Aging Raison D'Extra?

I think your on to something there

 

On the surface, this seems silly and we laugh like, "Ha ha, cool, but yeah I won't do that."

However, am I the only one who is curious about this? I live in the northeast. I can assume my bottle would freeze and explode in the winter, right? Seems like a waste of a bottle.

But ... What if? I know it could essentially be the same thing as putting a bottle in my basement (with a much higher risk involved), but wouldn't this be much more fun?

 

In Delaware by dogfish I'd assume the ground doesn't freeze any deeper than 3 feet that's why the hole has to be 3 feet deep. In MA I'd go another foot deeper! @mattosgood

 

Many years ago when it first came out my friends and I aged it almost by accident. We had Raison and Immort Ale stacked in our basements because we'd each bought a bunch of it and then had too much!!! (Keep in mind, back then DFH was not necessarily a bigger fish production-wise, but they were at least a bigger fish in a smaller "better" pond). Oddly, the Raison aged far better than the Immort. I can't be sure of the timeline, but it was at least 3 or 4 years before we finished it off, and probably more like 6 or 8 (time gets fuzzy when you're older). In that time I'd say that 3 or 4 years was more of the sweet spot, with the later beers getting a bit dulled. I should also note that these were 12 oz. bottles.

 

Just picked up case of Raison D'Extra. Hoping to be drinking these for years!

 

Damn, that set you back almost $200? That's about what I've seen cases of WWS for.

 

Back at their 20th anniversary party in Falls Church last May, they were selling 2005 bottles, so they apparently think it can go that long. It was completely dark with no head, so after a certain point it really isn't the same beer.

 

$220 after tax. Pricey case for sure.

 

Yeah, although it can last you 10 years if you want it to.

 

Yeah, the dogfish bigger beers are good buys. They all last a long time and are good to pull out for special occasions.

 

Agreed.

I had the 07 with the 14, I didn't realize they made it prior to 07 but I have another bottle dated 06. Anyone know when the first batch they made was?

 

The DFH website says
"Original Release Date: 02/2007"
http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/on-hiatus-brews/raison-dextra.htm

So maybe it was bottled late 2006?

 

That is plan. It will be nice to pull one out at Christmas and another special occasion during the year for the next 10 years.

 

Yeah I thought so too, but someone here said they had a 2005?

 

My notes show the bottle date was 3/30/2005

 

I had a 06/07 batch in 2014. It was amaze balls. When I drank one fresh last release....I didn't love the booziness. Bet it starts smoothing out with a few years on it and continues to improve.

 

When I had the 2007 in (I think) 2012, it was still very hot and basically tasted like raisin acetone to me. I picked up another this year. I plan on forgetting about for at least 10, maybe up to 20 years. Even if the crown leaks and it oxidizes, the booze should hold it for a while.