I have a few beers in my "cellar" I've been unsure about aging...I liked them fresh and have been holding onto them for about 6 months to see how they develop but I want to make sure I don't age them too long. Has anyone had any experience with aging these beers? Do any improve with age or would it be more worthwhile to drink them now? Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin (Pugsley's Signature Series) 9% ABV Shipyard Smashed Blueberry (Pugsley's Signature Series) 9% ABV The Lost Abbey Avant Garde Ale - Farmhouse Style ale/Biere De Garde 7% ABV Allagash Curieux - Tripel (barrel-aged) 11% ABV
Shipyards this yrs? Last time I had them fresh they were still a little "hot". Curieux: http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/2007-allagash-curieux.9242/#post-110738
Thanks for the Curieux link! The Shipyards are 2011. At 9% ABV they seem as if they would age decently but I'm not familiar with how fruit/spiced vegetable beers develop over time and whether or not they lose or gain complexity...
I would guess they should be great over time they have such a strong flavor for the Blueberry and th pumpkin flavor is all spice (no real pumpkins in it from what I remember, look at the bottle) so that should smooth nicely.
I am a rookie when it comes to aging, but i was wondering in order to age does the beer need to be corked? Or can it be with a top?
I ended up opening the Shipyard Smashed Blueberry & Smashed Pumpkin, and as you said LostTraveler, the blueberry smoothed nicely and the aroma intensified. It also paired amazingly with bacon & maple syrup pancakes. The pumpkin however lost the majority it's spiced flavor, the nutmeg/cinnamon taste that's seemingly dominant when it's fresh was almost completely gone, definitely drinking the smashed pumpkin fresh from now on!
