Aging for 21 years

21 years is a long time!

In my experience most beers don't improve beyond 4 or 5 years, and of those that do have greater longevity it's usually not more than 8 to 10 years, maybe 12, even 15 if you get really lucky.

Unless I'm forgetting something, most if not all of the 10+ year olds that I've had were OK, but I didn't feel they were improved. So, if you're OK with an old beer that's great, but I don't think that's what you're really looking for.

What about doing something like opening a financial investment that would be dog-eared for a 21st birthday celebration, which could then be used to buy a flight of decent beers at the time, and perhaps a good meal out?

 

English barley wines are a beer that can sit for the long run. If you can find a Thomas Hardy ale or JW lees possibly in a pinch could work. Otherwise a good Belgian gueuze lambic would be good too. Boon Gueze, hanssens, tilquin or Girradin. Hope this gives you a few ideas!

 

My daughter must be about your age, as she is pregnant, and I am doing the same for my first grandson. After doing some research on this, I'm have Stille Nacht from Christmas-time in my basement, and will also age a Samiclaus (going to wait until 2016 is available as the newest I have is 2014) and J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (aging going to wait for a 2016).

 

I second a J.W. Lees Harvest Ale. English Barleywines and Gueuze are probably the best examples. You could even try out a Rochefort 10. Get a few different styles in there and open them all. You could also do a spread out vertical of the same beer. One that's 21 years old, a new vintage and a few in between.

 

Dogfish worldwide stout is being released again in nov/dec. It is very big at around 18%. It would hold up.

 

Lambic and Gueuze!!

 

I have three kids and have done this for all three of them. I got the idea last year, so it has been hard tracking down stuff for my 6 year old, but thanks to a great trader I made it happen! Definitely go with Lambic and Gueuze, best chance of being decent by then. I would also suggest going with Cantillon, just because it will add to the significance. Their traditional gueuze and LP Gueuze are both solid choices. I have the following:

2009 LP Kreik
2011 LP Gueuze
2015 Gueuze Bio

 

I'm doing this with Bigfoot. It's cheap enough to save a 4 pack a year. It's more for fun then improving the beer.

 

If you want to stick with beer, I'd go with the biggest ABV bomb you can get your hands on.

I would personally suggest a different kind of alcoholic beverage to age. Splurge a little, make it that much more of a celebration when the bottle is actually cracked.

 

I have a 2014 Cantillon Gueuze that I picked up for my sons birth year that I will be keeping until he's 18 (Canada).

 

I'm using a Mephistopheles Stout from Avery for a similar purpose. It's 18-19% so hopefully it holds up. I suspect uncle Jacob or such would work alright also?

 

Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze will definitely stand up to the 21 year challenge. I like the idea of also adding a Bordeaux or something in the event that your first-born prefers wine.

 

What about some Belgian Strong Ale / Quads? The pub called Koolminator in Belgium sells Belgian strong ales with 19xx vintages, and I heard they still tastes great.

 

You can age Belgian strong dark ales and quads. I've had some that were twenty plus years old, Chimay Grand Reserve, and some lambics such as Cantillon. They were fine. Keep in a cool place, the lambics on their side, the ales...it is debatable whether sideways or standing. Ive had them both ways and it didn't seem to make a difference.

 

I also just had my fist child, I am thinking about trying with a couple different things probably a JW lees and a Thomas Hardy. Wondering when the 2016 should hit the shelves? For the JW is it usually a couple years before they come out?

 

Lots of good advice here that I won't parrot; I had a Chimay Blue Magnum (1.5 L) - by every measure it should be a great beer to age for 21 years! I opened it after 10 (since I had other options) and was profoundly disappointed. I recommend finding another choice over Chimay Blue for this 21 year experiment.

 

As other suggest, Cantillon is a safe bet given that right there on the bottle they suggest you age some of them up to 20 years. Otherwise, Im aging high Westys/Rocheforts for 20+-- give it all a go.

You're talking about a fairly low investment all-in.

Might also consider (gulp) wine: Y'quem or a bottle of first-growth Bordeaux

 

The JW Lees 2015 was released at the end of the year. I did a tasting of the 2015, 2011, and 2008, and thought the 2011 was the best at this point. 21 years is a lot to ask of any beer.

For those suggesting Cantillon, I'm curious if the beer is for you or the kid. As a guy who has a reasonable cellar of Cantillon at the moment, I can tell you that in 21 years, that beer will be really, really funky. Your 21-year-old would have to be a serious lambic/gueuze aficionado to appreciate a beer that funky. 99.99% of 21-year-olds would likely drainpour.

Hate to say it, but wine is a much better bet for the 21 year horizon, and even that's iffy unless you have a nice cellar.

 

But you have no idea what kind of beer the average 21 year old will be drinking in the year 2037!
at the rate we are going a funky sour will be at the top of the list for a 21 year old then!