BeerSci: A Decade-Old Beer Is Gross, Right?
Beersci Logo Todd DetwilerThe chemistry behind wet-cardboard taste and what you can do about it. BeerSci Note: From the outset, I decided that I'd occasionally run stories by guest writers in BeerSci. After all, I'm not the only nerd on the planet who likes beer. This week's column was pitched to a fellow PopSci editor, who passed it to me. -- Martha Beer producers make a big deal about drinking beer fresh. Stone Brewery produces an IPA with a drink-by date. Russian River Brewing Company implores their customers right on the bottle label to drink Pliny the Elder fresh. And most other beer producers print the brewing date on the can or bottle so the customer knows he or she isn't getting old beer. While it's true that many (and perhaps most) beers taste better when fresh, it's a fallacy that old beer always equals bad beer. Some breweries specifically...