How does Hardywood GB Stout Age?

My preference is to drink it fresh. I had a year old bottle of Bourbon GBS last year and it was not near as incredible as it's fresh brother was the year before. Still damn tasty though so either way you'd be trying a great beer.

 

I would most definitely drink it sooner rather than later. I had a 2011 last winter that held up remarkably well, but I've heard 2012 (and especially 2013) weren't nearly as good to begin with and obviously didn't hold up. This year's is very good but I'm not gonna let any bottles I have see Spring.

The barrel aged GBS is an entirely different matter, IMO.

 

It's a lower abv milk stout. Drink it fresh.

 

I'm not letting the two I was able to get shipped in from VA last past winter!

 

They age like coffee stouts or pumpkin stouts, the secondary flavors fall back and you're left with a decent stout. I would drink it fresh.

 

I mean it's over 9%, what's an example of a higher-abv milk stout? Most milk stouts I've had have been much lower abv than GBS.

 

I had one saved from last year that I drank side by side with one from this year as soon as it came out. This year's was vastly superior, but I attribute it to this year's just being a better beer in general. The 2013 wasn't as good as 2014 even when it was fresh. That being said, the 2013 had held up better than I ever expected it would. The ginger and honey flavors were still there, although definitely not as prominent.

But I'll put it this way, even if aging it doesn't make it worse, it's definitely not going to improve it. So I'd agree with everyone here saying drink it fresh.

 

I agree with you on that its high abv milk stout. Just pointing out the Pipeworks makes quite a few high abv (~10%+) milk stouts such as Game of Jones, a few other of their dog stout variations, and Careful Man... And they do say they recommend them for aging. Not sure how those ones age but every beer from Pipework's I have aged that they recommend cellaring has been pretty tasty (mostly barleywines, wheatwines and abductions in my experience)

 

You're right, my bad. I looked too quick and read it as. 6.2% instead of 9.2%. But still, much better fresh.