Aging Seasonal Beer

I wouldn't consider 4 months aging it. I don't think a beer like that would benefit from time, but I think sticking it in a fridge for 4 months would probably be ok. I think an Oktoberfest would hold up ok for that period of time in a fridge.

 

As far as other seasonal beers that have aged well for a year, Great Lakes Christmas Ale was great after 1 year, and New Belgium's Hoptoberfest held out very well also after a year.

 

I agree. The Hacker-Pschorr already went through an aging process before it was bottled, so I'd consider it at it's peak at time of purchase. Keep it in the fridge...if you do that, it will certainly keep for longer than 4 months. Just don't expect it to improve with age. That will be more likely to occur mainly with beers of higher ABV that have not been pasteurized, especially if they were bottle conditioned (though there are some exceptions...last year I drank a pretty old bottle of Samichlaus that was amazing).

 

I bought a case of Paulaner Oktoberfest last year and didn't drink them all - so I have three one year old bottles. Going to buy some fresh and compare. But as my tradition is, don't crack any Oktoberfest beers open until O'zapft is!

 

I picked up a four pack of full tilt Patterson pumpkin. I'm gonna age it for a year or so. Great beer!