Cellaring Dark Horse Plead the 5th

I didn't do a side by side at the same time but I think my biggest noticeable is that the year old version was very smooth. This is definitely a beer that does well with age.

 

Year old tastes great!!

 

This is one imperial stout I actually prefer fresh. It's just so dangerously smooth and drinkable right out of the gate, why even age it? It'll keep fine though for a year or so. I think it just falls off after a year and a half.

 

^^^^100% agree. Fresh is the best IMO.

 

Tastes are subjective, I disagree and would recommend the OP throw one aside and try it with some time on it. He could find out he likes it fresh best. I do agree that most beers taste better fresh.

 

I'm enjoying the majority of my Plead the 5th fresh and cellaring just a couple. Sounds like I should drink them within a year from now for optimal results.

 

I typically purchase around 1/2 a case. They never make it more than a few months. So tasty. I have tried the barrel aged after a year in the cellar. I like it better fresh.

 

Fresh is best! The crowd has spoken.
I've tried it fresh and with 1 year on it. Way better when fresh - love it.
But hey, if you have multiples - why not age one? You know, for science.

 

The BBA version should age well, but I'd be very cautious aging the regular version.

 

How does the BA version compare to the regular? I think that's one beer I'd like to find.

 

Both versions are great. The BA version is world class. I like Plead the Fifth BA more than KBS, Bourbon County, and Siberian Night BA.

 

To me it is much better. The barrel adds a nice rich, thick flavor I don't get from the Pt5 regular version. Though it's been a while since I've had the regular to be honest.

 

Where in MO are you located?

 

had a 2012 last weekend - very, very smooth. Sweetness has died down a good bit, along with the barrel profile. I think I liked the year old one I had more.

 

I have the exact opposite opinion but I haven't had the BA version with more than a year on it. My 2012 with two years on it was awesome.

 

I dunno, my first experience with Pt5 was with about a 6 month old bottle. I thought it was magic. Robust flavors, vanilla sweetness, and a velvety mouthfeel. Shortly thereafter I got a growler-fill of the stuff, and I thought it was just meh. I mean it was still good, but not magical. I have 8 bottles from this year's release. I plan on drinking 3 fresh and aging the other 5 at least 6 months.

 

I don't care for it fresh but with a year on it or more I really enjoy it.

 

My personal experience with Pt5 is as follows. Take from it what you will. Got my first 4 pack in 2011 as a gift and was instructed to drink one and then drink each of the remaining 3 in 6 month intervals. Loved the first one. For me, it was as good as Stone IRS, which is my all time favorite non-messed-with (barrel aged, etc) stout. I had the second one a year later, and the third one for my birthday in (early) 2013. I also had a 2012 bottle in December of 2013 and have to admit the 2012 was far and away the better of the two, and would have been almost 2 years old at the time versus the just over two years for the 2011. This leads me to believe that 2012 was simply the superior batch, and not that the beer is magically worse as soon as it hits two years old. Currently sitting in my cellar is the remaining 2011, 2012, the only bottle I got in 2013, and more than enough 2014 and 2015. I have to say that I always enjoy it on tap fresh, but that for '14 and '15 the fresh bottles were more 'meh.' That said, so far from the 6 month to a year+ on the '14s has been awesome. So I will be drinking them while I wait on the '15s to age a bit. If I had more than one '12 left, I would drink it and let everyone know if at 3 years it has changed for the worse. Cheers!

 

St. Louis.

I've found the regular Plead the 5th across the river in IL...but never the BA.