BB aged Imperial Stout w a "best by"?

It probably means the cork will turn to shit after that date. Drink up or else you'll have doodie residue on your impy stout.

 

The brewery probably thinks the beer will be best if drank by March of 2013. The beer will certainly be drinkable after but the brewer does not believe any additional time will provide any benefit. Just because it is an Imperial Stout does not mean age will improve the beer. I wish more breweries would put a best by date on their big beers, it may help clear up some of the cellaring misconceptions that are out there.

 

It so refreshing to see someone say this. These misconceptions are well out of control, from people cellaring beers they havent tried, to spendng wads on cases of imperials in fear of not having enough

 

The bottle also states that extended cellaring is possible, but drink by the date stamped on cork for peak flavor. Had on tap and is a great beer, the one bottle I have is going to sit for a bit though to see how it changes. Drink it now or sit on it for a while. Don't think you'll be upset either way.

 

There are some imperial stouts, especially of the barrel-aged variety, that are best fresh (see: the fantastic line of Eclipse Stouts). The brewer might feel like this is one of them.

Don't over-think it. If you want to drink it, drink it. If you don't, don't.

But thanks for bringing it up. I have one in the basement & had no idea there was a date stamped on it.

 

Weyerbacher Heresy also has this... Usually released in January or February and the best by date is August of the same year. I can kinda see why with that beer, as it's on the thin side for a BBA stout, but still. Some breweries feel it's best by a particular time. FWIW IMO, after you buy it, it's your beer. Do as you please with it.

 

Lots of brewers bottle BA beers when they think they are ready to be consumed. You could argue that the best possible time to drink a BA beer is the day it's released.

 

I used to work in the beverage industry and some states require a best by date on things. Even water, for example, which may be shelf stable forever.

 

This is the only thing that makes sense to me. The drinker may prefer the aged BBA stout taste opposed to fresh (if capped). IMO it varies with each BA stout and we don't all agree on which ones are best fresher.
"Best By" should be left up to the BA.

 

I have a Brew Dog TNP and it has a Best By day of 2-12-20, Nearly at 32%ABV how Can this Thing Go Bad ??? What do you guys Think ???

 

It's also possible the brewery simply doesn't set different best-by dates for all its different beers, and that all bottles are automatically stamped on the bottling line.

 

I agree with Kzoobrew, but in this particular case they used the same batch of dated corks for multiple batches of the beer dating from march 12 to at least some point in the fall of 12 - confusing, I know. that said, this was the first beers from their new Barrel House where they completely changed the brewing process of the beers made there, switching to a partigyle process. the brewer (a old veteran from Goose Island many years ago) may feel that this new process does not age as gracefully long term as his prior process. I couldn't tell you.... yet.

 

Exactly this.

 

TNP should have an "Even Worse After" date.

 

It is a really good,beer as is......no need to sit on this one.

 

The chocolate coffee version of this beer is outstanding

 

Hmm....I've had this one and it didn't impress the first time. May have to circle back around and try again.