TIP OF THE DAY: Don’t Age Your Beer
| May 14th-20th is American Beer Week, so take some time to celebrate. Unlike wine, beer is meant to be drunk fresh, within 90 days of bottling. Over time, beer oxidizes; while some bottles are perfectly drinkable a year later, others are “skunky” or flat and watery. Some major brewers print “best by” dates on their labels, but foreign and craft brewers generally don’t. What can you do? Don’t stock up: Buy only what you need each month. Purchase fine beers at stores that have good turnover. E-mail your Congressional reps that all beers should be dated, just like other foods. And if there’s a code on the bottle, try to crack it—often the company’s website will provide a translation key. Read more about beer in the Premium, Craft & Microbrews section of THE NIBBLE online magazine. |  Who wouldn’t want to stock up on O’Hara’s Irish Stout (a Nibble favorite)? But keep it fresh by only buying a one-month supply at a time. |
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