Aging Beer?

11-15-2010, 06:59 PM

I recently opened a NOV 09 bottle of Founders Breakfast Stout. At a year old, I was hoping to see improvement. Truth be told, it was "bland" compared to the fresh Breakfast Stout. The flavors were mild, and the body was much lighter. Honestly, it just seemed like the beer went down hill. I stored the beer upright in my closet and it was not exposed to any extreme temp or humidity. Founders Breakfast Stout is a pretty big beer at 8% abv, so I thought it would have aged well. So here is my question... What beers/type of beer actually ages and becomes better beer?

11-15-2010, 07:08 PM

Sorry, I forgot to add that I had a bottle of KBS that I am pretty sure was from April 10. A friend and I split it. It was out of this world

I never had it fresh, so I cannot compare.

Jbailey · 11-15-2010, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChicagoWhiteSox

Sorry, I forgot to add that I had a bottle of KBS that I am pretty sure was from April 10. A friend and I split it. It was out of this world

I never had it fresh, so I cannot compare.

KBS is great fresh but I've been digging it now. I still got over 3 packs left and excited to compare it to next years.

forgop · 11-15-2010, 07:10 PM

Doesn't Budweiser say it's all about the freshness?

Maybe it's just me, but I just don't think barley and hops have properties that work with the aging properties.

Jbailey · 11-15-2010, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forgop

Doesn't Budweiser say it's all about the freshness?

Maybe it's just me, but I just don't think barley and hops have properties that work with the aging properties.

A lot to most beers don't age well. One of my favorite beers are IPA's. This is one beer that tastes the best fresh and aging kills it. After 6 months an IPA is on the way out.

11-15-2010, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jbailey

A lot to most beers don't age well. One of my favorite beers are IPA's. This is one beer that tastes the best fresh and aging kills it. After 6 months an IPA is on the way out.

I totally agree. Fresh is best with IPA's.

hammondc · 11-16-2010, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChicagoWhiteSox

I totally agree. Fresh is best with IPA's.

The only exception I know if it Dogfish Head 120Min IPA. BUT....that is a different kind of brew all together.

Jbailey · 11-15-2010, 07:12 PM

From what I've read the Belgium's age well and for a long time. Also heavy stouts with high ABV's tend to age well. I got some Founders Backwoods Bastard from last year that I want to compare to the new batch. I also tasted GI Bourbon County Stouts from 08, 09, 10. The 08 GIBCS was great!

As far as aged beer some of the best I've had was a 5 year vertical of Three Floyds Dark Lord. It's a mixed bag because everyone had a favorite year. I personally thought that 4 years (2007) is great for Dark Lord and at 5 years (2006) it hadn't peeked but wasn't as good the 2007. Everyone's tastes are different.

As far as beer aging I'm still new. Getting 2-3 year verticals on some beers.

11-15-2010, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jbailey

From what I've read the Belgium's age well and for a long time. Also heavy stouts with high ABV's tend to age well. I got some Founders Backwoods Bastard from last year that I want to compare to the new batch. I also tasted GI Bourbon County Stouts from 08, 09, 10. The 08 GIBCS was great!

As far as aged beer some of the best I've had was a 5 year vertical of Three Floyds Dark Lord. It's a mixed bag because everyone had a favorite year. I personally thought that 4 years (2007) is great for Dark Lord and at 5 years (2006) it hadn't peeked but wasn't as good the 2007. Everyone's tastes are different.

As far as beer aging I'm still new. Getting 2-3 year verticals on some beers.

Dark Lord is on my list to try. I really want to make it to DLD next year and get a few bottles.

It seems like the list of beers that age well is very small. The usual suspects, Dark Lord, Westvleteren, and Chimay

I know there are more, but they are not your everyday type of beer. I think if I can get my hands on one, I will age a 1.5L bottle of Chimay Blue for the heck of it. See what happens.

Jbailey · 11-15-2010, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChicagoWhiteSox

Dark Lord is on my list to try. I really want to make it to DLD next year and get a few bottles.

It seems like the list of beers that age well is very small. The usual suspects, Dark Lord, Westvleteren, and Chimay

I know there are more, but they are not your everyday type of beer. I think if I can get my hands on one, I will age a 1.5L bottle of Chimay Blue for the heck of it. See what happens.

I don't think the list of beers is small just spread out regionally. An example would be the limited RIS from breweries. Also a lot more breweries are making beers that do age. GI has the Bourbon County line as well as all of their Belgium line. Right now I got a couple bottles of Chimay Red 08, 09 and 10. Looking forward to trying them down the road.

11-15-2010, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jbailey

From what I've read the Belgium's age well and for a long time. Also heavy stouts with high ABV's tend to age well. I got some Founders Backwoods Bastard from last year that I want to compare to the new batch. I also tasted GI Bourbon County Stouts from 08, 09, 10. The 08 GIBCS was great!

As far as aged beer some of the best I've had was a 5 year vertical of Three Floyds Dark Lord. It's a mixed bag because everyone had a favorite year. I personally thought that 4 years (2007) is great for Dark Lord and at 5 years (2006) it hadn't peeked but wasn't as good the 2007. Everyone's tastes are different.

As far as beer aging I'm still new. Getting 2-3 year verticals on some beers.

on all counts. Barley wines tend to age well as well. Supposedly SN Bigfoot is still getting better after more than 10 years. I intend on finding out.

Jbailey · 11-15-2010, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resipsa

on all counts. Barley wines tend to age well as well. Supposedly SN Bigfoot is still getting better after more than 10 years. I intend on finding out.

