Aging Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by Ultrarunner2018, Aug 7, 2020.

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  1. Ultrarunner2018

    Ultrarunner2018 Aspirant (239) Aug 3, 2018 New Jersey

    Hey guys;
    I just found that my local retailer has Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. So I want to buy 4 bottles for later consumption.
    I have a beer fridge, but I have had it set to around 40-45F, which I understand is a bit too cold to store Dogfish 120. They recommend 50-55 for 'cellaring', if one is to get the full taste of an aged beer.
    Should I reset my fridge, which is loaded with other beers that I am not trying to age?
    I generally drink my beers at 50-55 anyway, so keeping them in the fridge at that temp won't affect my enjoyment of my other IPA's and ales.

    If I do set the fridge to 50-55, what is the best amount of time to age the 120?

    Thanks for your advice.
    Ultrarunner
     
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  2. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader


    If you're looking to legitimately cellar it, I suppose sure, that's a touch cold - but it will still age over time. Warmer temperatures increase aging effects, but that also includes potential adverse effects, such as oxidation.

    I'd say: get a four pack, drink one fresh, put the others in the beer fridge. If you want to raise the temperature at a later point, you always can - or if you want to age one or two bottles separately, that's an option.

    FWIW, I age my 120 min in my closet, out of the light. Warmer than the recommendation, but I'm not holding on to them for 5 years or anything crazy, either.
     
  3. Ultrarunner2018

    Ultrarunner2018 Aspirant (239) Aug 3, 2018 New Jersey

    Thanks Roguer;
    I purchased 4 bottles from my local retailer for pickup tomorrow.
    I like your recommendation of drinking one right off, then aging the rest. I know that I want to have one on my birthday, which is in December. Last birthday I had a really great experience with this beer. Long story, but I ended up paying $18 for a pint of 120 at a pizza shoppe in Tarrytown NY after having run 1/2 marathon from Van Cortlandt Park to there.
    And I drank the 120 as my last of three beers that afternoon. Starting with a regular Bud, then an IPA on tap, and finally the 120 on tap. The 120 was the best beer I had ever had the pleasure to drink!
    Funny thing though; they serve you this beer in a 'frozen' glass. From what I have learned since, that is not the way to drink this - or any craft beer. But that didn't seem to matter. I loved it!

    So, for now I just set my beer fridge a bit warmer. Since I enjoy all of my beers at a temp that is higher than most Americans drink their beer, it won't affect my enjoyment of those beers, and might help in aging some of my 120.
    And, it will save energy too.

    Edit: Oh, and I just wanted to add that when I had those three beers on my b'day in Tarrytown, I was riding the train, then a bus home.

    Edit 2: About the beer fridge: Before i bought the fridge, I would store my beer (for about a month) in the basement, which reaches a temp of 80F in summer, but remains dark. I never had a bad beer due to this storage, but like having the fridge.
     
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  4. ovaltine

    ovaltine Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,787) Apr 6, 2010 Indiana
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I have a 120 that's 4+ years old. It's moved from Minnesota to Texas to Indiana.

    I may have to break that bad boy out soon.
     
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  5. Giantspace

    Giantspace Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Dec 22, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    A pint? That’s a crazy beer.

    I have had it on tap as a 6 ounce pour.

    Still sitting on 8-9 bottles from 2012. Just in a case on my basement floor. One a year or so. All been good so far.

    Enjoy
     
  6. Ultrarunner2018

    Ultrarunner2018 Aspirant (239) Aug 3, 2018 New Jersey

    Yes, a full pint! I read the recommendation by Dogfish to share a pint, but no. I enjoyed the entire pint myself. I guess it was a good thing that I had consumed a couple litres of water during my run, and two slices of pizza while drinking the beers. In all, I had a really good feeling on my 1/2 mile walk to the train and the ride home to GCT and then the subway to the Port Authority Bus term and the bus ride home to northern NJ. It was more than just a beer buzz. It was a generally peaceful, happy, content feeling. I don't think it was just the alcohol. There was something magic about that 120!

    When I drink my 120z bottles of 120, I do not plan to share them with anyone; but I will most definitely not drink more than one in a sitting.
     
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  7. Ultrarunner2018

    Ultrarunner2018 Aspirant (239) Aug 3, 2018 New Jersey

    Please let us know how you like it!
    I don't think I have the 'maturity' - or whatever it would take - to wait 5 yrs to drink any beer.
    I figure I'll have gone through all four bottles I just purchased by this time next year!
     
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  8. Giantspace

    Giantspace Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Dec 22, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Where in NJ you? I took the Lakeland bus from the Port Authority Home many many times as a kid hanging out in NYC.

    Enjoy
     
  9. Ultrarunner2018

    Ultrarunner2018 Aspirant (239) Aug 3, 2018 New Jersey

    I'm in Teaneck. Next to Hackensack, and about 10Km (6.2mi) from the GWB bus terminal if I run there.
    Before the pandemic, I regularly ran from Van Cortlandt or the GWB bus terminal to Tarrytown, and sometimes as far as Croton on the Hudson. When I ran from VC, I would take the bus to the GWB terminal, run/walk to the #1 subway at 181 & St. Nick, to VC, or run from GWB to VC, then to Tarrytown or Croton.
    Several times I ran 60Km from my home in Teaneck to Croton train stn. No beer those times, although there is a great beer house at the entrance to the train station in Croton.
     
