Here’s what you should be doing with expired beer

Some say that beer has been a part of our civilization for as long as 10,000 years (for comparison’s sake, tea has been around for a mere 5000). Humans and beer, yeah, we’ve had our history. As time progressed, we found more ways to produce this golden liquid and invariably more reasons to drink it too. Beer became a part of our lives, and truth be told, made living a little easy, if not more fun.

As a beer lover, there may seem to be no end to your appetite but there always comes an occasion where you’ve bitten more than you can chew. In this case, ordered more beer than can be consumed. The result: pints and pints of expired or soon to expire beer.

Because it can’t be consumed, the natural thing to do is dunk it in the drain. But, like it did during its lifetime, can beer be the gift that keeps on giving even in death? The fact of the matter is – it can. Here’s how.

Make your hair shine

You’ve probably heard this one before and with good reason too. The vitamins in the beer act as a natural conditioner, softening your hair and making it lustrous. Simply rinse your hair with it for a few minutes before washing the beer off with cold water.

Keep bugs at bay

Didn’t invite flies/mosquitoes to your outdoor barbecue but they gate-crashed anyway? Pour stale beer into buckets and place them in discreet corners of your backyard. It turns out, small flies and mosquitos are a fan of a cold lager too. Especially the yeast inside it.

Make metal sparkle

Because of the natural acidity in beer, it’s not only good for putting a shine on your pots and pans by removing built up tarnish, but it can also help get some of that unwanted grease off. Similarly, beer is also a nice, natural way to give your gold jewellery a makeover. Dunk them in a glass of flat beer for a while, fish it out and give them a good buffing to restore them.

Slather on a homemade face mask

The hops in beer (natural ingredients that give beer its iconic bitter flavour) act as an astringent and the yeast helps balance your skin’s pH levels. Mix a few tablespoons of flat beer with your usual natural facemask ingredients for an instant purifying mask!

Compost compost compost

The key ingredient in brewing beer, yeast, is also great for breaking down the stuff in your compost heap. Simply add half a bottle of flat beer to your compost heap to activate the microbes that break down the compost.

Remove stains

The next time you spill something on your prized rugs, reach out for some flat beer, pour it over the stain and blot with a clean paper towel. Before you end up pouring gallons of beer on your carpet or rug, remember to test it on a spot which is usually hidden to avoid extra surprises.

Restore your wooden furniture

Has your coffee table seen better days? Polish it with flat beer using a clean cloth and restore your furniture back to its glory.