Will Big Stout with Hops Age OK?

I believe additive flavors would also fade with time. I'd probably drink it within 6 months to avoid that if you want strong berry flavor.

 

If they're calling it a Stout, the hops shouldn't be the defining characteristic. While I've known plenty of hoppy stouts in my day, I've not noticed them turn to an undesirable flavor or aroma unless the underlying stout itself was not well made.

However, in the case of Black IPAs or Black Ales, I have noticed that if I like one at all, I like it much better fresh--the ones I've had have gotten much more harsh, sharp, piney and fusile the longer I sat on them.

But I've not had a stout where the hops became ruggy, catty, musty, or pungently stale that you might see in an aging IPA. The stouts I've had that have aged poorly have had metallic notes and oxygenated notes of too much molasses and what not, even the hoppy ones.

 

Most imperial stouts have a lot of hops. The high bitterness is needed to balance out the massive sweetness that comes from the amount of grain needed to produce high alcohol beers.
These beers typically do not come off as bitter or 'hoppy' because, again, the hop bitterness and the malt sweetness balance each other out.

That said I'm sure you're fine. Certainly fine for 'a few months'

 

If it's already barrel-aged, I wouldn't age it at all. Unless you actually want it to taste like soy sauce, that is.

 

Soy sauce is not something that I have have ever found in any barrel aged beer I've had. Please provide examples of ones that you found that to be true of.

 

I've only had it in stouts, as the oxidation of the compounds in highly kilned malts are thought to be the cause. Dark Lord, The Abyss, XXX Warlock, World Wide Stout, and, of course, SA Triple Bock. I could name more, if I really had a chance to think about it, but you get the gist.

 

The only one that I experienced any soy was in the Sam Adams and that, luckily for me, was in the rarity.

 

My experience with beers of this type is that they're generally best six to twelve months after bottling. Long enough to take the edge off any really strong flavors from the flavor adjuncts and let everything come into harmony, but not so long that you're losing the intended character of the beer. Stouts don't take infinite age anyway, particularly when they've already spent time in a barrel, so I wouldn't want to take it much longer than that without trying it first.

In other words, try it fresh first, but understand that "fresh" for a 14% stout is not the same as "fresh" for an IPA and that they usually benefit (at least in my dumb opinion) from a bit of an extended conditioning period.

 

The first beer that comes to mind for me as a big, hop-forward stout is 3 Floyds' Blot Out the Sun. I've had bombers of it multiple times that were around two years old, and I've never noticed any degradation compared to drinking it fresh.

 

Typically I don't age anything that's spiced or fruited. These flavors typically fade quickly. The hops wouldn't concern me much.

 

correct me if I'm wrong but Bells Expedition and Stone RIS has hops and they age beautifully

 

Yes, having recently taken part in an Expedition vertical, the hop bite diminishes every year leaving rich chocolate and other flavors rising to take over. Honestly I thought the fresh tasted outstanding and was thinking "why bother"; but it kept getting better and better...

A rep from Bell's said there's no limit on how long you can cellar these.

 

Yeti ages well as does 1050. Again, hops shouldn't be an issue.