When Good Beer Goes Bad
I love that fresh glass of beer on most days. However, there are some instances when the beer I consume doesn’t taste fresh. In fact, it tastes horrible! 
I’ve had this beer many times in my adult life, but why does this particular one taste “off?” When I was younger, if this were to be my first time trying it, I probably wouldn’t ever have it again. Now I know that would be a crying shame. This is a beer that’s highly rated, that everyone I know keeps talking about, yet I can’t stand it. Is something wrong with my taste buds? Perhaps. Is something wrong with the beer itself? Most likely.
There are several reasons why that beer from a can, bottle, growler or on tap at a bar or restaurant just doesn’t taste right. If you think it’s you, you might have a cold or some other illness that’s affecting your taste buds when everything tastes like cardboard. If you’re in perfect health, then it’s probably the beer. If you’re consuming from an establishment and ordered something on tap, the first thing that comes to my mind is the cleanliness of the beer lines (the tubes that run from the kegs to the taps, i.e. the tubes that carry the beer). These lines have to be cleaned on a regular basis. If not, yeast and sugar deposits stay and over time will affect the taste of your beer, and not in a good way. How will you know if the beer lines are clean? If you’re familiar with the taste of the beer you order, then you’ll know. If you’re trying something new, you won’t, but don’t despair or give up on it. Just try it again somewhere else. Always give beer a second chance!
You may have noticed that some bottles or cans you just bought will have a “Bottled On:” “Freshest By:” or some similar wording. After that there’s a date somewhere on the label or stamped at the bottom of the can. These tiny printed words and numbers often get overlooked, but are oh so important when purchasing beer. Unfortunately, not all beer has this information. Keep in mind that beer is a perishable product, and like food, has an expiration date. This could also be another reason why kegged beer doesn’t taste right at that chain restaurant. You would think that every six-pack you see at the store is fine since it’s on the shelves. Think again. It’s up to you, the consumer, to make sure you check for the dates before you buy. Whether it’s milk, yogurt, canned food or beer, I always look for the expiration date first. Hoppier beers (such as IPAs) have the shortest shelf life of about 90 days. Will you get sick if you drink your Lagunitas IPA on day 91 or after? No. The taste, however, will be greatly affected the longer you wait to drink it. Drink your beer the way it’s meant to be tasted — fresh. Better yet (if you can) go right to the source — your local craft brewery. Sample some in their tasting room and buy beer that’s as fresh as you can get it. With so many local craft breweries around, it’s easy to find something you’ll enjoy.
With all this in mind, I keep this information in perspective. Do I check labels? Yes. Do I ask when the lines were last cleaned at an establishment? No. When I’m out I want to enjoy myself and not be paranoid about what I’m drinking. If it tastes “off” to me, I’ll just order something else. I’ll try it again another time (second chances!) and hope for the best. So if you think there’s a particular beer out there you’ve only had once and didn’t like, try it one more time. If you still don’t like it, fresh or not, move on to the next one. Cheers!