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  10. zeff80

    zeff80 Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,425) Feb 6, 2006 Missouri
    Pooh-Bah

    5 years.

    Unless you like drinking onions and fire.
     
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  11. Ultrarunner2018

    Ultrarunner2018 Aspirant (239) Aug 3, 2018 New Jersey

    While on the subject of high ABV beers;
    I have enjoyed the Dogfish 90 Minute IPA on a regular basis. I always buy two 6-packs when I do a beer run.
    I also enjoy Flying Dog Double Dog IPA with 11.5% ABV.
    I find those high ABV beers a lot smoother than anything else. It's interesting that the Dogfish 120 has a higher IBU than does the 90, yet it tastes (to me) less bitter than the 90.
    I read on the Dogfish website that this is due to the increase in sugars produced during the fermentation process.
     
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  12. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    After a half-marathon, I'd imagine it was fine even in a frosted glass - although that's definitely not optimal under normal circumstances. :slight_smile:

    I remember where I went after my half, and where I went after my full. In both cases, I enjoyed a lot of good beer - and for the full marathon, I didn't hold back the evening before, either. :grinning:
     
  13. JrGtr

    JrGtr Pooh-Bah (1,775) Apr 13, 2006 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    |I have a couple that are well older than 4 years - closer to 10, IIRC.
    120 always seemed way too hot fresh. Aged it better.
    I should pop one out sometime soon.
     
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  14. zac16125

    zac16125 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,432) Jan 26, 2010 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I wouldn’t worry too much about aging a beer at 45 degrees vs a “cellar temp” of 50-55 degrees. The cooler temp will just slow the aging process. Generally I’d be more concerned with higher temps for aging than lower temps, of course as long you aren’t at freezing temps. Truthfully I try to limit temp fluctuations more than worry about specific temps when it comes to cellaring. I doubt there’s much of a difference between a steady 65 degrees and a steady 55 degrees “cellar temp”, although purist will probably disagree with me. I have a fairly big “cellar” collection and all of my “special” bottles are cellared in multiple refrigerators which I fully dedicated to become beer fridges, or smaller wine fridges. However, I’ve had plenty of beers which have spent several years in climate controlled closets and have aged beautifully. For example I fairly recently had a 2015 Brown Shugga which had spent most of its life in a box in closet; and it was nothing sort of absolutely fantastic. I don’t see how it would have been any better aged 10 degrees cooler.
     
  15. Ultrarunner2018

    Ultrarunner2018 Aspirant (239) Aug 3, 2018 New Jersey

    I know it's not recommended to drink an alcoholic beverage after a long race, but my half to Tarrytown wasn't a race; it was just me running the OCA.
    I did however enjoy a brew after running the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington in 2017. Was registered to run it again this year, but I deferred to 2021, although I don't believe I will run it next year. I'll probably do a virtual instead.
    I was registered to run the Sleepy Hollow half back in March, but it was first postponed to Oct 24, and then changed to a virtual race. So I'll do the virtual from Tappan to Nyack NY and return. I won't have the luxury of enjoying any beers, as I have to drive home. But I'll have one or two once I get home. Perhaps that would be a good time to enjoy a Dogfish 120.
     
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  16. zac16125

    zac16125 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,432) Jan 26, 2010 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Also, 120 Min will age for a LONG time. I love that beer both fresh and with age.
     
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  17. Ultrarunner2018

    Ultrarunner2018 Aspirant (239) Aug 3, 2018 New Jersey

    Unfortunately, my 'cellar' can reach temps as high as 80 deg in summer. That's too warm for any beer - even for short-term storage. That's why I got the fridge.
     
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  18. ManBearPat

    ManBearPat Pooh-Bah (1,813) Dec 2, 2014 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah

    The 5 year old bottle I cracked the other night really still tasted like I remember it tasting fresh.. the edges may have rounded out a bit, but 5 seems like the minimum amount of time to age it if you really wanna notice any difference (obviously ‘improvement’ is in the eye of the beer holder)
     
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  19. micada

    micada Grand Pooh-Bah (3,960) Jul 13, 2015 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    FWIW In my humble opinion, those super-high ABV DFH beers do sweet things with lots of time. It’s worth it to take a couple and just lose them out of site. Because of the high price, I can often find “pre-aged” bottles on the shelf. Sometimes just ask the retailer if they have any new old stock, and check bottled dates. If you can find the cicerone or purchaser, ask them to ask their distributor if they have any old stock squirreled away in the warehouse. You might be surprised.
     
    #19 micada, Aug 7, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2020
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  20. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    You are probably right. I recall reading somewhere that human taste buds can't discern the difference in ibu levels above a certain point. I think it was 65 ibu. Any number posted by a brewer that is higher than that is for'marketing' purposes only.

    It's likely that the high alcohol kills the yeast which then leaves some unfermented sugars and sweetness, but I don't know the details of how this particular beer is brewed and the yeast that is used.
     
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