Every self-respecting beer sapiens loves to take good care of their craft beers, whether they are beers recurring ones that we buy to enjoy with friends, or those that we buy to appreciate on special occasions. The important thing is not to make the mistake of spoiling them due to small oversights. And it will not be because we are not warning you! Here are the 5 basic tips to preserve craft beers:
1- Keep beer in the fridge, can I?
In general terms, the colder you can store your beer, the better, yes, without going below 3ºC. Keeping it in the fridge is a profitable and normal solution for everyone, since not everyone can buy a fridge just for beers or create a beer cellar. The really important thing is to keep them away from heat, because it can harm them by causing changes in flavor, acceleration of their aging and degradation, or reactivating the live yeasts in the beer, generating overcarbonation.
PD: avoid storing beers in the refrigerator door so that they are not constantly receiving heat shock constantly
2- Store beer upright, always!
Not all beers are stored the same, but the position in which we store them is very important. In general, it is recommended to store the beer vertically because in this way we do not remove the yeast sediments that are at the bottom of the container. Also, if we store it lying down, much of the liquid will come into contact with the air and could cause it to rust. You have to keep them standing and still.
3- Light, beer's greatest enemy
Exposing beer to direct light generates unpleasant odors in it, such as sulfur or skunk: it is the so-called blow light. That is why we must choose areas of the refrigerator where light does not penetrate. The container also plays an important role, because it helps to protect them. For example, cans are the best option because they provide a lot of protection. Another option is to keep the beers in the cardboard boxes, so they are even more protected from light.
4- Do the beers expire or not?
Beers have a preferred consumption date because it is a food product and follows current regulations to regulate its production and consumers. It is since the year 2000 that we began to follow the European regulations that require marking a best before date on beer bottles. The preferred consumption date is very different from the expiration date, and if it is well preserved, some beers evolve over time and become more complex.
5- The different types of beer glasses: experience!
There are different types of glasses for each style of craft beer because it has been proven that the format directly interferes with the flavor and aroma. Some beers with strong aromas, for example, need a container that enhances their aromatic potential, so glasses or cups with wide openings help the "perfume" of the beer to reach the nose more easily at the time of formation of the foam.
Now that you know how to preserve your beers, it's time to choose which ones you want to take care of so lovingly, here are some suggestions:
