Is old beer safe to drink?

[Igzilla]

The missus very kindly bought me a bottle of ale today for me to sup tonight when she's out. This reminded me of the other bottles I have gathering dust in the drinks cupboard (being a sophisticated soul I normally knock back the vino). However, this is what I found:

Ballards Nyewood Gold - best before Feb 2005
Hogs Back Wobble in a bottle - BB Feb 2008
Arundel Sussex Gold - BB Sep 2010 and...
Goldminer (from Coop) - BB unknown...

Are this safe to drink or should i just pour them down the sink?

 

[Doc Lynam]

Not sure, give it a go and get back to us.

 

[Questions]

The missus very kindly bought me a bottle of ale today for me to sup tonight
Are this safe to drink or should i just pour them down the sink?

I have left it as long as 60minutes before.......it should be ok .

 

[severnside gull]

Just open them and I promise that a quick sniff will tell you all you want to know but odds strongly against.


Worth a try though. Good luck

 

[Worthingite]

Surely the alcohol will crystallize, and make it more potent?! I had a bottle of Wadworth Millenium Ale a couple of years ago (BBE December 2000), and it was like cough syrup. Didn't do me, or my regulars any harm, although EHO may have had something to say about offering up 10 year old hooch to my locals - but I didn't charge them, which was nice of me

 

[albion534]

Had kronenburg that was 2011, tasted a little off but safe to drink....would 100% smell or sample taste, failing that, not as if the stuff is worth much! Man up and buy some more

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Watney's from 1969. Is that safe to drink?

 

[Deleted member 18477]

Seems a bit old for me. I'd say a year is ok though.

 

[Kumquat]

When visiting an elderly uncle he offered me a beer, it had obviously been sitting in his cupboard for some time, he put it in a glass for me with ice. It looked OK, still had fizz, but it tasted wrong. I felt bad saying anything, so I drank it anyway. I had the serious shits for the next few days.

I had an elderly uncle like that. Was never sure if it was the beers that gave me the shits

 

[narly101]

My mum and dad do that, leaving beer they don't drink in the cupboard, then offering it to me when i go over. After the first couple of times of having the shits, I decided to check the dates on the beers next time over. They were serving me 1 year out of date Becks, which had progressively got older. Cheers then......

 

[Igzilla]

Watney's from 1969. Is that safe to drink?

Was it ever safe to drink in 1969

 

[sydney]

collectors item by now...i'd probably drink it tho.

 

[Igzilla]

Not sure, give it a go and get back to us.

Well, okay, if you're interested

 

[Stat Brother]

I got a bottle of Old Thumper last Christmas.
I was to scared to drink it then.

It scares me $hitless now

 

[Acker79]

I had a bottle of bulmers that I didn't realise was 8 months out of date. Tasted the same, but was definitely more potent.

 

[pasty]

Don't stray too far from the bog and you'll be fine*


*This does not constitute medical advice and the poster shall not be held responsible for any possible side effects of drinking out of date beer

 

[BensGrandad]

There is no hard and fast answer to this sometimes its ok sometimes not but what I will say is if it isn't you are going to spend ages sitting on the white throne.

 

[Wally Gould]

When visiting an elderly uncle he offered me a beer, it had obviously been sitting in his cupboard for some time, he put it in a glass for me with ice. It looked OK, still had fizz, but it tasted wrong. I felt bad saying anything, so I drank it anyway. I had the serious shits for the next few days.

Probably the ice! Old water in the tap!

 

[CheeseRolls]

The missus very kindly bought me a bottle of ale today for me to sup tonight when she's out. This reminded me of the other bottles I have gathering dust in the drinks cupboard (being a sophisticated soul I normally knock back the vino). However, this is what I found:

Ballards Nyewood Gold - best before Feb 2005
Hogs Back Wobble in a bottle - BB Feb 2008
Arundel Sussex Gold - BB Sep 2010 and...
Goldminer (from Coop) - BB unknown...

Are this safe to drink or should i just pour them down the sink?

If they are bottle conditioned and strong, then they can be good for up to 25 years. Ballards Wassail from 2005 could be interesting, less sure about Nyewood Gold though, or in fact any on this list really.

Harveys Russian Imperial Stout is my favourite lay down beer.

 

[Cappers]

Plenty of 12 year old Whiskeys about