Questions tagged [storage]

For questions relating to the storage of beer, cider, wine, etc. as well as storage of the ingredients that go into producing them.

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Expect the Unexpected: How can I prepare for bottle-bombs?

Just had my first explosion last night. Very disheartening to discover a 22oz bottle spread all over the basement floor with little tiny shards of glass splattered everywhere. I remember overfilling ...
yhw42's user avatar
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20 votes
4 answers
6k views

How to store beer

When you buy beer that you plan to keep for a while (a while being more than a month or so), what's the best way to store it? Specifically, what are the rules for storing it cold or warm, on it's ...
hookedonwinter's user avatar
14 votes
7 answers
4k views

Small Space & Apartment Brewing: Equipment Storage

Given the limited space of an apartment, what tips do you have for storing your equipment? Do not consider budget to be a factor. This is the first question in a series of discussions about small-...
Homebrew Holli's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
2k views

Storage of hops pellets

I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on how to store one's hops pellets after having opened the sealed package (... in case one is not using the whole lot at once of course). Also, if you have ...
Tobi's user avatar
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13 votes
4 answers
3k views

What is the best way to store hops?

I recently got a really good deal on some bulk pellet hops (several pounds). What is the best way to store them? I've heard that they should be vacuum sealed and put in the freezer. Will they be OK ...
RobM's user avatar
  • 503
11 votes
2 answers
54k views

How much does heat affect beer?

What effects could heat have on beer and how long does it take? Is it ok to ship beer without an icepack during the summer? Can it survive the heat of a parked car for a few hours? Someone out ...
Room3's user avatar
  • 3,234
10 votes
5 answers
5k views

What are the effects of storing hops in the freezer?

Two months ago I brewed an ale with three hops - cascade, northern brewer and saaz. I immediately put them in the freezer, but want to know how to best use them (if there has been any degredation). ...
Max's user avatar
  • 698
10 votes
1 answer
6k views

How long can milled grain be stored?

At the rate that I'm going, I'm doing a homebrew roughly every second weekend. (Fun!) I will end up with a small stock of hops, and yeast I can keep around in the fridge for a while if I buy a few ...
object88's user avatar
  • 675
10 votes
1 answer
2k views

Storing beer bottles horizontally

I've discovered that bottles fit in my storage fridge much more efficiency if I stack them horizontally, and I'm thinking of building some wooden racks to let me fit more bottles safely and securely. ...
Hank's user avatar
  • 1,323
10 votes
2 answers
15k views

Liquid malt extract storage

What's the best way to store LME for extended periods of time? Can LME be kept in the freezer to limit spoilage or are there better ways keep it somewhat fresh?
Northern Brewer Chris's user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
11k views

How long can yeast be stored?

If I buy a tube of liquid yeast from my local homebrew store and throw it in the fridge, how long before it's no good? How 'bout dry yeast?
Fishtoaster's user avatar
  • 2,882
9 votes
2 answers
4k views

What effect does cooling, then warming have on finished beer?

The common wisdom I have known is that cooling, warming, then cooling beer again would cause it to "skunk." I now know that skunky flavors are typically the result of exposure to light, not ...
Dustin Rasener's user avatar
8 votes
8 answers
12k views

Cardboard alternatives to bottle cases for storage

A problem I hadn't really anticipated was how to store/transport bottled homebrew. I've been reusing old cardboard store-bought boxes, but they seem to be breaking down pretty quickly, especially ...
Fishtoaster's user avatar
  • 2,882
8 votes
7 answers
5k views

How should bulk grain be stored?

I love brewing all-grain but I feel that I could cut down on my costs significantly by purchasing some of my grain in bulk, storing it, and using it as needed. I know a lot of people do this but I'm ...
Jeff L's user avatar
  • 4,130
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Skunking beer process

How fast does beer skunk, in the bottle or out? I have heard people claim their IPA gets skunky in the glass as they drink it on the sunny patio. I have also left a sixer of beer on a shelf on my ...
brewchez's user avatar
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8 votes
5 answers
13k views

Adding potassium metabisulphite (i.e. sulfites) to prevent oxidation?

Winemakers often add potassium metabisulphite to the finished product for two purposes: To prevent further yeast growth (so that they do not eat the remaining sugars) and as a preservative, to prevent ...
Dustin Rasener's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
244 views

Is 2005 bottle wheat beer ok to drink?

