I bought a 12 pk of beer up at what used to be Thurman's convenience store at the corner of Cornwallis and 42 after work today. If you did the same and noticed anything unusual about it please post you observations. I'm intentionally not mentioning the name of the product or the perceived contamination for obvious reasons, although I did call the manufacturer just in case I'm not actually imagining things. PS: after reviewing this post I think I should say that this has absolutely NOTHING to do with the store itself, just the product- they're always super nice folks and take really good care of me!
I did about a year ago, and it tasted VERY nasty. Coors light was the brand I bought. I bought an 18 pack of bottles, and ended up just pouring the whole case out. I thought, with their "beer cave" they would have good beer, but I haven't bought any there since.
I don't think the retailer has much control over it. I mean, what could they do to it? It's not like it goes bad if it isn't refrigerated (AFAIK...), but this stuff definitely qualified as nasty.
Well, from my experience, beer tastes bad if it gets hot. Coors light does anyway. I guess that's why they say it is brewed cold, shipped cold, and supposed to be KEPT cold. You got to keep those mountains blue!
DH swears it gets gross if it either sits around in the fridge too long or if it gets hot. So if the cooler gets room temp for very long, the beer is no good to him. He doesn't drink a lot of beer as a rule, so it usually ages out around here, LOL. We have some in the little dorm fridge in the bonus room that has probably grown whiskers, it's so old. :lol:
lightstruck Beer gets "skunky" from exposure to light; it gets lightstruck. Beer bottled in clear and green bottles is especially vulnerable to being lightstruck--that is why most beers are bottled in brown bottles. If the beer has been sitting in the store for a long time, it has obviously been exposed to more light and much more likely to be lightstruck. So in a way, it could be the store's fault for not moving their products quickly enough.
I don't believe that's been the case in many years now, at least not since they went nationwide in the early 80s. The product I bought -Coors Light 12 pk cans- had the distinct odor and taste of gasoline. I noticed the smell and the beer was the last place I would've expected such an odor. My kids noticed it immediately and my wife confirmed it in a blind test well away from the garage ("...hey, come smell this!"). There was also a scummy oil slick floating on the beer in the can. I know how gasoline tastes and feels as does anyone who has ever siphoned gas and there is no doubt in my mind that it was not just my imagination. I saved the balance of the 12 pack if anyone wants to check it out (free beer!). Gasoline seems like an unlikely contaminant. I think it was probably more likely solvent residue from the washdown process during packaging. Either way it was not a pleasant experience.
That is strange that you had the same brand, even though mine were bottles. So far, Food Lion on Glen Rd has not let me down when I get it there, even though they are not my favorite store by any means. Seems they sell enough to keep at least the bottles fresh.
I think I'd be taking it back. Was it more than one bottle/can? Very weird. But the store should be able to get a refund from the vendor.
It was more than one can. I called the manufacturer and they are sending a refund, but I was more concerned with the possibility of a larger problem than I was with $10 worth of beer. Hopefully (!) I was just unlucky!
Might be an issue with the coating on the inside of the can. Recently a cereal company had the same problem and they traced it to a hydrocarbon that wasn't suppose to be in the coating material (the cereal company said it wasn't enough to cause harm just enough to smell bad and change taste). Also with most beer cans and products using a lining, always store them with the lids up. Typically the top 1/4" to 1/8" and the inside of the lid are not lined so improper stacking results in a potential change in taste.
Oh, I didn't mean that you were worried about the $, I agree it could be part of a bigger problem. I just meant the the store probably wouldn't have to eat the cost either. Sorry if that wasn't clear. :cheers:
Oh, I gotcha. I've read enough of your posts to know you're a reasonable person. :cheers: Hugh, that's an interesting thought. I forgot that many cans are lined these days...it sounds very plausible. I'm pretty sure I'll never hear another word about this from the company but I guess I understand their position. Makes you wonder though: how often does this happen?
