From Balter to James Squire: Top beers to try during isolation
Aussies who have stockpiled the nation’s favourite beverage won’t have done themselves any favours, as the beers you should crack open right now are revealed.
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When pubs and bars were shut down in a bid to stop the coronavirus spread, the authorities made it clear that bottleshops would stay open.
And that triggered a rush to stock up on wine, spirits, champagne and course beer, our favourite national alcoholic beverage.
But if you were one of them and it was beer you stockpiled, you haven’t done yourself any favours, according to brewing experts.
The danger of filling your garage at home with beer is that you’ll end up with a vastly inferior tipple to the one you normally enjoy.
Beer is not like wine or spirits - beverages which can easily handle and often benefit from cellaring.
Beer has more affinity with milk in terms of its suitability for storage. Some will cellar but not many.
From a brewer’s perspective, beer is at its peak the day it is ready to be released to the public. That is the day the brewers are happy to let their carefully crafted creations go free.
The moment they do though, it starts going downhill. If beer is stored properly in a cool, dark place, you’ve got about three to four months of optimum drinkability. After that, the deterioration will become apparent to those with a discerning palate.
Expert Ross Lewis told HiberNation: “There’s a saying that beer is best being drunk in the shadow of its brewery but given the travel restrictions at the moment, it might be tempting to cellar some beers instead. Get advice on brands from your retailer but the rule with beer is that fresh is generally best.”
Most beers will have a “best before” date stamped on the packaging, which is usually about nine months after it leaves the brewery, but you’re pushing your luck if you leave it that long before grabbing the ring pull.
After those first few months of peak drinkability, the compounds from hops and malt that give beer its flavour start to break down.
Poor storage will hasten this process. You might have heard of beer being “skunked” or light-
struck, which is what happens if the brew is exposed to sunlight or other sources of UV rays - It has been given that name because the beer develops the same flavour compounds as those found in the secretions of skunks.
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Some beers - mostly those very high in alcohol (imperial stouts, barley wines) - will age well for a few years, but the majority of beers consumed in Australia won’t.
We’ve probably all got mates who’ll tell you a story about finding a two-year-old bottle of beer at the back of the cupboard that was OK to drink. It may well be true - and if the drinker enjoyed it, no harm done but it’s not worth the risk.
In these trying times, the better alternative to hoarding beer is to restock regularly with small quantities of fresh beer and let its magic elixir wash away your troubles immediately.’