Forgot about Barley Wines. Good call Vic!

s15driftking · 11-15-2010, 07:25 PM

does alcohol really "Age" in a glass bottle? I have heard it does not.

Jbailey · 11-15-2010, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s15driftking

does alcohol really "Age" in a glass bottle? I have heard it does not.

Liquor does not age once it's been bottled (scotch, whiskey, etc.). Wine will continue to age in bottles and so will some beers.

11-15-2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jbailey

Liquor does not age once it's been bottled (scotch, whiskey, etc.). Wine will continue to age in bottles and so will some beers.

Just thinking out loud here, but doesn't that depend upon how the alcohol is contained? Meaning a sealed bottle of scotch that is a 12 year scotch you bought in 2000 is not a 22 year old scotch now, however, if that bottle had been open the entire time, and oxygen had gotten into the liquor, then it undoubtedly would taste different from now and then, which is aging, kind of. That's the main reason that wine "ages" as it sits in your personal cellar and that scotch doesn't. Wine is closed with a cork, which allows air to travel in and out, which ages the wine as the oxygen breaks down the tannins. It's the basic theory behind why maturing wine in large format bottles is better long-term.

Jbailey · 11-15-2010, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwilkinson

Just thinking out loud here, but doesn't that depend upon how the alcohol is contained? Meaning a sealed bottle of scotch that is a 12 year scotch you bought in 2000 is not a 22 year old scotch now

When you have a 12 year old (scotch, bourbon etc.) that's from it siting in barrels/casks aging for 12 years. After you remove liquor from barrels, casks etc it stops aging. In 10 years that bottle is still a 12 year old bottle of X.

The bottle might be 22 years old but liquor inside the bottle is still 12 years old X.

I will have to find where I read this and post it.

11-15-2010, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jbailey

When you have a 12 year old (scotch, bourbon etc.) that's from it siting in barrels/casks aging for 12 years. After you remove liquor from barrels, casks etc it stops aging. In 10 years that bottle is still a 12 year old bottle of X.

The bottle might be 22 years old but liquor inside the bottle is still 12 years old X.

I will have to find where I read this and post it.

I know that's true. But to "age" alcohol means to mature it. So while the scotch stops aging as in an age that can be put on the label, the liquor itself, once upon, begins maturing and will over time taste different.

pnoon · 11-15-2010, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s15driftking

does alcohol really "Age" in a glass bottle? I have heard it does not.

Have you heard of wine?

s15driftking · 11-15-2010, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pnoon

Have you heard of wine?

insert my foot in my mouth. I am dumb.

hammondc · 11-15-2010, 07:34 PM

Imperial Stouts and Porters age exceptionally well. I have a vertical collection of Brooklyn BCS for 5 years back now.

11-15-2010, 06:59 PM	#1
ChicagoWhiteSox Guest Posts: n/a	Aging Beer? I recently opened a NOV 09 bottle of Founders Breakfast Stout. At a year old, I was hoping to see improvement. Truth be told, it was "bland" compared to the fresh Breakfast Stout. The flavors were mild, and the body was much lighter. Honestly, it just seemed like the beer went down hill. I stored the beer upright in my closet and it was not exposed to any extreme temp or humidity. Founders Breakfast Stout is a pretty big beer at 8% abv, so I thought it would have aged well. So here is my question... What beers/type of beer actually ages and becomes better beer?

11-15-2010, 07:08 PM	#2
ChicagoWhiteSox Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Aging Beer? Sorry, I forgot to add that I had a bottle of KBS that I am pretty sure was from April 10. A friend and I split it. It was out of this world I never had it fresh, so I cannot compare.

11-15-2010, 07:10 PM	#4
forgop Not a puffer Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Duane Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 2,869 Trading: (40)	Re: Aging Beer? Doesn't Budweiser say it's all about the freshness? Maybe it's just me, but I just don't think barley and hops have properties that work with the aging properties.

11-15-2010, 07:12 PM	#8
Jbailey Brewcifer Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dave Location: Madison, WI Posts: 5,215 Trading: (17)	Re: Aging Beer? From what I've read the Belgium's age well and for a long time. Also heavy stouts with high ABV's tend to age well. I got some Founders Backwoods Bastard from last year that I want to compare to the new batch. I also tasted GI Bourbon County Stouts from 08, 09, 10. The 08 GIBCS was great! As far as aged beer some of the best I've had was a 5 year vertical of Three Floyds Dark Lord. It's a mixed bag because everyone had a favorite year. I personally thought that 4 years (2007) is great for Dark Lord and at 5 years (2006) it hadn't peeked but wasn't as good the 2007. Everyone's tastes are different. As far as beer aging I'm still new. Getting 2-3 year verticals on some beers. __________________ "Sent to spy on a Cuban talent show first stop- Havana au go-go." Field Marshall Douche Bag.

11-15-2010, 07:25 PM	#13
s15driftking Go Browns! Join Date: Nov 2008 First Name: Bobby Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 2,763 Trading: (16)	Re: Aging Beer? does alcohol really "Age" in a glass bottle? I have heard it does not. __________________ diamonds/guns

11-15-2010, 07:34 PM	#20
hammondc Moar Padrons! Join Date: Aug 2010 First Name: Chip Location: Senoia, GA Posts: 2,626 Trading: (17)	Re: Aging Beer? Imperial Stouts and Porters age exceptionally well. I have a vertical collection of Brooklyn BCS for 5 years back now.

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