Shelf life in stores

[mark_g]

Hi,

The other day I went into a liquor store to talk to them about selling my 650ml bottles. They have a rather large selection of 650 ml bottles, but store them on the shelf. I asked how long it is taking to sell a case of some of the beers and the guy told me that most of the 650 ml bottles take about 6 months to sell a case. So when a customer buys a bottle they could be buying a beer that has sat on the shelf for over 6 months in a room the fluctuates in temperature all the time. Some of the beers were unfiltered, and/or unpasteurized. I asked how many customers complain about the bottles and he said "not that many".

My question is, am I correct in thinking that 6 months on a shelf at room temp is going to be quite detrimental to the quality of the beer. I really don't expect my beer to sit around for 6 months (I am the only local brewery) but I still don't want my beer sitting in those conditions.

Thanks,

[WitsEnd]

You are correct in your thinking. 6 months on a shelf is rough on beer. Now, if you're brewing really big beers, you might be able to get away with it, but that 6 months will be roughly equivalent to years of proper cellaring.

[jasonaa]

New here, and very new to the pro side of things, but I think it's a slippery slope.

A.) You do not want someone new to your product to pick up something for the first time after it's been exposed to a long term aging on the retailers shelf that might not be what it should.

B.) Does water sink to it's own level? Does someone that knows beer, shop at that store often enough to realize they are not getting the freshest product? Does the person that doesn't know, care? I pretty much refuse to shop at Bev** here in California, as I've had bad experiences and seen beer roasting in the front window under the sun. Knowing what I know, even if I've had a bad beer purchased there, I don't discount the brewery, and may find it elsewhere, however, does the average consumer understand that? Could a freshness/born on date be the answer?

C.) You are the only local brewery. Roll out slow, and ask the purchaser what you can do to promote the sale of your beer.

D.) Is a half case an option? Is a half case worth it? Can a half case fetch a higher price?

Like I said, I am new the the pro brewing side, but am coming from an industry of distribution where shelf life is a consideration (albeit much less of a concern). Hope to contribute what I learn along the way.

[Brewtopian]

If I have product on my shelves more than 4 weeks I get antsy about it. Why would any retailer permit the buyer to have product in inventory for 6 months? That's nuts from a quality perspective as well as from a financial one.

Our philosophy has always been to limit our selection to ensure quick turns but replace what just sold with something new so the customer is always getting access to something other than what they just bought. This allows us to turn over our inventory every 10 to 14 days instead of months. The only items that don't really turn in this window are some of the imported products of which we're constantly whittling down in order to expand with craft beer.