Aging Founder's Breakfast Stout For 1 Year?

Coffee fades, so I prefer my coffee beers fresh. That said, it still should taste pretty good with a little age on it. Go ahead and experiment!

 

I was overzealous one year and bought a few cases. Some lasted over a year. They still taste fine, just different. I'd drink em. Or they make fantastic chili with the chocolate and coffee flavor.

 

I had a vertical in december of 2017-2016-2015.
I found 2016 to be the best, but I also don't like coffee-forward stout. Give it a go

 

That beer isn't too pricey, or rare now with the announcement of it going to an all-year release, so absolutely place some aside. But pick some fresh up later so you can do a side by side to see how the older one changed. I bought enough last year that I have some bottles with 4 months on them already, so I may head my own advice.

 

I much prefer them fresh. Last month I did a side by side between fresh & one year. I got stale coffee/green pepper from the year old bottle. Now that it's year round I see no need to hold on to it.

 

I have a 14 for shits and giggles sometime this year or next.

 

Here is where cellared beers get tricky. If there are differences between 17 and 18, how do we quantify that those differences are from age? Other possibilities include different lots of chocolate and coffee, different lots of grains or hops, yeast health, tweeks in the brewing process, you see where I'm going with this.

 

All good points indeed! I just experienced this recently with Prarie's Bomb! I had the regular version (no variants) and thought everything was detectable and balanced well. About three weeks later, I had the second bottle I picked up from the same store, and the chilies were much more pronounced/spicier.

 

Drink it fresh and take notes / write a review before aging another bottle of the same vintage.

 

While I understand that, I was speaking to the point that was brought up regarding comparing vintages.

 

Drink this beer fresh, aging won't improve this beer. However if it's already aged keep aging and in 5 years you just might be impressed.

 

Did a vertical of fresh, 1 year, and 2 years. 2 was a metallic oxidized mess, and one tasted like old stale coffee. Personally I don’t recommend letting this beer go past 6 months. 3-4 is my sweet spot because the coffee isn’t as intense and let’s the chocolate shine

 

Personally I love FBS best at a year. The coffee fades and it's all chocolate. Also like it fresh but 2 years was muddled and the flavors had all dimmed. I say you'll never know for yourself if you don't just go ahead and find out.