Hop forward beers to cellar

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by inchrisin, Jul 24, 2013.

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  1. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Ok, I didn't want to threadjack the Zombie Dust thread so here it is: I've brewed a few hop forward big beers in the past. They were both barley wines. Honestly they were both dangerously good after about 6 weeks. After that there was a period where the hops were fading that the beer wasn't as good. After this period both beers aged into great beers that were more malt forward (~14 months old).

    I'm wondering if there are good commercial examples of barley wines and IIPAs that are hop forward that are also worth cellaring? Maybe it's a waste of money, but for the beers I've brewed it's nice to see the beer develop from one great beer into another great beer. Your thoughts, and possible commercial examples?
     
    #1 inchrisin, Jul 24, 2013
  2. Rutager

    Rutager Initiate (0) Oct 18, 2010 Canada (BC)

    SN Bigfoot.
     
    #2 Rutager, Jul 24, 2013
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  3. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    I just started cellaring that and I've only got the 2013 (From January?) It's got a way to go before I'll call it good :slight_smile:
     
    #3 inchrisin, Jul 24, 2013
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  4. jmdrpi

    jmdrpi Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,989) Dec 11, 2008 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Stone Old Guardian, Great Divide Old Ruffian, Troegs Flying Mouflan. All good both fresh and aged.
     
    #4 jmdrpi, Jul 24, 2013
  5. strohme2

    strohme2 Pooh-Bah (2,001) Nov 3, 2007 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'd say 120 Minute. I've only every had it fresh-ish and have 2 in the cellar at the moment to see how it ages.
     
    #5 strohme2, Jul 24, 2013
  6. kdb150

    kdb150 Initiate (0) Mar 8, 2012 Pennsylvania

    Flying Mouflan is great.

    Bolt Cutter was better after a few months, but then got worse. Fingers crossed it improves more once it is a year or more old.
     
    #6 kdb150, Jul 24, 2013
  7. podunkparte

    podunkparte Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2009 Washington

    Yep... put it somewhere you'll forget about and find about 10 years later. Bigfoot is my #1 beer to age period.
     
    #7 podunkparte, Jul 24, 2013
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  8. lookrider

    lookrider Savant (1,208) Apr 22, 2007 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    I had a FFF Dreadnaught that I was saving for a certain occasion and the occasion never arose so it just sat in my non temp. controlled basement for over a year. Finally I had a visit from my brother and I decided to open it and we both thought it was fantastic.
     
    #8 lookrider, Jul 24, 2013
  9. RDMII

    RDMII Initiate (0) Apr 11, 2010 Georgia

    Avery Hog Heaven and Maharaja for sure. Both hop bombs fresh but they develop into something delicious after a few years.
     
    #9 RDMII, Jul 25, 2013
  10. beveritt

    beveritt Pooh-Bah (1,565) Apr 6, 2006 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    120 is one of those beers that I really don't like fresh but love aged. The fresh ones, to me, are kind of a resiny mess. The aged ones are great. I had my aged one at 3 years and have a few more down there that I am trying to ignore longer.
     
    #10 beveritt, Jul 27, 2013
  11. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah


    I've had it fresh a few times and it's like drinking syrup. I could see why you say that.
     
    #11 inchrisin, Aug 2, 2013
  12. Dupage25

    Dupage25 Savant (1,044) Jul 4, 2013 Antarctica

    I'm sure the only bottles you can still find on shelves are from the bad batch (11/19/2012) but Goose Island Night Stalker is a hoppy stout that ages well.
     
    #12 Dupage25, Aug 2, 2013
  13. ezperkins2

    ezperkins2 Pundit (751) Jan 3, 2011 California
    Trader

    Stone Double Bastard is a great Hop Forward beer to age. I have had the pleasure of enjoying several older bottles (mostly in the 3 - 6 year range) and they were all fantastic. I have had a few of them side by side with fresh bottles and much preferred the older bottles.
     
    #13 ezperkins2, Aug 6, 2013
  14. DimensionX

    DimensionX Initiate (0) Oct 1, 2010 Oregon

    Doggy Claws from Hair of the Dog is one of my favorite cellar beers.

    This thread might as well just be a list of hoppy barley wines. Yum
     
    #14 DimensionX, Aug 6, 2013
  15. thecommish101831

    thecommish101831 Crusader (420) Jun 29, 2010 New Jersey

    SN Celebration. Have them going back to 06; 08 and 09 are barley wine ish now.
     
    #15 thecommish101831, Aug 7, 2013
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