# ok boozers tell me how long can we keep a bottle of guiness ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2018, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710 "2018-03-17T03:04:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/1 "2018-03-17T03:04:32Z")
Ok my aunt bought a bottle of Guinness for cooking a couple of years ago and never used it … now she has the same idea of using it again and is wondering if its still good … thanks ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/2 "2018-03-17T03:22:12Z")
If not opened and stored in a cool place, it’ll be fine. I’ve drank beer that was over a decade old, and it was, well, as good as it ever was, given that it was Miller Genuine Draft. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/3 "2018-03-17T04:13:01Z")
My brother made a delightful dark lager which he aged in the bottle for a year. So, such as Guinness is, it is probably still ok. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/4 "2018-03-17T04:47:17Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > My brother made a delightful dark lager which he aged in the bottle for a year. So, such as Guinness is, it is probably still ok. Well, it’s not Murphy’s, but it’ll do in a pinch. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/5 "2018-03-17T05:28:49Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Well, it’s not Murphy’s, but it’ll do in a **pinch**. > > Stranger I know you meant to say “in a [punch](http://sweetjamaica.co.uk/jamaican-guinness-punch-recipe/)”. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/6 "2018-03-17T06:38:38Z")
ok thanks … ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/7 "2018-03-17T08:28:57Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > If not opened and stored in a cool place, it’ll be fine. I’ve drank beer that was over a decade old, and it was, well, as good as it ever was, given that it was Miller Genuine Draft. > > Stranger **Stranger** , this is going to be the first time I’ve ever disagreed with you about anything, because you know everything about everything except beer, it seems. Bottle conditioned beer is good indefinitely. Pasteurized, force carbonated beer is not. Most craft brewers put an expiration date on their beer for good reason. That shit expires. 6-8 months is a typical expiration. A couple of years is well beyond expiration. Guinness Draught is particularly prone to funkiness over time. Extra Stout less so, but pasteurized beer expires. Unlike your typical response, I don’t know why. But I promise you that it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/8 "2018-03-17T14:00:24Z")
I personally would just try it. It ain’t gonna kill ya. But it’s likely not to taste “fresh,” at any rate. Most beers are meant to be drunk within 6-8 months, as **Jake Jones** says. I’ve had expired beer, but not specifically Guinness, and it’s still drinkable, but definitely has a “staleness” about it. It’s noticeable enough for me that I stay away from buying the clearance seasonal beers (like my local beer store will often have, say, the leftover September haul of Oktoberfest beers on sale some time in the spring.) The main exception to this rule is high gravity, high alcohol beers like imperial stouts or IPAs and barleywines. So far as I know, it really doesn’t matter whether the beer is pasteurized or not. [See here for details](https://craftbeertime.com/thoughts/does-pasteurization-hurt-a-beers-ability-to-age). But the high alcohol brews generally do well with aging up to about 5 years. And I’ve had low-to-mid alcohol bottle conditioned beers start to taste stale at a year, as well, so it seems to be more a factor of the strength of the beer as to how it puts up with aging. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/9 "2018-03-17T14:58:20Z")
> [@Jake\_Jones](#): > > Bottle conditioned beer is good indefinitely. Pasteurized, force carbonated beer is not. Most craft brewers put an expiration date on their beer for good reason. That shit expires. 6-8 months is a typical expiration. A couple of years is well beyond expiration. Actually, some high ABV beers are suitable for cellaring. Last year I enjoyed Dogfish Head 120 in four different vintages, aged in small kegs. The oldest was six year old. They were in the 18-20 %ABV range. The difference in taste between the different years was extraordinary until I’d had a couple sips of each, at which point I was too drunk to appreciate the subtleties. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/10 "2018-03-17T16:12:27Z")
If the bottle was exposed to light the beer might be skunked. Riboflavin and one of the chemicals in hops can react when exposed to visible or ultraviolet light to produce a chemical that smells very much like skunk spray. In my experience bottled Guinness always comes in brown bottles. That reduces the risk of skunking compared to clear and green glass, but doesn’t entirely eliminate it. If you do decide to use it, at least smell and taste it before adding it to the recipe. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/11 "2018-03-17T17:53:19Z")
IPAs generally age very poorly. Stouts and porters, Belgian or farmhouse ales, and barleywines are normally the best candidates. As for Guinness, it won’t hurt you but I’m not sure it will be good. It’s very low ABV and not a typical aging stout. I would definitely try it, but bring a backup just in case. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/12 "2018-03-17T20:40:24Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > The main exception to this rule is high gravity, high alcohol beers like imperial stouts or IPAs and barleywines. To be clear, that should be parsed as imperial [stouts or IPAs]. That is, [imperial stouts] or [imperial IPAs], and not regular IPAs. Dogfish Head 120, as mentioned, is a great example of an IIPA that ages well. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/13 "2018-03-17T21:00:33Z")
> [@Jake\_Jones](#): > > **Stranger** , this is going to be the first time I’ve ever disagreed with you about anything, because you know everything about everything except beer, it seems. > > Bottle conditioned beer is good indefinitely. Pasteurized, force carbonated beer is not. Most craft brewers put an expiration date on their beer for good reason. That shit expires. 6-8 months is a typical expiration. A couple of years is well beyond expiration. > > Guinness Draught is particularly prone to funkiness over time. Extra Stout less so, but pasteurized beer expires. Unlike your typical response, I don’t know why. But I promise you that it’s true. I’ll conceed the point. However, for cooking, I don’t know if it will really make much of a difference. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/14 "2018-03-17T22:09:20Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > IPAs generally age very poorly. Stouts and porters, Belgian or farmhouse ales, and barleywines are normally the best candidates. That is strange given that the whole point of IPAs was that they could be shipped from Britan to India and still be good. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/15 "2018-03-17T22:17:27Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > That is strange given that the whole point of IPAs was that they could be shipped from Britan to India and still be good. That’s actually a bit of beer-making lore. Plenty of beers survived the journey just fine, but they also tended to be high alcohol. [One of many sources](http://allaboutbeer.com/article/mythbusting-the-ipa/) when you google “IPA myths.” > [@](#): > > 1. IPA was remarkable because the grueling journey to India meant other beers, such as porter, were undrinkable by the time they arrived. > > Early ads in Indian newspapers reveal the Anglo-Indians enjoyed porter, brown ale, cyder, even small beer, as well as pale ale. Even when IPA reached its zenith in the 1870s, porter was still being imported to India in huge quantities. IPA wasn’t the only beer that could survive the journey (porter was also high in alcohol, and could just as well have been highly hopped). It’s more that, when consumed ice cold, it was the beer that most suited the Anglo-Indian palate. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/16 "2018-03-17T22:20:11Z")
Served ice cold? Where did they get ice in India? From the Himalayas? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/17 "2018-03-17T22:31:34Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Served ice cold? Where did they get ice in India? From the Himalayas? No idea on the ice-cold part, but if you read up about it, the IPA was hardly the only beer able to survive the journey. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boozers-tell-me-how-long-can-we-keep-a-bottle-of-guiness/810710/18 "2018-03-17T23:30:49Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > That is strange given that the whole point of IPAs was that they could be shipped from Britan to India and still be good. Taking 6 months to ship != cellaring for 3+ years. Most grocery store beers should be drunk within 6 months, regardless of type. Though some do carry fancier beers that can age fine these days, usually in bombers.