We, beer lovers, always have a few cold ones in the fridge ready for any evening. To avoid sad surprises, it is important that we know how long does beer actually last in the fridge before it goes bad.
Sometimes it’s just a few in the fridge drawer, other times, it’s a bunch for a party, a leftover from a gathering or our precious stock in the beer cooler.
Understanding when your beer can go bad has a financial impact and emotional consequence :-)
This guide will show you how you can use the fridge to ensure that your beers have a long and fresh life. Follow along with me and you’ll learn my best tips.
Does Beer Go Bad In The Fridge?
Yes, beer can go bad even if it’s refrigerated. When a beer has gone bad, its flavor and texture change, and it may have lost its carbonation. But it does not mean that it is harmful to your health. Very probably you’ll realize it immediately and stop drinking it.
Can Beer Expire In The Fridge
Yes, beer expire in the fridge. It’s important to know, though: First, beer lasts much longer without going bad in the fridge than it does at room temperature, as we’ll see later. And second, it doesn’t match when it goes bad and the expiration date written on the label.
You can drink expired beer, if you open it, it has bubbles and taste as a fresh beer, it is perfectly okay to drink it.
When Does Beer Go Bad In The Fridge
Beer can go bad in the fridge 2 – 3 years after the expiration date written on the label. If the beer is kept in a fridge, it is protected from heat, light, and temperature variations, and it will stay fresh and in good condition for a long time.
Does Beer Go Stale In The Fridge?
Yes, beer can go stale in the fridge, but if the refrigerator is kept at the right temperature, the beer will not go stale for an extended period of 2–3 years.
For a household, that’s more than enough time to drink your stash of beers (at least in mine :-)
Can Beer Get Skunked In The Fridge?
Yes, beer can get skunked in the fridge.
Any beer will turn skunked sooner or later. It is the result of the liquid oxidation due to UV radiation. UV rays are capable of passing through both the aluminum of a can and the glass of a bottle. However, this process will appear earlier in clear or transparent glass bottles, because light can pass through easily.
As mentioned above, it will take 2 to 3 years for refrigerated beer to become skunked and lose its quality and freshness.
How Long Does Beer Last In The Fridge
We’re going to see that the situation is very different if you have opened a beer and want to keep it good for a while, or if you want to store your beer reserves for a long period.
How Long Does Unopened Beer Last In The Fridge
Beer is good to drink up to 2 – 3 years after the expiration date written on the label. This is true for all types of beers and containers: bottled, canned, growlers, kegs, etc.
After this period of time, unopened refrigerated beer can go bad. Its flavor can degrade and it can be totally flat.
However, the refrigerator is the best way to extend the shelf life of beer, especially if you follow the tips below.
How Long Does Open Beer Last In The Fridge?
Well, this is a very different situation. If you’ve opened the beer, whether it’s a bottle or a can, and you don’t finish it right then, you can keep it in the fridge but it will only last about 1 day.
Thereafter, the flavor will change drastically. The oxygen exposure will initiate some chemical reactions that will degrade the flavors and the carbonation will be lost, resulting in a tasteless liquid with no bubbles.
Why Keep Beer Refrigerated
The most influential factor in extending the shelf life of beer is temperature. In two aspects: maintaining the temperature in an optimal range, and avoiding sudden temperature changes.
Is It Better To Store Beer In The Fridge
Yes, the best way to store beer is in a fridge. A fridge is the perfect environment to keep the temperature stable and at the optimal range.
If beer is not refrigerated and kept at room temperature, it can go bad in 5 – 9 months.
You want to keep your beer refrigerated to ensure the quality does not deteriorate for as long as possible.
If you have certain stock of beer, even if it is small, always ready for some friends or party, then having a beverage fridge is the right solution.
As you can see in the table below, the difference in shelf life whether the beer is refrigerated or not is huge:
| Beer goes bad if it is | at room-temperature | in the fridge |
| Unopened | 5 – 9 months | 2 – 3 years |
| Opened | a few hours | 1 day |
What Is The 3 30 300 Rule For Beer
Temperature is a key factor in beer spoilage. If you have to store beer and want to keep it fresh, experts recommend following the 3-30-300 rule: a beer at 90F lasts fresh for only 3 days, at 72F it lasts 30 days, and at 38F it lasts good for about 300 days.