Found a box of home brewed beer in an old cellar marked 2005. Bottles look ok and caps are good. Would it be safe to drink?
Robin Earnest's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
13k views

How long can organic wine be stored without chemicals?

I'm trying to store some homemade organic red wine in bottles. For how long can it be stored without using any chemicals?
Albert's user avatar
  • 273
8 votes
3 answers
1k views

Longevity of bottled mead

I have some mead in bottles, which have been stored in a reasonably cool, dark place for possibly as much as two years old. I had intended to leave it for about a year for bottle conditioning, but now ...
Herb's user avatar
  • 653
8 votes
3 answers
282 views

How to store wine in hot city?

I'm planning to store wine bottles for several years, but I live in a hot city and don't have any cellar to use. What other alternatives can I use to store the wine in a good environment?
Albert's user avatar
  • 273
8 votes
2 answers
549 views

What's the shelf life on crushed specialty grains?

What's the shelf life on crushed specialty grains?
Rich Armstrong's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
719 views

Is it okay to store cold beer at room temps after conditioning?

I brewed a nice batch of Black Cherry Ale, which has been bottle conditioning at 35F for about 5 weeks. I will need space in the fridge for a keg of Summer Ale in about two weeks. My basement temps ...
Greg's user avatar
  • 361
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

WYeast got warm on the way home. Can I still use it?

I bought two packs of the American Ale Propogator yesterday, but then took a bit longer than planned to get home and the packs got warm and were swelled a bit. I put them in the fridge as soon as I ...
applecran's user avatar
  • 175
7 votes
5 answers
536 views

Small Space & Apartment Brewing: Cellaring

Given the limited space of an apartment, where do you store your homebrew before drinking? Do not consider budget to be a factor. This is the eighth question in a series of discussions about small-...
Homebrew Holli's user avatar
7 votes
5 answers
761 views

Old grain and hops stored in fridge for 1 year - ok to use?

I have a small amount of hops (1 oz) in a ziplock bag in the fridge, it's been there about a year. I also have about 1/2 lb of unmilled grain in the fridge in a ziplock. Will these ingredients be ok ...
JMerritt's user avatar
  • 917
7 votes
4 answers
18k views

How long will an extract kit stay good?

Ive been wanting to get into homebrewing so when I saw the Groupon for this kit http://www.midwestsupplies.com/irish-red-ale.html I ordered it. However I was in the process of moving so I haven't ...
JayUnt's user avatar
  • 145
7 votes
5 answers
1k views

How should bulk DME be stored?

Related to this question, but I'd like to get a 50 lb. bag of pilsner DME from the LHBS to use over the course of 3-6 months. Can it be stored like grain, or are there additional considerations that ...
Nicholas Trandem's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
3k views

Thawing Frozen Beer

I have a couple kegs of beer that froze out in the garage this winter. What effects should I expect on flavor, head retention and body after thawing? My beer was relatively sediment free, but would ...
brewchez's user avatar
  • 36.2k
6 votes
3 answers
1k views

Storing and using leftover DME

I ended up with about a pound of CBW Sparkling Amber DME leftover. I figured it might be worth keeping around so I put it in a plastic bag and tried to get as much air out as a could. Since then I'...
thesquaregroot's user avatar
  • 1,900
6 votes
2 answers
4k views

Will beer keep in a cask if used gradually?

I've read that beer should keep in a cask for months, but does that only apply if left full? How long do I have to finish once I start drinking from it?
Jason Williams's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
757 views

Best temperature to store carboy after fermentation is complete?

I've got a porter and a stout, both sitting in carboys and both have reached their desired FG reading. However, I'm not able to keg them for another 2-3 weeks because I'm still waiting on a CO2 ...
rocketdog's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
4k views

Pausing a ginger beer plant

I am making ginger beer, the old fashioned way with a plant. The plant is a jamjar which I feed with one teaspoon of sugar and powdered ginger daily. I'm going on holiday soon, for several weeks. I'...
David Given's user avatar
5 votes
13 answers
4k views

Best beer to brew that will last a long time

I have just started brewing so I apologize for my stupidity. My nephew was just born today and I want celebrate by brewing a batch and storing it until his 21st birthday. I think it would be cool to ...
5 votes
6 answers
14k views

Using mason jars to bottle in?

