Is Beer Bad If It Has Sediment In It

Have you ever picked up a bottle of beer and noticed that there are small bits gathered around the bottom? Or some kind of weird cover on the base of the bottle? This is sediment and can be found in some beers depending on a few factors. So is beer bad if it has sediment in it?

It can almost look like a powder compacted across the base. If you move it around too much it can start to displace and mix with the beer. But is it okay?

A lot of beers produced today have sediment in them. Some are meant to end up in the glass, while others are better left in the bottle.

Why Is There Sediment In My Beer?

Up until fairly recently apart from a few styles of beer like Hefeweizen, when you look at a bottle of beer, it is crystal clear and free of any kind of debris. Pour it into a glass and you have a perfect clear beer with great carbonation.

There is no sediment at all, which means all fermentation was ceased at the brewery before the beer is bottled. The beer has been filtered to remove any yeast and proteins giving that beautiful clean crisp appearance. Also the beer is force carbonated at the point of bottling.

So why are there so many beers now that are hazy or cloudy or have sediment in them?

They may be bottle conditioned or unfiltered.

What Is Bottle Conditioning?

It is a natural way to carbonate the beer. A little sugar added at the bottling stage works with the yeast suspended in the beer. Which starts a secondary fermentation in the bottle producing Co2.

As the bottle is sealed and the Co2 has no escape it is absorb by the beer which carbonates it. However this does mean that a thin cover of yeast will settle to the bottom of the bottle.

This yeast causes no problems and can be mixed into the beer or left in the bottom of the bottle by pouring carefully.

What Is Unfiltered Beer?

It is beer that has not gone through a filtering process before being bottled. Breweries use a filtration system to remove suspended yeast and proteins. There are several methods to filter beer and several systems.

So an unfiltered beer will leave suspended yeast and proteins in the beer when it is bottled. Sediment is present and the appearance of the beer can be cloudy or hazy.

However the beer may also have better aromas and flavours due to the yeast and small proteins being left in the beer.

Is It Okay To Drink The Sediment In Beer?

This one could be down to personal choice, some people are put off by sediment present in their beer. Others are fine with it being there and are happy to drink it.

One brewery may instruct to pour most of the beer into the glass, then swirl the last little bit of beer in the bottle, and then add that to the glass too. So the sediment is mixed in the beer, which may give a slight opaque appearance to the beer.

Another brewery may instruct to leave the bottle to stand for a while so the sediment is settled at the bottom of the bottle. Then pour the beer slowly into the glass, while leaving a little at the bottom of the bottle.

This helps not to disturb the sediment and leaves it behind in the bottle. So the sediment is not mixed with the beer.

The beer style may determine which method is used, or it may come down to personal choice. Either way is fine by me. I don’t mind sediment in my beer or hazy beer, just as long as it tastes good.

So it is okay to drink the sediment in beer and it doesn’t mean the beer is bad.

What Is A Bad Beer?

Obviously beer can go bad, some beers are brewed to age and that is fine. However some beers, especially bottle conditioned or unfiltered beers won’t have the same shelf life as filtered and brewery conditioned.

If the beer has become to old and gone bad, then the beer breaks down and the proteins drop out. The sediment may take on a different appearance and resemble snow flakes or dandruff.

But the easiest way to tell if a beer has gone bad is the smell and taste. A sulphur or gas smell may be present and the taste will be sour and a little vinegar like.

While this may not be harmful, it won’t be a pleasant experience.

Final Thoughts

So while a beer with sediment is not necessarily bad, unless it has gone past its shelf life. It is not favourable for some people, plenty still want their beer to be crisp and clear.

That does not mean that beer with sediment is a negative. For some, including me a cloudy or hazy beer is no problem. In fact it might mean there are more complex aromas and flavours, bring it on.

Embrace the sediment, let me know what you think about a little sediment in beer. Share your thoughts below.