Most people are generally aware that beer has a shelf life; one much shorter than wine or other spirits. But how long can a beer last before the ravages of time take their toll on its lovely frame? The answer, of course, is “it depends”. My latest Beer 101 entry starts an examination of beer, the forces that act against it, the defenses it possesses to hold back the enemy, and how you, as the consumer, can determine when a beer is past its prime.

The first column looks at beer’s mortal enemies – the things that conspire to break down that luscious liquid and turn it into some, sour, bespoiled mess. There are four, and each works its damage slowly over time – the fifth conspirator. Oxygen, micro-organisms, light and heat conspire with time to plot nasty deeds against our intrepid hero – your pint of favourite ale.

Like any worthy hero, beer is not without its own weapons to beat back the conspirators, and the article delves into those as well, in addition to giving the reader some initial sense of how long an average beer will last, if well handled. The next two installments will look at those special beers that are built for aging and at date codes – which tell you how old your beer is. Unfortunately the column is monthly, so you will have to be patient to learn more about that. Or you could buy me a beer and I’ll provide you a one-on-one lesson.

At any rate, here is my latest Beer 101 column on the enemies of beer.