Aging Bells Cherry Stout , yes or no

I love cherry flavored stuff while I haven't had Bells Cherry stout for a while I'd recomend drinking this one fresh specially since bells doesnt filter their beers.

 

I haven't done this in quite a while; however, back in 2008 I bought a few sixers for a tasting, and had several left over. They sat in my fridge for a long time. I popped two or three the following winter (2009), and the last few the fall of 2010. They held up pretty damn well; well balanced and if I remember correctly, the cherry came forward.

 

I bought a sixer 2.5 years ago. Been cracking a bottle every 6 months. I think it's a bit better aged, but not enough to warrant doing it again. The beer oxidizes a bit as it ages and it actually smooths out a bit as well. My suggestion, drink them.

 

did you store them in the cellar or the fridge?

 

Those actually stayed in the fridge. Back then I actually had the room.

 

Bell's occasionally has Cherry Stout vintages on at the Eccentric Cafe and I haven't noticed much difference between them and fresh. The tartness of the cherries seems to fade a touch, but that's about it.

 

I wouldn't put too much time on that one, it's good enough fresh and I'd hate to risk hurting the cherry flavor.

 

Blasphemy to some but this may age better than Expedition. Bottles from 1988 were found a few years ago and a few from Bell's felt the Expedition that took gold at GABF for aged beer would have taken silver to the Cherry Stout. Age it without hesitation.

 

What does filtering have to do with aging? The lack of filtering does not seem to harm many of the most popular cellared beers out there.

 

If thats true why does Bells say that Expedition is made to be aged but not say that for cherry

 

I am not sure, good question. It has not been uncommon to see an older keg on tap at Bell's, obviously they are not that concerned about that 12 month time frame.

See above, now let's get back to your silly comment regarding unfiltered beer.....

 

Never said I didn't like unfiltered beer I just don't think it will last as long without the flavor changing all the belgian brewers say the flavors will change with time since the beers unfiltered.

 

Flavor change is expect with age regardless of filtering practices, if one is intentionally aging a beer I would speculate they are anticipating a change in the flavor. Unfiltered, or bottle conditioned, beers are generally thought to be superior to filtered beers when it comes to age.

 

Do you know anything about beer?