of the beer was last years stock, but beggars cannot be chosers, although way past their sell by date they taste just fine, as fine as any Thai beer is going to taste anyway.

[tandor]

..I'd be thanking my lucky stars i got some to drink this week..next week maybe be a different case..i think 6-9 months is the norm, if its been stored correctly.

Edited May 7, 2020 by tandor

[ChipButty]

To technical for me just drink it 

[moogradod]

Rather than checking the production date with first priority I have a look at the shelf life.

 

Our standard beer is Asahi extra dry, followed by Singha. For more special occasions we like Kirin, Leffe (brown) - if we can get it - or Weihenstephaner Vitus. Exeptions are made if visiting up country.

 

Shelf life for Asahi is remarkeably long. I never had to put a bottle/can back in the shelf when buying.

[ratcatcher]

       Fine wine,       Aged Cheddar         Fine Thai beer.                    The older the better. 

[vogie]

1 minute ago, moogradod said:

Rather than checking the production date with first priority I have a look at the shelf life.

 

Our standard beer is Asahi extra dry, followed by Singha. For more special occasions we like Kirin, Leffe (brown) - if we can get it - or Weihenstephaner Vitus. Exeptions are made if visiting up country.

 

Shelf life for Asahi is remarkeably long. I never had to put a bottle/can back in the shelf when buying.

Vitus is just one special beer, the best I've drank in Thailand.

[natway09]

I had one home brew that must have had some residual sugar in it after it was supposed to have finished

it's process.

Luckily it was in a cellar but sounded like  Guy Fawkes Day

[bkk6060]

Most beer stinks smells like urine. Guess it says a lot about those that consume it.

No thanks.

Edited May 7, 2020 by bkk6060

[vogie]

10 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Most beer stinks smells like urine. Guess it says a lot about those that consume it.

No thanks.

You could have a problem, I don't think it's the beer you are smelling.????

[gimo]

  Beer definitely starts to change taste with age . In my opinion for the worse . I've drunk Hienekin that has tasted flat  immedietely after opening the bottle . I also think beer that's been left lying in the sun or even sitting in the back of a truck for a long time is adversely affected , especially in the Thai heat . I always look for the newest beer in the fridge at 7/11s . I also think canned beer is less affected by the above mentioned influences .

           A lot of the 4 packs don't have visible production dates .It's only on the individual cans and bottles inside . It's not until you break open the cardboard that you can read it . From my experience , the majority of them have old beer .

 

 

Edited May 7, 2020 by gimo
add info

[Oldie]

In Germany or the US the beer tastes pretty much the same all the time. Here in Thailand my experience with Leo was that it depends on the production date. There are some production days where it tastes really great. Then I always go to the shop and buy many of the same date. But this is sadly not often the case. They seem not to be able to produce the same quality all the time. 

 

Edited May 7, 2020 by Oldie

[moogradod]

15 minutes ago, vogie said:

Vitus is just one special beer, the best I've drank in Thailand.

I totally agree. A phantastic beer. At Weihenstephan brewery they have had plenty of time to figure out how to make the stuff correctly (nearly 1000 years, actually, it is the oldest brewery in the world). Vitus is quite strong (7.7%). I would like to suggest that you drink it cold. Even if I suspect your are an Englishman acccording to your avatar and signature ????.

[tribalfusion001]

No, open and pour into glass, drink and open another one, rinse and repeat...

[Andycoops]

I find that often beer more than 3 months old has deteriorated in taste so I buy the most recently produced. 

[vogie]

1 minute ago, moogradod said:

I totally agree. A phantastic beer. At Weihenstephan brewery they have had plenty of time to figure out how to make the stuff correctly (nearly 1000 years, actually, it is the oldest brewery in the world). Vitus is quite strong (7.7%). I would like to suggest that you drink it cold. Even if I suspect your are an Englishman acccording to your avatar and signature ????.

I have checked the price on Wishbeer, they quote 2,290 baht for 10 half litre bottles, the bar I used to go in charged about 170 baht a bottle but nobody drank it only me, so he stopped selling it. A sad day. A tad expensive but maybe I might treat myself for my birthday though.????

[jmacken306]

On 5/6/2020 at 4:53 PM, Baht Simpson said:

What is more important is how it's been stored. Light will affect the taste of beer more than heat. I've seen bottles of Chang left stacked up and left in the sun ??! The light will penetrate lighter bottles like the green Chang ones and will make it taste skunky. I think that beer in cans often tastes fresher.

