[erockrph]

short wave length or high energy light less than 400nm is the biggest concern, and that's really UV / sunlight and LED. if you basement is dark and free of sunlight, short  exposure to longer wave length (incandescent, CFL) light is not as quickly problematic  as it is over 400nm. however, I and many others do place pillow case or other shield over clear carboy to minimize any light exposure. rule of thumb-no exposure to UV, minimal to CFL and incandescent and you and your beer will be happy.

I could be wrong here; I'm not a scientist, but I always thought that it was blue light that skunked beer, light up in the 700 nm range. Do I have it backward?

Edit: never mind: I see what I did here. I guess I had to see myself write it before I understood it. Higher energy light (blue light) shorter wave. Okay, I get it.

Frank C.

Plus, it's not really until you start getting to UV wavelengths where you start to run into significant issues. Even though LED's emit in the blue range, they emit a very narrow spectrum. That translates to very little (if any) light being produced in the UV range (<380nm).

[Philbrew]

think of it this way...how many commercials  beers have you bought from a store (singles), that were in other than brown bottles and they were perfectly fine tasting; no skunk or otherwise.  Lots of fluorescent and incandescent lighting in stores and no worries.

Yeah, that has me puzzled.  I've read many "experts" saying that green bottles are bad and don't block much UV.  Yet all(most) European beers these days seem to be in green bottles.  Heinekin, Stella, Becks, Pilsner Urquel and others.  And they sit on store shelves under big fluorescent lights all day for many weeks.

[JT]

think of it this way...how many commercials  beers have you bought from a store (singles), that were in other than brown bottles and they were perfectly fine tasting; no skunk or otherwise.  Lots of fluorescent and incandescent lighting in stores and no worries.

I saw Yuengling Lager offered in both green bottles and cans.  Picked up both to try side by side.  SWMBO played along and gave me three pours (two were the same, one was different).  I didn't even need to taste them to pick the light struck lager, the skunk was unmistakeable.  Same beer, different packaging.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

think of it this way...how many commercials  beers have you bought from a store (singles), that were in other than brown bottles and they were perfectly fine tasting; no skunk or otherwise.  Lots of fluorescent and incandescent lighting in stores and no worries.

I saw Yuengling Lager offered in both green bottles and cans.  Picked up both to try side by side.  SWMBO played along and gave me three pours (two were the same, one was different).  I didn't even need to taste them to pick the light struck lager, the skunk was unmistakeable.  Same beer, different packaging.

Agreed-green or clear allows the most uv wave length light exposure.


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[hopfenundmalz]

think of it this way...how many commercials  beers have you bought from a store (singles), that were in other than brown bottles and they were perfectly fine tasting; no skunk or otherwise.  Lots of fluorescent and incandescent lighting in stores and no worries.

I saw Yuengling Lager offered in both green bottles and cans.  Picked up both to try side by side.  SWMBO played along and gave me three pours (two were the same, one was different).  I didn't even need to taste them to pick the light struck lager, the skunk was unmistakeable.  Same beer, different packaging.

Agreed-green or clear allows the most uv wave length light exposure.


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I avoid green bottles. Too many skunked beers bought in the past. If the cardboard carrier encloses all of the package I might pop for a 6-er.

There was a Basic Brewing Radio that covered skunking on April 10, 2008. There is a paper that covers the findings. Science and all.

http://podbay.fm/show/75092679/e/1207870200?autostart=1

[Philbrew]

It just seems ironic that many of the European beers that we try to emulate are packaged in green bottles.

[hopfenundmalz]

It just seems ironic that many of the European beers that we try to emulate are packaged in green bottles.

They taste as skunky in Germany. I learned to avoid any with dust on them, and to grab a case several down from the top of the stack to minimize light exposure.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

It just seems ironic that many of the European beers that we try to emulate are packaged in green bottles.

They taste as skunky in Germany. I learned to avoid any with dust on them, and to grab a case several down from the top of the stack to minimize light exposure.

I used to drink grolsch while over there. Sometimes it was ok. Sometimes not.


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[HoosierBrew]

I used to drink grolsch while over there. Sometimes it was ok. Sometimes not.

Yeah, I used to get so frustrated with those green bottles back then.  I'd get a pretty good Grolsch, then the next few would be skunky. I found one of the 5 liter mini kegs of it one day, actually dated pretty fresh given the shipping distance, and it was really, really good. I haven't had Grolsch in years - I've heard it has declined in recent years, but that fresh keg was tasty.