Can you drink beer after the best before date?

WHILE wine is said to get better with age, you may wonder whether this holds true for beer.

Here we take at look at if the beer in your home is safe to glug or whether it's time to pull the plug.

If you look on the back of a beer, you will likely see a 'best before date'.

This is different to a 'use by' date you’ll usually see on fresh foods like meat and dairy products.

According to the Food Standards Agency: ''The best before date, sometimes shown as BBE (best before end), is about quality and not safety.''

Whereas a 'use-by' date relates to safety.

The best before date will only be accurate if the product is stored according to the instructions on the packaging.

When it comes to beer, it can still be drunk after the 'best before' date, however, the taste will start to change gradually over time.

The time beer will remain good after the best before date decreases if you don't store the product correctly.

How long is beer good after the expiration date?

Beer kept in a dry place should be consumed within six to nine months after its expiration date.

If kept in the fridge, beer should be consumed within six to two year after its expiration date.

There are a number of ways to check if the beer you've just popped open is past it's prime.

If you have bottled beer, check for clues like a discoloured label and any seepage around the cap – as this could indicate prior heat abuse.

You can also determine the quality of your beer by paying attention to the noise it makes when you crack open a bottle or can.

If there’s an absence of that signature hissing sound when opening, it means the beer has lost its carbonation.

Other possible qualities of gone-off beer are a change in colour, smell, taste, foam density, or dusty sediment visible at the bottom of the bottle.

Regardless of whether your beer is pasteurised or unpasteurised, drinking bad beer is never recommended.

There are a number of ways to keep your beer from going bad.

Beer should be placed upright to decelerate the oxidation process and prevent contamination through the cap.

Beer should also be refrigerated, especially if it was purchased chilled.

Alternatively, you can store your beer in a cool, dark place with a constant temperature.

While some beverages should be binned, after their 'best before' date has passed, others can still be kept.

The drinks that can still safely be consumed after their best before date include:

Milk - You may be worried about milk, but as long as it tastes and smells OK you can ignore the date on the carton.
Spirits - When taken care of properly, spirits such as whiskey can be kept open-endedly and the same goes for gin and vodka.

But there are also a some drinks you should definitely ditch, including: