Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy

[rogruth]

Rufus,

That's OK.I still have you on my friend list.


Murph,

I KNEW we some things in common.

[gregj410]

Dogfish Head Burton Baton aged in oak staves? How could I resist? Great brew, but 4$ a bottle for this limited run, ouch! No wonder they only sell it in 4 packs.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Rufus,

That's OK.I still have you on my friend list.

I am relieved!

And, this was an excellent cream stout!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Something to start the day off right with lots of coffee for those of you with hangovers,

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Dogfish Head Burton Baton aged in oak staves? How could I resist? Great brew, but 4$ a bottle for this limited run, ouch! No wonder they only sell it in 4 packs.

Can beer be saved? I've had several bottles of Sam Adams stored in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator for a couple years, now, as well as a few 8-packs stored in the garage. Is it still good?
Murph

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Dogfish Head Burton Baton aged in oak staves? How could I resist? Great brew, but 4$ a bottle for this limited run, ouch! No wonder they only sell it in 4 packs.

Can beer be saved? I've had several bottles of Sam Adams stored in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator for a couple years, now, as well as a few 8-packs stored in the garage. Is it still good?
Murph

Well, you'll never know for sure unless you open it and try it - if it's gone bad, you will have at least gained space in the frige,

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Sage advice (no doubt.) However, I've never been fond of beer(s) and keep it in the house for guests who like it. Yet, I don't want to gag them either. Maybe, you should roll on by, and I'll foist it all on you? That way, I'll find out definitively if it is okay to keep beer that long; plus, I'll be meeting you in the flesh.
Sounds like a win-win proposition, eh?
Murph

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Sage advice (no doubt.) However, I've never been fond of beer(s) and keep it in the house for guests who like it. Yet, I don't want to gag them either. Maybe, you should roll on by, and I'll foist it all on you? That way, I'll find out definitively if it is okay to keep beer that long; plus, I'll be meeting you in the flesh.
Sounds like a win-win proposition, eh?
Murph

A distinct possibility, but for an unresolved obstacle - I'll know more in a week, so keep them chilled,

[gregj410]

Murph
You could simply invite Martin and myself over for a drink trains and run beer session and we could help rotate the stock.

[Tramp]

Murph, beer is like bread, it rots but it's more difficult to see the mold. Most beer begins to drop off in flavor after two to three months in the bottle; after four months, I won't drink it. Old beer gives you a headache and makes you tired, and if you have taste buds, it's a misery. However, the higher the alcohol content, the longer the beer or ale will last. Ales at 7 to 10 percent will last well over a year. Light and heat damage beer, along with being frozen. Even the bottle color effects the product, so brewers all date their bottles or cans in some way.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Thanks, Tramp, for the response. So, am I to conclude, then, that I should throw all that beer out? It really is a couple years old and has been stored in the refrigerator and some in the garage (near the often-opened garage door.) In addition to the Sam Adams, I noticed there are Heineken and Becks.
Murph

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I should throw all that beer out? It really is a couple years old.....

Probably, given that it's years old and that those are readily replaced.

OTOH, I've still got parts of 2 cases of the Old Engine Oil and the Wee Heavy (go back maybe 9-10 pages) that are at least a year old. Yes, stored in the dark in the cool basement and considerably higher in alcohol content, so those variables do come into play. So does mass production of of disposable beverages,

I'd still open one that I liked though to check before putting them down the drain...some of the wine in the rack has been turning rather early and suddenly as well, but again, we open it to check before dumping it.

[Tramp]

Murph, take a Heineken since it's in green glass. Unopened, tip the bottle very slowly until it's almost upside down. Now tap the bottle with your hand. Do you see disgusting junk floating down through the beer from the bottom of the bottle? Open it and smell. It should smell like clean malt and fresh hops. Is it skunky? Look at the back label. There should be a number. What is it? It might start with a 0 or a 9.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

You guys are fun - you know lots o' stuff! I'm going to do just what you outlined, there, Tramp, and keep in mind all the perspectives mentioned.
When I decide to tackle the beer project, I'll let ya'll know. (Any other advice from other resident-experts?)

Right now, I am laboring my way through the seemingly never-ending lugging of Holiday decorations out from under the cellar stairs, past the layout I managed to refresh and clean just in time for the upcoming parade of very welcome relatives and friends who want to see whether model trains really do have something to do w. the celebration of His Birthday, and continue to commence the transformation of our home into our Christmas playpen. ( The F.A.O. Schwarz project put me in the mood.)

(Phew! That was onehellofa "sentence" up there, huh, good ol' Wayne!)

I will have to decide about the old beer, though, so I really do appreciate the advice since I don't want to serve rotgut. Swill will belie the expectations via the antique crystal and pewter-capped steins we serve it in. Nice lookin' t'aint enough. One needs good taste (pun intended, thank you very much) too.

Has anybody else started their preparations for Christmas?
Murph (I take breaks, here, from the lugging and decorating.)

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Has anybody else started their preparations for Christmas?

As a matter of principle, I refuse to consider doing anything related to that topic until at least December arrives. It's still Autumn and I'm still raking leaves (actually, I have a Craftsman yard vacuum.... ).