Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:07 pm
I feel like I just responded to a similar question recently, but it isn't letting me search to redirect you to that thread...
So... the answer is 'It depends.'
Depends on:
Style of beer (type of malts, hops, gravity, yeast choice, etc)
Temperature it is stored at
Oxygen pickup at bottling
Yeast conditioned or force carbed
Strain of yeast at bottling
Amount of yeast
Amount of priming sugar
SANITATION
And many other places that a beer could 'go wrong'.
However, a well brewed beer in a style meant for aging that is under ideal conditions could last many years, if not decades. I'm assuming you aren't planning on doing this though. A typical beer not brewed to age will be just fine in the bottle for many months before you get around to drinking it.
Spiderwrangler
PFC, Arachnid Deployment Division
In the cellar:
In the fermentor: Belgian Cider
In the works: Wooden Cider