This rule is intended as a reminder only, it is not meant to be exact, and it is very good to help you understand the relationship between temperature and shelf life of beer.
You can immediately see, how important it is to keep beer in a refrigerator.
What Is The Perfect Temperature For A Beer Fridge
The perfect temperature for a beer cooler is between 45 – 55° F, 7 – 12° C. Within this range, the beer stays cold and at its peak of quality.
Can Be A Home Refrigerator Too Cold For Beer
The fact is that a domestic refrigerator is usually about 40 – 41 degrees Fahrenheit, about 4 – 5 degrees Celsius.
The FDA recommends keeping the fridge temperature at or below 40° F (4° C).
So, yes, the home refrigerator is often too cold to store beer, and we should have a dedicated refrigerator for our stock of brew. This also prevents the beverage from picking up food odors and any type of contamination.
For this reason, together with some others like saving space in the home fridge or not picking up odors, beer lovers prefer to have a dedicated beverage fridge where to store their reserve of brews, sodas and maybe wine. Like this one that is highly rated on Amazon:
Did you run out of beers and are in a rush to chill some beers in your home fridge. Yoy can read our comprehensive guide: How Long To Chill Beer In The Fridge (And How To Speed It Up!)
Does Canned Beer Go Bad In The Fridge
Yes, canned beer goes bad in the fridge after 2 – 3 years. Once again, this is quite a long time, even for a bar o restaurant, and definitely for a home bar.
Canned beer vs bottled beer. It is interesting to note that canned beer last longer than bottled beer. The glass of the bottle allows light to oxidize the liquid more quickly, and the cap is more susceptible to oxygen leakage and loss of carbonation. Therefore, the aluminum can is a more protective container than the glass bottle.
Does Bottled Beer Go Bad In The Fridge
Yes, bottled beer goes bad in the fridge. As we have seen, the glass of the bottle allows light to pass through. A dark glass is slightly more protective than a lighter or transparent glass.
As seen, the average shelf life of a bottled beer is 2 – 3 years.
Tips For Prolonging The Shelf Life Of Beer In The Fridge
We’ve seen that a beer cooler is the way to prevent shorter shelf life.
Let’s see now some tips on how to store beer in the fridge to further extend this period of optimum quality:
- Make sure the refrigerator’s temperature is set between 45 – 55° F, 7 – 12° C.
- Keep the glass bottles in the back of the refrigerator to avoid direct light.
- If you have beer bottles and cans, put the cans near the glass door.
- At all costs, prevent the beer from freezing. Check that the cooler is not generating ice blocks at the rear. Yes, beer does freeze! Unfortunately, your delicious beer will be destroyed. To prevent it, you may want to read Does Beer Freeze? At What Temperature? (And Tips To Prevent It)
- As much as possible, place the bottles in upright position.
- Maintain some form of inventory management. Drink first the beers that expire soon.
How To Store Beer Without A Fridge
Below I show you the types of storage ordered from best to worst, according to the criteria: to extend the shelf life of the beer and keep its freshness as long as possible:
- A beverage cooler. As mentioned, this is the best option.
- A dark, cool cellar. Usually referred to as a wine cellar. For a beer and wine lover, it’s a great place to have at home. However, not everyone can afford it. The option of a beverage fridge is much more affordable and practical.
- The pantry. Look for the place in your pantry that is dark, as cool as possible and has no temperature changes. For example, one part of my pantry is next to the refrigerator, I know it’s the hottest place. Avoid such places.
- The garage or outdoors. Make sure it doesn’t receive direct sunlight, temperature changes are minimal, and it doesn’t freeze.
Conclusion: How Long Does Beer Last In The Fridge
Although it may be contrary to many people’s beliefs, beer can go bad even if it’s refrigerated, but keeping it in the fridge can significantly extend its shelf life.
Unopened beer can last up to 2–3 years in the fridge, while opened beer should be consumed within a day.
Maintaining a stable temperature in the optimal range is crucial to keep beer fresh and avoid spoilage.
Cheers!