Aging Pumpkin Beers

Like most beers....it depends on the beer - there are a vast array of pumpkin beers out there....some age well, some do not

The higher ABV brews - the imperials and barrel aged stuff, typically does much better than lighter alcohol stuff

 

I was cleaning the liquor cabinet yesterday and found a Sam Adams Fat Jack from 2014. Should I drink it or dump it?

 

why wouldn't you try it and find out.

as for aging pumpkin beers, while most of them suck, good gourd ages very nicely.

 

Pumpkin beers should all be aged...in the landfill...

Sorry, Had to do it.

 

I love a schlafly pumpkin ale with about a year on it.

 

I aged Pumpking for about 15 months and it tasted delightful.

 

Not much on aging these beers that I have seen. If the ABV is high enough, if it bottle condition or wild all the same rules would apply. It will be interesting to see how each brews melange of flavors and spice progress over time.

This year I started to experiment and I have stashed away several of this years Pumking and Weyerbacher's imperial Pumpkin.

The first Pumking was great with 6 months on it. It had all the same flavored but had a smoothness that the fresher ones didn't have. I was particularly impressed with how the pie crust flavor really stood out. I will try another when it hits the year mark (July I think)

I haven't tried the Weyerbacher yet but can report back when I do.

I have also acquired several one off pumpkin beers as I see the collecting dust or in the bins. I am only buying those that have potential for aging, the one expect is dogfish head Punkin Ale. The ABV is lower then 8% but I have always been impressed with the aging potential of all DFH beers. Also they are fairly cheap and always around here and there.

 

This has never been asked. Ever.

 

As I recall, the back label on a Fat Jack says it's ok to age. Therefore, I definitely give it an unbiased try before even considering dumping it.

 

They age fine, I've never gone longer than a year, but they aren't bad with age.

 

Anyone have experience with the Avery pumpkin beers?

 

Aged Pumking is fantastic, it actually gets better with age. I did a blind tasting of 20 pumpkin beers (15 people) that featured both '14 and '15 Pumking, and the '14 won the whole thing.

 

Sam Adams Fat Jack tastes good with some age on it. Last October I had one from the October previous, and it was good. I also had one from last year yesterday, and it was also good.

 

I've probably aged 15-20 different pumpkin beers 1-2 years. Some good, some bad. I would personally advocate AGAINST aging pumking - it develops a bitter pumpkin taste after just a year. Not a big fan of dogfish aged either. Schafly, Stevens point whole hog, rivertowne headless wylie and kentucky pumpkin barrel I would all advocate for aging though.

 

I just had a 2014 Troegs Master of Pumpkins and it was great! I've had this beer fresh and feel almost two years on it really helped it to come into its own. I have 2 more aging and will report back when they get cracked open later this year or next.

 

I have only had aged Pumking and it is fantastic. I think it gets better so I bought the whole lot of the 2014 sitting in the store the other day. In fact I believe ST talked about aging Pumking and releasing vintage beers on their website. I just opened one of the few rum barrel aged Pumking the other day and thought that had held up great as well. I haven't found another pumpkin beer that I would chance aging though.

 

After trying an Avery Rumpkin late last year, I am convinced that I'm going to age it 5 years. It was one of the hardest beers for me to drink. I'm gonna give one a little time to mellow out. lol

 

I voted for 'depends on the beer'. I brewed an 8% imperial pumpkin ale last fall and it's drinking awesome still. Spices/malt have really melded together nicely over time. Lighter pumpkin ales I would drink right away though.

 

I had a 2011 Midnight Sun Treat in November 2015 and it tasted like chocolate pumpkin bread. It was great and even better we had some vanilla ice cream with it.