Aging stouts with pepper as an adjunct

Just as a data point, the note in Westbrook Mexican Cake is to drink it fresh and NOT age it.

 

Adjunct? That would have to be a hell of a lot of pepper (and starchy pepper, at that )

 

I can confirm that pepper does mellow over time.

 

It's still really a stretch to call them an adjunct; they are there as a flavoring additive, so that's what they should be called. An adjunct is a non-malt source of starch or sugar, so I was just making a little brewing joke right there .

 

This is just what I came here for tonight. Specifically, I have a bomber of Dragon's Milk with chilies that I'm cellaring. Has anyone noticed that the heat dies after a year, year and a half? I like hot stuff but it's too distracting and overpowering in the 2014.

 

I believe their 2014 dragons milk reserve was their only batch with peppers, this year's batch was flavored with raspberry.

 

Thanks, I didn't realize this was the first batch they did with peppers. Looks like I'll just have to find out when the time comes. The one with raspberry, however, is getting found and cracked open immediately.

 

I found that the heat died off after ~6 months, but it could've also been bottle variation. The first bottle I had was a pepper bomb; the second I had months later was really balanced and the peppers were well integrated.

 

Yes, heat from peppers mellows over time.

 

Dragon's Milk with Chilies used to be called Smaug's Breath, or a version of it anyway. I had it on tap last year fresh and again at six months (they pulled another keg out), fresh was unbearable, aged was tolerable.

Any strong flavor like pepper will mellow.

 

The spices die off too. You'll get some vegetal flavors but nothing 'hot'.

 

The pepper definitely fades and rather quickly at that.