Aging Sours/Wilds

This should probably be in the cellaring forum, but I'd say give them 2 years.

 

I prefer prettying all Cascade brews fresh. Ron bottles a beer when it's ready.

 

Is this some new terminology or slang I'm unfamiliar with? Prettying?

 

Well before this thread gets moved how long would Pentagram cellar for?

 

I like this. I'll help you establish the new term in our vernacular, Joe. Bravo, I've always wanted to create a word. So last night, I prettied a Tree Shaker IIPA on tap. That shit was pretty tasty... Wait, did I mess that up?

 

at least a few years.

 

Depends who you ask. It's pretty similar to five, which some folks think is just getting better and better, but some folks think has turned to sadness and toasted cardboard.

Personally, I would drink pentagram in the first year or two. It's delicious right now and I doubt the nuanced character will improve. I'll shit talk five a little now and again, but this batch of pentagram is tits.

 

It's another area wine has things figured out. I really wish we could create bell curves on aging beers as has been established in the wine world. We can't even agree if beer should be aged, let alone for how long and the optimum length. I'm surprised this hasnt happened with Cantillons yet.

 

I had a taste of 1994 cantillon last year and it was amazing. I agree it would be nice to get a bell curve going. Im sitting on some 2006 hanssens strawberry brewers reserve and 2007 guezue and it would be nice to know (from others with the same beer) when it peaks or falls off.

 

I think anybody that tries that will be in for a long row to hoe. Cantillon kriek for example, optimal age depends on what you want out of it. Want to be face punched by a tart cherry? Fresh. Want to peal your enamel off? 4-10 years. Want an odidized, noble beer with delightful tartness an no fruit? 15-25 years.

Which is best? Depends on the need, the mood, the cellar blah blah blah.

Bigfoot is a great example, we have 26 years of it and optimal age depends purely on who wants to drink it. I love it for te first six months as then again after 3-5 years. I've had 15 year old pours(keg, mind you) that were mind blowing.

3F Oude is a favorite beer of mine. I prefer it 3-6 years old. I know folks that love it fresh and love it older. Who's right? Fuck, how can the wine world be so pompous to say a bottle peaks at a certain pour? What peaks? By who's standards? I like woody, leather reds with minimal fruit charachter. What if I hate leather and love the blackberry notes? Who's right?

I think we should sit down over a 15+ year vertical of something not-gross and discuss this.

 

I don't think it's pompous. It's simply an attempt to quantify the length of time one should age a wine, and of course it's always a matter of opinion. And remember, it's a bell curve, so those looking for more tannins and grip would enjoy the wine on the front side of the curve, while someone looking for less tannins and smoothness would prefer it at peak and on the backside of the curve. Truly, I think this would give more credence to beers as a sophisticated libation, not just what the kids or less discerning folk imbibe. IMHO.

 

Another thing is different vintages of wine will age differently. Will different vintages of beer age differently and will they age with same sort of variation.

 

OP - as you can see there really isn't a defiitive answer on "how long". The best thing to do (availability and funds allowing ) is to buy several and try them fresh and then with age on them. As people have already said, best is subjective depending on what you want to get out of the beer.

 

I've noticed with some sours they all differ. If ya got multiples drink one now. Like Deschuttes Dissident I thought it was amazing fresh but I hear it does wonderful magic with age so I'll throw down one a year after and another a year after that. I have 2 Surly 5s, going to do a 5 and Pentagram side by side here after the St Paul sUmmer Beerfest on the 15th (like I'll need more beer )

 

We should drink together more often. Are you coming north for summer beer fest?

 

Agreed. And no, I'm not sure I'll be able to make it.