Despite its counterintuitive nature, stale beer has its own advantages. If you find yourself with too many open cans of beer, you can actually utilize the leftovers in useful ways around your house. So instead of pouring out those suds, why not learn how to intentionally make beer go stale for later DIY purposes?
What You Will Need:
A bowl
A whisk
A can of beer
Step-By-Step Guide to Making Beer Stale:
Beer does not expire or go bad in the same way that milk does, for example. Even if beer has been left open, it will not necessarily expire, but it will lose its flavor and aroma, resulting in a flat taste. This is what is meant by beer going stale.
Here are some tips to make beer go stale:
Step 1: Expose it to Oxygen
Exposing beer to oxygen will rapidly change its profile. Oxidation occurs when beer is exposed to oxygen, leading to a cardboard-like flavor with underlying notes of sherry, toffee, or bread flavors. Oxidation also causes beer to lose its hoppy taste and carbonation, resulting in a flat beer.
Step 2: Leave it at Room Temperature
There’s a reason why warm beer isn’t popular—it tends to taste flat unless chilled. To make your beer lose its freshness, leave it open at room temperature. While warmth alone won’t cause staleness, it will accelerate the process of oxidation, which leads to stale beer.
Step 3: Expose it to Light
Light is another culprit when it comes to beer. Beer doesn’t react well to direct exposure to light. Most brewers package their beer in dark or colored bottles or aluminum cans to block out light. To intentionally make your beer stale, store it in a clear jar or glass bottle and leave it in direct light. When alcohol is exposed to light and oxygen, it develops a skunky flavor and aroma.
Step 4: De-Carbonate the Beer
If you need to de-carbonate beer quickly—for example, for a recipe—you can do it yourself. Follow these simple steps:
If the beer is in the refrigerator, take it out and let it warm to room temperature on the countertop.
Pour the beer into a bowl. Choose a bowl size based on the amount of beer you have.
Use a whisk to beat the beer for about 10 minutes. This will remove the carbonation. Let the beer sit for another 30-60 minutes to go flat.
This process will result in oxidation, causing the beer to lose its crisp, carbonated mouthfeel.
That’s all it takes to make beer go stale!
Extended Tips
Now, let’s explore some clever ways you can use stale beer.
1. Stain Removal
Beer might not seem like a suitable stain remover, but it can be effective for various types of stains. If you have children who tend to stain carpets or seats, or if you are prone to spilling coffee, having some stale beer on hand can help with stubborn stains.
Follow these steps to remove stains using stale beer:
First, blot the fresh stain using a paper towel. Beer is more effective as a stain remover on fresh stains.
Next, pour 2-3 tablespoons of beer onto the stained area. This will lift and remove the stain.
Then, use a clean white cloth to blot the area again and remove excess beer, preventing a new beer stain from forming.
If possible, use a vacuum cleaner to dry the area to avoid attracting residue that could worsen the stain.
This should remove the stain, but if it hasn’t completely disappeared, you can pour some more beer. Be careful not to use too much, and remember to blot out the excess beer to prevent worsening the existing stain.
2. Beer Shampoo
The idea of pouring beer on your hair may sound unusual, but hear us out. The theory is that the hops and malt in beer help to strengthen hair cuticles, resulting in stronger and thicker hair.
For this purpose, use flat or stale beer that doesn’t contain carbon dioxide. When carbon dioxide (CO2) combines with water, it creates hard water that doesn’t lather well enough to thoroughly clean your hair.
Obviously, you don’t want to wash your hair with beer every day. Reserve this special treatment for a monthly cleansing and pampering session.
Here’s how to clean your hair using beer:
Pour a can of stale beer into a bowl and let it sit.
Meanwhile, wash your hair with regular shampoo. Instead of using your usual conditioner, pour the beer from the bowl onto your hair.
Massage your hair and scalp thoroughly to allow the beer to penetrate the roots. Leave the beer conditioner in your hair for a few minutes.
Rinse your hair with cold water. You may feel like there’s still some beer left in your hair, but don’t worry. The minerals in the malt and hops used to make beer are beneficial for your hair and scalp.
As mentioned earlier, limit the use of beer as a hair conditioner to once or at most twice a month. Using too much beer can cause dryness, breakage, and dandruff.
3. Natural Mosquito, Fly, and Bug Repellent
Did you know that bugs and mosquitoes are attracted to beer? It seems humans aren’t the only fans of booze! Instead of pouring leftover beer down the drain, use it as a natural repellent.
To create a DIY repellent, pour stale beer into buckets and place them outside in areas where mosquitoes tend to gather, such as your backyard. The critters will be attracted to the beer and leave you alone. Talk about a win-win situation!
4. Green Your Lawn
Are you dealing with a brown lawn? Brown patches detract from your home’s curb appeal, but you can revitalize it using readily available supplies, including stale beer. Follow these steps:
Mix a few drops of dishwashing liquid, molasses, liquid lawn food, and a can of beer together.
Use a hose sprayer to distribute the mixture evenly over your lawn. Apply it regularly, especially during summer, to green up your landscape rapidly.
The dishwashing liquid helps the grass absorb the nutrients in the lawn food, while the ammonia provides nitrogen, which promotes root growth. The beer and molasses provide yeast and sugar, nourishing the microbes in the soil and, in turn, the grass.
Summary
Who would have thought that keeping some skunky beer on hand could be beneficial? From the kitchen to the garden to personal grooming, stale beer has many surprising uses. The good news is that no matter what you need stale beer for, you can quickly prepare it in just a few minutes and put it to use.
Have you tried using stale beer before? How did it turn out? Let us know in the comments!
