I'm in my 40's. I don't know how much my tastes have changed due to palate vs. just plain age. As I understand it your taste bud density does go down with age, but generally not to some crazy amount until you're well over 60. I would assume this would translate to a need for more intense flavors.
I've been tasting a range of beers for the last 55 years. I don't agree that there's a need for more intense flavor as I age. The biggest issue is the tendency to reduce consumption. I look for a moderate alcohol content, and with fewer drinking occasions, the range is reduced. I don't go searching for beer for drinking at home but usually stay with known favorites. I'll try something new on an evening out for dinner or meet with friends.
May god have mercy upon your soul. The upside is that you probably have the gene that let's you fully digest lactose. Both of those seem to be white people things.
I assume the natural moderation and other factors would affect that. I'm speaking more in a vacuum where all else equal. I doubt I will have the ability to slam six DDH hazy double IPAs in two decades, at least not without more dire consequences than now. The need for more intensity definitely tracks on fatigue for a given session, and session over session. If I go a month without drinking a 5% pale ale tastes very intense compared to how it would taste it I cracked it open right now.
For me it's less a matter of flavor than of alcohol content. (Despite the two fellows in my avatar)--I have trouble drinking anything about 6% abv nowadays. I much prefer beers at or under 5%, so I've concentrated recently mainly on pilsners and lighter porters and stouts.
Taste buds, eh? Yeah, I myself wondered that. Was saddened to revisit a supposedly spicy smoky brew recently, and found it dull. Would love to get confirmation on whether the recipe changed (bet it did) or if my tongue actually became a zombie over the past five years.
I no longer drink sours or wild ales. Avoid phenolic beers as I no longer enjoy t he lose. I do enjoy the smoke phenolics in Rauchbier and smoked meats. For a while I was off of really Hoppy beers, but all of a sudden Went Coast IPAs taste great.
I'm 75, former smoker (25yrs), take meds for HBP and cholesterol. I've lost "real" taste, by that I mean I can detect fruity flavors in IPA's, chocolate and coffee in stouts. I see reviewers use peach or nectarine flavor. Same stuff to me. Chocolate is chocolate, bakers, dark or otherwise. One thing for sure, the sweeter and fruitier it is, the less I'll like it.
