How To Store An Opened Bottle Of Beer For Best Quality

Carbonated beverages are a delicious treat thanks to their refreshing taste and fizzy mouthfeel. Most times, it is easy to finish a bottle in one sitting; however, leaving an opened bottle half-finished can be a source of stress for many, as carbonated drinks quickly decline in quality after opening. Beer is not an exception to this rule, and with containers ranging in size from cans to growlers, it is important to know how to keep it fresh for as long as possible. 

The key to keeping an opened beer fizzy is preventing the loss of as much carbonation as possible — after all, carbonation is the secret to those delightful bubbles. To do so, it is important to cover the opening of the beer as soon as possible after opening. This will keep it fizzy and also prevent oxidization, which impairs the flavor. A simple sheet of foil or plastic wrap will do the job; however, there are also special reusable bottle covers and stoppers that will further protect the beer. Once the bottle is covered, be sure to stick it in the fridge to keep it cold, as this will further slow the escape of carbonation. 

An opened growler, resealed and put back in the fridge should keep for 36 hours. Depending on how airtight your method is of resealing a bottle, it could stay fresh for as long, but it's probably best to drink it the next day or use the leftover beef for cooking.

While taking these precautions will lengthen the amount of time your beer stays fresh and bubbly, it will not last forever. If you find that your beer is beyond the point of no return and has gone flat, there is no need to fret — it doesn't need to go to waste.

Flat beer has plenty of culinary uses. While it may not serve a purpose for recipes that rely on the beer's carbonation — such as beer bread or beer battered fish — a beer that has lost this trait can still impart benefits to other dishes. Use it to add flavor and moisture to meats, like when making grilled beer can chicken which only requires a can that's half full, or for marinating beef. Alternatively, flat beer is a great excuse to make some delicious beer cheese dip. Finally, you could pour the leftover beer into a container to trap pesky bugs like fruit flies, which love a sip of beer as much as we do.