Beers that will last 21 years?

J.W.Lees Harvest Ale. Widely available, delicious, and able to handle the time with grace.

 

Trade for some Thomas Hardy's!

Edit: There are a few American brews that have gone the distance as well. Ballantine Burton Ale (if you can find it, and it will be older than dirt) is one such brew. I might also put the like of Immort Ale and Old Foghorn in a cool, dark closet and leave it undisturbed for a while, and see what happens. I actually had a tasting of aged barleywines once (ohh, my head!) and the Lee's and Hardy's were the clear favorites, but older American renditions of the style did hold up surprisingly well

 

Me thinks your looking at the barrel aged versions. The regular old non barreled ones I think are the best. They have been a little sparse in the last few months, but are worth looking for. The Port version 'aint too shabby though.

 

Samichlaus can probably handle that time length. Maybe North Coast's Old Stock?

 

I really liked the lagavulin barrel aged J.W. Lees Harvest.

 

You should be able to track down JWLees without too much difficulty in Detroit metro area. I don't think the 2012 edition will be released until December, and once it hits stateside they'll be around for awhile.

Regarding the other suggestions - Thomas Hardy's isn't an option (babies are being born this year), and although putting something like Old Foghorn away for 21 years *might* work out, I think the safest route is with the JWL's. They have a track record of going that distance, don't take up a lot of space, and are only 250ml. I've got multiple 2003's stashed for me and my boy, and 2005's stashed for me and my girl. Personally, I'm not setting a hard/fixed target on 21st birthday; depending on their respective maturity level and occasion I could see them coming out earlier.

 

Golden Carolous Princes brew- I forget if that is the exact name, but it comes from Scandinavia I believe, has the blue writing on the bottle (not green or red), and is C&C format. Lambics/sours also go the distance, I have several varieties that will go the distance. For sure get JW Lees.

 

It looks different now that it is screen-printed, but this?

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1534/6947

 

I would highly recommend getting a couple bottles, 4-6, of De Dolle Stille Nacht. I can send you my email address and you can have your children send me brief thank you notes in 2033. This is what I'll be hoarding next January. I hope no one else in North Indianapolis wants SN'12 bottles.

The 2012 may not hit shelves until early 2013 though.

 

De Struise Double Black has the pedigree for the long haul. Of course, you can't go wrong with Cantillon Classic Gueuze!

 

+1 on the Cantillon, I was able to get a bottle that is dated two weeks after my sons birthdate - waxed it so it should be good in 18, uh, I mean 21 years.

 

Yep that is the one

 

HotD Fred
Expedition Stout

 

DFH 120, WWS, Palo Santo Marron, Olde School BW
Ommegang Three Philosophers
St. Bernardus Abt 12
SN Big Foot
Avery Mephistopheles Stout
Avery Samaels Ale
Avery THe Beast Grand Cru
Unibroue Terrible
Bush Ambree
Bruery Black Tuesday
Bruery Coton
Brooklyn BCS
Stone RIS
Bells Expedition Stout
Great Divide Yeti
Great Divide Old Ruffian BW
Rochefort 10
De Struise Black Albert
Mikkeller Black
Big Sky Ivan the Terrible

 

The goal is to have a good beer with his kids in 21 years, not experiment on whether a beer can go the distance. Many of the beers you listed have only been out for a couple of years (and I have doubts that a good deal on this list will make it past ten years and be drinkable).

 

I wasn't saying age all of them... just giving examples of what in my opinion will age and hold up over the next 21yrs. I had 7yr old Three Philosphers and WWS and both were so much better than what they were fresh.

 

A year or so ago I had a 1987 Samichlaus Pale which came from a 6-pack that I had been cellaring since, well, 1987. I must say that it was exquisite. The complexity was really unlike any beer I have tasted before. In the same tasting we also had a 1986, 1987, and 1988 Thomas Hardy's. They were all good but, in my opinion, the Samichlaus was the gem. So, I would say that Samichlaus should hold up very well for a long time.

As an aside, I always preferred the Samichlaus Pale over the Brown. In color, the Pale was actually more of a ruby red. I have one bottle left from the 1987 six pack. I suppose I should drink it soon but it will be sad when it is all gone.

 

Nothing less than Westvleteren XII.