Avery Maharaja

Correct, age on a DIPA will definitely diminish hop characteristics. The batch usually comes out towards the end of January so best to try it as close to then as possible.

 

Yes.
Depends on the way you like it.

 

Yes, I'd recommend this be drank as fresh as possible.

 

If Maharaja is not fresh, it ain't worth the $$. That being said, I just picked up a couple bombers of Maharaja bottled in late January of 2013.

 

Maharaja tends to be more on the malty side anyway for a DIPA... so with some age it would definitely be malt heavy. I really like it fresh as well as with some age!

 

Even fresh maharaja has a bright honey malt character but the hop character of any DIPA is best ruined by the tincture of time. Check the label on every ipa my friend. It will pay off.

 

I have posted about Maharaja many times. It used to be my favorite IIPA, but Avery went at least a couple years without a release that was up to the old standard. The newest release (17) was excellant again, but a little too aged now. Maharaja like many (if not most) IIPAs gets rather cloying with age. But some people like it aged. You will find old ones on the shelf.

 

I age them for a while or I drink 'em fresh

 

I had Mahajara last summer and it was terrible. It was a sweet, malty and bitter mess. Then we got it on draft at the bottle shop I work at and it was amazing! I believe bottle age is huge for this beer

 

Just got a case of bombers that were brewed 2 months ago. Absolutely worth the money.

 

Agree and not. I'm blown away by the number of brewers who create amazing IPA's/D-IPA's and don't bottle/can date; for those who don't, game over unless I live close enough to the brewery and know what I'm getting. I've had Maharaja on tap that has been mind blowing and I've also had it past it's prime which was a drain pour. Not all brewers date their labels and for IPA's that's a big problem because you'll never know by looking at the label. ("Bottled/Canned On" dates are always better than a "Best By" date which I think is a universal "given" but can't speak for everyone.)

 

I recently picked a bottle of this up. It says Batch 17 2013. I can't seem to find a bottling date or code anywhere on the bottle. Where is it usually?

 

Had this on draft 2 weeks ago in Salem, Ma. I was really blown away compared to the bottle experience. An excellent DIPA with the malt barely there, mostly citrus. I know a lot of people complain about the mouth feel but it was fantastic.