Aging HF saisons

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by iong516, Jan 31, 2015.

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  1. iong516

    iong516 Initiate (0) Jul 4, 2013 Pennsylvania

    Having had Dorothy and Anna both with a little age and fresher, I prefer both fresh. A Convival I had seemed like it would benefit from getting a little funkier in the bottle. Anybody with experience sitting on HF bottles and how they evolve? Thinking my Arthurs might be in the better fresh camp but can't help but want to save one for a year or two and find out.
     
  2. Davl22

    Davl22 Maven (1,341) Sep 27, 2011 New Hampshire
    Trader

    All of their saison's I've aged over 6 months I was disappointed with and wished I'd drank sooner. I just opened a Convivial bottled last August and it was still drinking amazingly. I think 3 months is the sweet spot.
     
  3. breadwinner

    breadwinner Initiate (0) Mar 6, 2014 California

    Just had an Anna w/ five months, give or take, and it was really nice. No reference point besides that, but, at the very least, that age range was dandy. Meanwhile, had a Dorothy with four months or so, and it was pretty darn underwhelming. Anything with a hoppier component, incl. the Belgian pale/saison/whatever hybrid that is Dorothy, drink 'em down quick I'd say. The straight up saisons, though, I imagine have some more wiggle room to 'em.
     
  4. iong516

    iong516 Initiate (0) Jul 4, 2013 Pennsylvania

    ^ yea the older Dorothy was more than fine IMO, but fresh was a completely different beer.

    Such as? Was thinking I'd save a case of mixed I got from a generous gentleman for summer weather, but who am I kidding it's FL. Most of them have a bit of age as is. Guess I oughta drink em.
     
  5. Davl22

    Davl22 Maven (1,341) Sep 27, 2011 New Hampshire
    Trader

    Arthur and Nordic were the oldest I've had so far.
     
  6. judkinst

    judkinst Zealot (645) Jan 13, 2013 Vermont

    Just had a bottle of Anna with a little over a year on it and it was fantastic! I actually felt like the honey came through more in the aged bottle than fresh which sounds odd. Enjoyed year old Florence about a week ago as well. Both pleasantly tart and didn't lose much of their original character.
     
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  7. SkiBum22

    SkiBum22 Pooh-Bah (1,752) Oct 18, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I just had an 8 month old Anna, Arthur and Brother Soigne. All are drinking amazing right now and better than they were fresh in my opinion. I've heard a few people say 1 year is the sweet spot with HF saisons. I have a few bottles that I'm going to try at the year mark and than also save a few for 2 years. I think all these beers will be fine with a little age on them. But they are also great fresh.
     
  8. Dicers

    Dicers Grand Pooh-Bah (3,436) Sep 2, 2012 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I prefer Arthur with age and Anna fresh... Soigne is good all the time :grinning:
     
  9. Mullen2525

    Mullen2525 Zealot (627) Dec 9, 2012 Massachusetts

    I thought Arthur was a better beer with 6 months on it. Edith went downhill after a year in my opinion.

    Dorothy is still good with age but a different beer as someone mentioned.
     
  10. 4DAloveofSTOUT

    4DAloveofSTOUT Grand Pooh-Bah (4,064) Nov 28, 2008 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    With all HF saisons Shawn says no more than 18 months in the bottle for his saisons.

    Anna is excellent fresh. Anna becomes more tart and slightly more funk the longer the time spent in the bottle. I like it at any age in the bottle, but the oldest I have had is 1 year old Anna.

    Nordic is excellent fresh and I have no experience with this beer aged longer than 6 months.

    Florence I prefer with a full year on it because I don't like all the fruity yeast and prefer more tartness in Florence.

    Arthur is great fresh and haven't had it aged because I have only drank it once. It was less than a month old at the time of comsumption.

    Brother soigne is pretty awesome fresh, I don't see this getting better with age.
     
  11. McMatt7

    McMatt7 Initiate (0) Jul 30, 2014 Pennsylvania

    I have no experience with aging HF stuff, but fresh Anna was one of my favorite beers ever.

    I thought fresh Dorothy was great, wouldn't wait, celebrate. Good times. Come on.

    I also thought fresh Nordic was excellent.

    I've got a Nordic and an Anna relaxing at home, a couple months on each, looking forward to re-visiting them this summer.

    Great thread.
     
  12. TWStandley

    TWStandley Pooh-Bah (2,166) Jan 15, 2008 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Aged Arthur is fantastic....ive had them at over a year and they are tart and funky delicious
     
  13. wedgie9

    wedgie9 Initiate (0) Jan 23, 2010 Tennessee

    Just drank a 2013 Edith the other day, and it was really fantastic.
     
  14. BlackElixir

    BlackElixir Initiate (0) Jan 22, 2013 Wisconsin

    Randomly got a bottle of Sankt Hans at a year and a half old and it was actually really tasty. The cultures developed very nicely. Don't sleep on that one.
     
  15. Jmonah3

    Jmonah3 Zealot (645) Nov 3, 2014 New York

    Has anyone opened a Juicy lately?
     
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