Old IPAs

Had a year plus old RuinTen recently. It was fab...
I also recall having a year old Mongo which I also enjoyed....

 

I have certainly had outdated IPAs which were drinkable, none of them were remotely close to improving upon their original state. It is curious you mention the "hops really shined more", hop presence is only going to diminish, which is why enjoy an old IPA less.

 

I had a year old nugget nectar side by side with a fresh. There was some hop drop off but it was minimal. I've often enjoyed some ipa/dipa better a few months after bottling as opposed to fresh. I know, I know...it's heretical to say such things cause I shouldn't be drinking anything hoppy after 30 days according to most people on here <note: sarcasm as I'm sure it'll get lost on some>

 

Nope, can't say that I have had a positive experience with old IPAs. Most have been too sweet with no noticeable hop presence and not what I want at all when drinking an IPA.
When I am looking for an IPA it's gotta be hoppy right off the bat, typically the old one's aren't meeting that cirteria.
Most recently was a year and a half old Ruination that, well, was pretty much a barley wine, not what I want.

 

Always worth repeating...

John Kimmich from Alchemist has said that properly stored, his beer is excellent even a year after it was canned. Far too often those who say IPA's turn to shit after 2 weeks are the most vocal on this site, but some IPA's are still delicious when kept cold, out of sun for a long time.

 

19th-century Bass took more than a year from mash tun to bottle.

 

Still ok anyway. It's just a completely different beer. Hop flavor fades so quickly.

 

I've had IPAs and other hop-forward brews that were better at about 4 weeks old as opposed to around 2 weeks old. Celebration and Nugget Nectar come to mind (and I recall thinking this with other beers but can't think of other specific examples right now).

And there are certainly IPA/DIPAs that can age, like Burton Baton. But that can age due to the characteristics of that beer other than the hops. And many other IPA/DIPAs can be very tasty toward the end of their shelf life and slightly beyond (like 90 minute).

But I don't know if I've ever had an incredibly hop-forward IPA that was better with well past it's best buy date.

 

Sarcasm begin.....

"oh my god, what a malt bomb"

Sarcasm end.

 

Depends on the style and hops I think, I've had 5 week old HT that tasted like the day it was canned. I've had 30 day old stuff that was falling off. Generally IPA's don't get better with age on it, they're made to be consumed fresh. Any brewers out there sending 6 month old IPA's to represent at any fest or competition? No. Why? There's a big difference between optimal and drinkable.

 

It's so fast that it almost seems to hit the self-destruct button at around that time.

 

I enjoyed my 6 month old Heady more than the one my friend had just brought back from VT. Personal taste, maybe?

 

I had a year old 90 minute IPA which tasted like a sweet, malty barley wine. It was very good!

 

Until the last year or two, being in Oklahoma meant drinking a really fresh IPA as a rare occurrence and I didn't really take much stock in all the hate of "old" IPAs around here. Then Coop came out with F5 and Roughtail made their IPA here in okie land. I've had them a few days old and a few months old. Now I get it - buy fresh, keep cold, and drink soon as most do not change for the better.

 

Unpossible.

 

Absolutely. I had a year old Meantime IPA that was delicious. As I've mentioned elsewhere, I recently overheard a conversation in a local top retail spot: Caller; "Do you have any Hop Drop'n Roll?" Employee; "Not at the moment, but the owner has gone to Charlotte to pick some up at the brewery." Caller; "Is it fresh?" When the beer arrived, it had been canned 3 days earlier. This young IPA obsession is truly stupid. One simply has to know what one is buying- Beer 101. Well made beer lasts a good while if properly stored.

 

True, but the issue is that most beer stores do not store them correctly or really give a hoot about freshness date. If you have a store that does, consider yourself very fortunate.