I agree with you! Now, Someone should tell the gas stations and other places about Plastic Bottled Water, Outside in the SUNLIGHT! and the people who have water bottles in their cup holder or on the floor in the car for days maybe in the SUN, also! NOT GOOD!!!????????

[ratcatcher]

33 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Most beer stinks smells like urine. Guess it says a lot about those that consume it.

No thanks.

Not being an expert on the smell of urine, I'll take your word for this.

[DaLa]

Didn’t realize beer production was second only science to particle physics. I started smoking at 7 , by the time I was old enough to drink (11 I think) I couldn’t tell the difference between a fine cognac and Watneys red barrel. 
 

After 5 Chang’s I can’t even find the bottle never mind read the best by date.

 

Cheers all, have a nice evening.

Edited May 7, 2020 by DaLa
Spelling mistakes pre-emptive text.

[DaLa]

29 minutes ago, vogie said:

I have checked the price on Wishbeer, they quote 2,290 baht for 10 half litre bottles, the bar I used to go in charged about 170 baht a bottle but nobody drank it only me, so he stopped selling it. A sad day. A tad expensive but maybe I might treat myself for my birthday though.????

I’m Bar on Perfect Masterpiece, Rattanathibet road , Nonthaburi has about 10 Pauliner’s. Expensive as you say, but ok as I’ve got older, can’t take the quantity so only need a brace.

[Lacessit]

I check if it is cold. Like icy. Adding ice is anathema, why would anyone want to drink watery beer?

Drinking warm beer is for people who live in a miserable cold climate. It's also when taste differences become most obvious.

When you drink cold beer, its age becomes fairly irrelevant.

[sungod]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Most beer stinks smells like urine. Guess it says a lot about those that consume it.

No thanks.

Never actually got some urine and beer together to compare the smell, but I'll take your word for it...I'm sure it was enlightening for you.

 

Drink or not, never judge people you tee total pri.......... ????

 

 

 

 

[NCC1701A]

i accidentally drank a Michelob in 1984 and I am still trying to get the taste out of my mouth. 

[villageidiotY2K]

Mmmmmmmm~~

From the informers, some of thes wholesellers just keep the boxes in there dirty storehouses infested with roaches and mice, and some dirty employees wagging by sitting on the box smoking an pissing on the floor... Ciggy budds all ova the place and the floor s stained with there urine... There no cctv in the storehouse and workers r all sweaty and moist. Some r even spitting on the floor with some 285 and ciggie.  Oh God please don't be true that they Te madturb8ting while jiggling with their phone teeeer

Seems the pay and working conditions arent well and they don't like he stingy negative grand MA owners from what I've heerd

[crutchy26]

Rule of thumb: after 100 days /3 months beer deteriorates.

 

[alien365]

1 hour ago, moogradod said:

I totally agree. A phantastic beer. At Weihenstephan brewery they have had plenty of time to figure out how to make the stuff correctly (nearly 1000 years, actually, it is the oldest brewery in the world). Vitus is quite strong (7.7%). I would like to suggest that you drink it cold. Even if I suspect your are an Englishman acccording to your avatar and signature ????.

I've never really understood the 'Brits drink warm beer' statement. I thought it was more that we don't drink ice cold lager which effectively removes all the taste. 

 

Thanks for the Vitus recommendation. I've wanted to try it for a while but I've always been driving so I couldn't have something of that strength. I'll see if my local Makro have any next time I go.

[Gracas]

If I can get the top off the bottle then its use by date will be today. Never look at any date stamped on the bottle and still alive, imagine that.

[DJ54]

Been fortunate over 40 years avid beer drinker and only twice Skunk beer...,

[Jaxxper]

No , never check the production dates. Agree some even from the same box might taste slightly different but never that bad that it couldn’t be imbibed.

Used to go to a bar on the dark side and about 20% of the beers there were off. They’d always change it but was never sure where/how they stored them, or indeed how old they were. Don’t go anymore! 

[SAFETY FIRST]

I was in Tops yesterday, I saw a trolley full of Coopers beer with a sign saying "expired".

 

I asked the staff about this beer as it was the only stock of Coopers in the store, they told me it was expired and that it was not for sale.

 

Ouch, that hurts seeing all that great Aussie beer going to the dumpster.