Out of Date.

Quality

So out of date cans of lager. Whats the worst that can happen?

Found some cans of Heineken in the shed today, dated 2008. Will they be safe to drink?

Bobeagleburger

Jan 2008 - No
Dec 2008 - Yes

Quality

rarnes1 wrote: »

Jan 2008 - No
Dec 2008 - Yes

How come it can go off?

rubadub

Its "best before date" and not "use by date", many use these interchangeably without a thought of what the words mean. "use by" is usually used on products like meat which should be used by a certain date otherwise they can get diseased and cause real sickness. "best before" means just that, it is at its best before that date and usually will only decrease in taste quality after that. If there was no "best before" some retailers would bulk buy to save money, sell years later and give the brand a bad name since the product will not taste great. Also the labels go tatty, faded or have the old logo etc.

Some tins or packs of food have a best before up to 3 years away, yet I know people who think once the clock strikes midnight after that 3 years that it suddenly turns to a mouldy poisonous substance, yet would have gladly eaten it the day before.

Carbon dioxide can escape through the can or bottle, albeit very slowly, whereas PET plastic bottles are far more porous and can go flatter faster.

When making these "best before" dates the manufacturers are taking into account the worst case scenario they can, they do not want their beer reaching a customer tasting off. Clear glass bottles will go bad in the sun, faster than coloured bottles, brown is best, green is not great. Storing at high temperatures has an exponentially adverse affect on most food & drink. Therefore they take the worst case, a retailer storing the beer in the sunny window of his shop, during a heatwave with constant 30-35C heat.
So yes in that case it would taste a bit off after 6 months. But if stored properly it will be good for several years.

Podge2k7

I'd advise you not to drink it tbh.The last time that i had cans that were out of date, i was vomiting for quite a while!

rubadub

Podge2k7 wrote: »

I'd advise you not to drink it tbh.The last time that i had cans that were out of date, i was vomiting for quite a while!

Probably placebo effect or the fact you drank a dozen of them

My brother suffers terribly from placebo effect of BB dates, I could give him a feed or drink of anything, then tell him it was past the BB (when it wasn't) and he would be wincing around like a sick dog.

I think some beer lovers here were drinking 10 year old beers.

BeerNut

Quality wrote: »

Whats the worst that can happen?

They'll taste slightly musty. The most dangerous chemical in a can of Heineken, or any other beer, will always be the alcohol.

oblivious

BeerNut wrote: »

They'll taste slightly musty. The most dangerous chemical in a can of Heineken, or any other beer, will always be the alcohol.

dihydrogen monoxide is also very dangerious

kenmc

oblivious wrote: »

dihydrogen monoxide is also very dangerious

Dangerous? Can be bloody LETHAL! Nasty nasty stuff that.

adamski8

ill drink a few for ya, make sure they are ok

Quality

Well he had two last night... And he thought they were grand, Kept a good head in the glass after he poured it out..

The life insurance policy is up to date, so he can drink away.;)

Prenderb

kenmc wrote: »

Dangerous? Can be bloody LETHAL! Nasty nasty stuff that.

Yes, don't breathe it (dihydrogen monoxide) at all. Also, did you know it is a greenhouse gas? And a powerful solvent.

Anyway, alcohol in beers, does it not have a preventive sanitising effect? I'd say taste might disimprove, but I dunno if it'd be dangerous.

Prenderb stands, that he might be corrected if necessary.