Always drink one fresh?

To me... world wide Stout tastes like shooting whisky fresh... way to hot.... but if You don't know how hot is it when its fresh. After a year how would You know if it's half as hot? or maybe you don't notice a change at all? Having it fresh then letting another age lets you better predict when you want to open the 3rd, 4th and 5th bottles. Always have a base even when it's beers you "know" are better aged works to your advantage.

 

I agree with the "drink one fresh" approach to establish a baseline. The thing about cellaring beer is that the taste/aroma/feel are neither better nor worse - just different. Folks who like boozy (hot) beers may be the same folks who like bourbon neat. Or not - you never know. Just be prepared to have at least a handful of less-than-great experiences on either end, whether drinking fresh or aged. I'm now confident stating that I like my non-BA stouts with 6-9 months of age (for whatever reasons) but that's after drinking half a dozen beyond that mark and not enjoying the taste. It's a journey!

 

heh I just drank my one bottle of world wide stout, thought about it for a couple of days. If I had five it wouldn't have been a second thought.

at 18% it is not as 'boozy' as I thought it would be. i mean, it certainly burns more than a beer normally does, but there is a lot of flavor, and straight-up ethanol is not one of them. but it does force you to sip it. it took me well over an hour to finish it. good roasted chocolate flavors, dark malts. i didn't get barrel notes as I noticed a couple other reviews had mentioned; more of a vinous-type burn quality, but not wine-y tasting. four or five years from now, I can imagine it being downright dangerously easy-drinking

as to exceptions? i have a four-pack of Samichlaus 2016 that will be gathering four years of dust on it. if you've never had Deschutes Abyss, or had picked up Jubel at release and waited, it would be a very safe bet heeding the best-after date on the bottles. and i imagine it would be similarly safe with other breweries that do the same

 

I just started to get into cellaring, and I try to drink a fresh beer before I cellar it (i should probably take notes as well) but for me cellaring isnt all about the flavor changing. I also use it as an excuse to keep some beers for special occasions. If i can only afford or find one bottle of a beer, then i'll put it in my "cellar" and bring it out when i have friends over or something, or let it age for a year or so and have it myself.

 

Yes I would try one fresh- how will you know if you like it aged better? For me Abyss is something I like fresh, don't get me wrong it is great aged too, but trying it both fresh and aged led me to realize I like it fresh.

If you are able to, buy enough of an easily found yet agable beer and try just 1 bottle every 6-12 months, taking notes of each tasting. You will be able to see how the flavors change over time, and in some way extrapolate that experience to other beers.

 

DFH 120 Minute