Cans or bottles: What's better for a fresh, stable beer?
March 20, 2023
The flavor of beer begins to change as soon as it's packaged, prompting a debate among afficionados: Does the beverage stay fresher in a bottle or a can? Now, researchers report in ACS Food Science & Technology that the answer is, well, complicated, and depends on the type of beer. An amber ale stayed fresher in bottles, whereas container choice made much less difference to the stability of an India Pale Ale (IPA).
In addition to water and ethanol, beer contains thousands of flavor compounds, which are metabolites produced by yeast, hops and other ingredients. During storage, chemical reactions break down some of those components while forming others. This reduces the content of some tasty flavors while generating unappetizing ones, contributing to the aging, or staling, of beer.
To help brewers prolong shelf life, researchers have studied beer aging, but they've concentrated on light lagers and a limited group of chemicals. Jessica Prenni and colleagues wanted to extend that work to amber ale and IPA, as well as additional compounds. The team also wanted to conduct the first stability comparison of beer packaged in glass bottles versus aluminum cans.
