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Great Lakes Brewing date codes, decoded

Great Lakes Brewing prints a best-by date on every can and bottle in MM/DD/YY format. Use this page to decode your code instantly and check if your beer is still fresh.

Format
MM/DD/YY
Date Type
Best-by date
Location
Cleveland, OH
Founded
1988
Example: 08/15/26August 15, 2026. Best-by date stamped on bottle neck or can bottom.
Decode your Great Lakes Brewing beer
Date code from the can/bottle
Beer style
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How to read MM/DD/YY date codes

Standard American date format: month, then day, then year. 08/15/26 reads as August 15, 2026. Watch for European prints that use DD/MM/YY — usually noted by an explicit label or the location of the brewery.

Great Lakes Brewing's code is a Best-by date — drink before this date for peak quality

Where to find the date code on Great Lakes Brewing cans and bottles

On Great Lakes Brewing bottles, the code is laser-etched or printed on the neck or shoulder of the bottle. Cans typically have it stamped on the bottom. Best-by date stamped on bottle neck or can bottom.

How long is Great Lakes Brewing beer fresh?

Great Lakes Brewing produces a range of styles, each with its own drinking window. For their most common categories:

These are guidelines, not laws — well-stored beer can outperform the curve, while heat-abused cans can stale much faster than expected. Storage temperature matters as much as age for hop-forward styles.

Where to buy Great Lakes Brewing

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