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As a freshness leader in the beer industry, we do everything we can to give you the best beer possible. We won’t settle for anything less, and neither should you.
Like any perishable food, beer is best when consumed fresh. When fresh, your beer has more aroma and flavour, creating a better drinking experience.
At Muskoka Brewery, we include a “Freshest By” date on all our beer to help you know when the best time is to drink it. If a beer has gone past its date, it doesn’t mean it’s gone bad, but it does mean that it doesn’t live up to the high standards we set for ourselves. Let us know if your beer has gone past its date by completing the form below.
| BEER | FRESHNESS WINDOW | BEER | FRESHNESS WINDOW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tread Lightly | 6 Months | Born This Way IPA | 5 Months |
| Craft Lager | 6 Months | Ebb & Flow | 5 Months |
| Cream Ale | 6 Months | Winter Beard | 6 Months |
| Detour | 5 Months | Harvest Ale | 5 Months |
| Mad Tom IPA | 5 Months | Moonlight Kettle Series Beers | 6 Months |
| Twice as Mad | 5 Months | Hazed & Confused | 4 Months |
How To Look For Fresh Beers
Check your “Freshest By” date to ensure you’re enjoying our beer at its best—a result of our pure, natural, and unfiltered brewing process. Find this date on the bottom of our beer cans, cartons, trays, and necks of our tall bottles. It’s there to help you know how late you can wait to crack one open – though we often find the beers at our homes don’t stick around that long anyway. We use a freshest by date vs. a brew date because different beers are considered fresh for different amounts of time. Just like our beer drinkers, every style is different. There are no codes or magic numbers here – just better beer.
BOTTLES
CANS
HOW TO PROPERLY STORE BEERS
- If you plan on drinking your beer soon, the fridge is the best spot for it. For lagers, crisp and cold is the way to go; for ales, you’ll want to let your beer warm up just slightly before drinking
- Keep beer out of bright sunlight both before and while drinking. Sun can mix with ingredients in the beer to create a skunky flavour, which could ruin an otherwise tasty brew. It’s one of the reasons we package our beer in dark brown bottles; the dark bottle makes it more difficult for light to affect the beer
- When storing beer to consume later, keep in a cool, dry place. The ideal temperature is around 10° Celsius
- Avoid fluctuations in temperature – try to keep it consistent
- Store your beer upright; this slows the oxidation process, as less beer is exposed to air, and allows natural yeast and sediment to settle at the bottom of the bottle. When you’re ready to drink, just rotate the bottle a few times so the minerals and sediment evenly disperse
Although most beers are best when consumed within a few months, a few styles – think Imperial Stouts, like our Winter Beard – can age exceptionally well for years, offering a unique drinking experience.
AGING BEERS
Most beers are best consumed fresh, as flavour and aroma can diminish over time. However, some beers are able to be stored, much like wine.
WHAT BEERS AGE BEST?
Some beers gain complexity and flavour as they age, resulting in strong flavours that were dormant when first brewed. Imperial Stouts, Belgian Strong Ales, Lambics and Trappist Ales are great beers that develop and change over time. At Muskoka Brewery we like to set aside a bottle of our Winter Beard each holiday season to see how the flavours develop over the years.
HOW TO PROPERLY AGE BEERS
Beers should be stored in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight. The ideal temperature is around 10° Celsius. Storing beer over time in your fridge isn’t recommended, as refrigerators can dry out corks and could be too cold. Avoid fluctuations in temperature – try to keep it consistent. Store your beer upright; this slows the oxidation process, as less beer is exposed, and allows natural yeast and sediment to settle at the bottom of the bottle.
HOW LONG SHOULD I AGE MY BEER?
Aging beers isn’t an exact science, and varies depending on personal taste. If you’re curious, a good way to start is to purchase several bottles of the same beer, and sample every few months, noting how certain flavours and aromas arise.
