How Long can beer stay in a glass bottle?

I bought a home brewing beer kit. All it comes with is the plastic amber bottles. I know it can not stay in there long because of the plastic. I bought clear gallon jugs for my beer instead because the amber glass jugs are expensive for me. How long can I keep my beer in the clear jugs and if not for long can I use something to cover the jugs to protect against light damage? Like tin foil or something?|||If it is a high gravity beer with an alcohol concentration above 7.5% ABV it will last for years. I have had lighter beers than this good after a year. Just keep the beer from light and in a cool environment and it will be fine.


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The beer is fine if you avoid light. Foil will work but is awkward. Try a dark cabinet or basement free of direct light. But you can use a towel or tarp if you want as long as it blocks the light.





.|||Yes, you should be able to use any sort of light-blocking material (aluminum foil, cardboard box, unused DVD cases, whatever) to keep the beer from light damage. Understand that if you are storing beer in your home fridge light may not be too much of an issue, as the light is usually only on when you open the door, as opposed to retail units where lights are on most of the time.





As for how long you can store beer: I'm not sure. Store-bought bottles often say the beer is best within 120 days of being brewed/bottled, so I wouldn't keep it any longer than that. It doesn't say that it can't be consumed after 120 days, just that it tastes best within that time. Of course, this beer is also pasteurized so it can be transported and stored unrefrigerated, so this may increase its overall shelf life.|||Use anything to block the light, it doesn't make any difference.



Length of time? Depends on what you've made; some German or Belgian beers are aged,

'lagered' quite a while before bottling. Many common American beer recipes for just a week or two.



Generally, higher alc beers and ales and those made with higher concentrations of hops and malts have a natural preservative effect and should be cold stored longer.

Cheers!

.|||Get some cheap black spray paint, and paint the bottle. After the paint dries you will have to handle the bottle carefully because the paint will not stick to the glass well.