Has anyone used mason jars to bottle in? What were your results if so? They are being sealed like when you can, so I'm especially curious if they hold pressure well. (I know they are clear, and that ...
mpurkeypile's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
270 views

Beginner Conditioning Question

Probably a stupid question, but..... After I bottle and cap the beer do I store the beer in the fridge? Dark but No Fridge? I think I have done a decent job so far, and would hate to FUBAR everything ...
JugheadNE's user avatar
  • 193
5 votes
3 answers
810 views

How to store fermenter after use

I have two plastic fermenters and am wondering the best way to store them when I am not using them? Sometimes I don't get the opportunity to use them for a few months (longest was up to 1 year) so ...
WillNZ's user avatar
  • 1,013
5 votes
3 answers
187 views

What's the best way to ship bottles of beer 3000km in hot weather?

I'm worried not so much about breakage/leakage as you can just take precautions with extra padding and good packaging, but more about oxidation with the bottles being shaken up during hot weather. We'...
Snowman's user avatar
  • 331
5 votes
2 answers
576 views

Can I store my fermentation containers filled with sanitizer liquid

Is there a maximum time I can keep the sanitizer liquid inside the fermentation containers? Would it be OK if I fill them with it and store them for a while, like a couple of weeks? If not, would it ...
Martin Scharrer's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
566 views

Is RTD beer susceptible to any damage from temperature fluctuations?

I've got a fridge set up in my garage loaded full of delicious home brew, all ready to drink. To save on power, I'd like to only turn it on when I need it, say once a week or once a fortnight. Could ...
Mark McDonald's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
7k views

Ginger beer that lasts

I want to make a batch of alcoholic ginger beer. However, I know from past experience that one problem with ginger beer is that the bulk of the fermentation happens in the bottles, and I can't drink ...
David Given's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
437 views

How to garde a Biere De Garde?

Biere De Garde recipes seem to generally recommend a period of 4 to 6 weeks of cold storage, essentially lagering. My brewing experience consists solely of fermenting ales, so this is somewhat ...
baka's user avatar
  • 6,613
4 votes
2 answers
5k views

How to properly keep a warm kegged beer (short term)

This is a combination keg/carbonation/beer storage question. I have only fridge/freezer room for either a carboy or my (currently 1) keg. I have about half of the corny keg left of a light cream ...
goodytx's user avatar
  • 189
4 votes
4 answers
766 views

Beer Refrigeration Suggestions (Long Term)

I currently have 4 fridges at my house. One is for food. One is my kegerator. One is for beer to drink now. One is for beer to drink later. The beer for now is creeping into my food fridge, as the ...
hookedonwinter's user avatar
4 votes
4 answers
20k views

Is there a way to protect beer from freezing in a garage with no electricity

I would like to run a few brews back-to-back to build up a stock of beer. However, I would not be able to store all of the bottles in my house and would be forced to place them in the garage. My ...
SheyMouse's user avatar
  • 161
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Will using a 2-liter soda bottle as a growler affect flavor?

Just read an article about a NYC beer hall filling 2-liter plastic soda bottles instead of glass growlers. I wouldn't expect this to make a significant difference over 24 hrs, but is there any chance ...
Chadwick's user avatar
  • 217
4 votes
3 answers
961 views

Storing bottle conditioned beers and carbonation

I store all my beer at 55°F(12.7°C). Do I need to worry about the beers that are bottle conditioned not being carbonated, or not being at the proper carbonation level? Should they already be ...
Jordan's user avatar
  • 1,243
4 votes
2 answers
597 views

What is the proper way to store SCOBY?

What is the proper way to store SCOBY for periods over 3~4 months? I've stored some discs/plates of SCOBY in the fridge (not freezing temperatures) on its own fermented tea, but after 3 months when I ...
rondonctba's user avatar
4 votes
4 answers
3k views

Effects of Grain Freshness on Brew House Efficiency

Background: My co-brewer (ScottyG) and I recently brewed our first all-grain in a converted Coleman cooler. We have over sixty batches of extract under our belts and have even made a few hard ciders ...
TinCoyote's user avatar
  • 3,395
4 votes
2 answers
361 views

Temperature conditions for saving cropped yeast?

What is an ideal environment for saving yeast I have harvested from my fermentation vessels? The lowest survivable temperature? Highest? I recently found the top of my fridge to be too cold when I ...
tbeseda's user avatar
  • 1,917
4 votes
1 answer
124 views

Can beer become oxidized in the bottle?

I am asking this because we have a situation where a perfectly good pilsner suddenly dramatically changed after it was bottled into a hazy, oxidized, hoppy mess. It was for a beer competition where ...
daniella's user avatar
  • 350