Beers That Require Aging

Although it’s a bit of a mute point now that it’s discontinued, The Beast from Avery improves dramatically with age (I guess that mandatory aging gets you discontinued...). Like Samichlaus, it comes out of the gates purveying massively sweet booziness. Give it time and it transforms into an incredibly rich and complex masterpiece. All the port/sherry and rich dark fruits you can hope for, perfectly integrated into a 12oz bottle. If you see one still out there, pick it up and set it aside for a decade and find out for yourself.

 

Old Stock Ale is great with some age on it.

I came across a couple of 2014 4-packs and they were incredible I’m mad i didn’t save any ... I’ve also enjoyed the 2015 & 2016. I recently drank a 2017 and didn’t enjoy it much so I put a few others aside to age for a year or two

 

Lagunitas Dave Murray best scotch ale.

Borderline disgusting fresh and I regretted spending a mere $13 on a six pack.

Now 9 months later I regret not buying more.

 

I have a 2017 Mash and Coconut from The Bruery. I have read many reviews and comments on it and still haven’t decided whether I should age this beer or not.. Apparently if its kept in the cellar for a few years it looses the coconut touch.. don’t know.. any ideas/suggestions?

 

I still have some 2014, it's still outstanding.

 

People usually advocate for drinking coffee stouts fresh but I almost always find them to be better at around a year or so. Speaking of high ABV ones, of course.

 

I'm not in anyway discounting your preferences or experiences when I say this:

What is it that you think makes them better at a year or longer? Do you like that the coffee is less up front, or so you think everything is more blended at this point, or do they get less bitter for you, or?

Very curious.

 

Pretty much that, everything seems more integrated after some time conditioning in the bottle. I don't really like super coffee forward beers either, I love coffee but when it's too dominant in a beer, I find it's not really a satisfying coffee experience or beer experience.

 

I think it depends on the beer and not always on the abv so I somewhat agree. For instance Founders Breakfast Stout tastes better fresh as it is much more chocolatey, coffee forward, and can taste the creaminess of the oatmeal and is smooth with alcohol well hidden. Age it and it develops a green pepper flavor along with a harsh alcohol bite.

Evil Twin Biscotti Break is not bad aged a year but nowhere close as good as it is fresh with its almond vanilla coffee forward flavor.

Now take Founders Sumatra Brown. I find it's more coffee forward at 6 months, fresh it's lacking flavor. The coffee almost doesn't come out of its shell in the beginning.

Sierra Nevada Coffee Stout is another that develops a stronger coffee flavor in 6 months. It's almost like Sierra Nevada releases it in September with intentions you drink it in January/February as it is in the winter pack because fresh it doesn't taste right but aged 6 months it tastes like one of the best nonbarrel, non imperial coffee stouts I ever had.

So really it depends on the beer moreso than it depends on some rule of always drink coffee stouts fresh. Not sure on the beer read up before opening. But here is 4 beers that is divided 50/50.

 

Funny you mention the Siracusa Nera since I was underwhelmed by one I had last night, I wouldn't call it unpleasant so much as lacking in expected flavor (and maybe I'm spoiled by some previous imperial stouts including WWS), and am wondering if aging will improve on that. If you don't mind, what's your approximate aging schedule?

 

I would say no it would not improve the fact that you find it muted already- aging will only further mute the flavors. There are some beers with loud brash flavors that do well after some time, and there are some balanced beers that just fade with some time.

 

Truthfully when it comes to Siracusa Nera I've only had 1 but I did find it to be unpleasant. But knowing the percentage and knowing DFH I believe it will improve with age. I am still holding onto 3 and plan to drink 1 around September which would be 9 months and might wait another 9 months for the next one. Aging period depends on each beer. For instance I plan to drink an Old School also in September which would mark 18 months. It all depends on how I perceive the beer to be fresh. If super harsh and hard to drink I go longer, if it was drinkable but believe it will improve I might open next one in 6 months. In the case of Founders Sumatra Brown it got better at 6 months but after a year I'm sure it falls off. Hope that helps.

 

I disagree I think it'll improve greatly with age, let you know in about 6 months

 

Sounds good, and please do post back in the cellar forums!

 

Thanks for the feedback. One thing that will cause me to follow what @BenHoppy suggested is that it's possible that a persistent semi cold which has been lingering possibly impacted my ability to enjoy this to the full extent so I'll try again in July, or afterwards when it's cooler and more what I consider appropriate weather for a big stout.

Out of curiosity is it appropriate to review in the monthly cellared threads if it's less than a year old?

 

I wouldn't do it at less than 6 months, but 6 months and older I certainly would. I think it's important to document the change - both before a year has passed, and after. You're qualifying when the beer was bottled, so I don't feel there's any loss.

It is also not necessary to have consumed something fresh in order to write a review of a particular vintage. I just think it's important to qualify your review as saying "I did not have this fresh, so I cannot compare to fresh."

 

MoaS (2 years on a bottle is the cellaring sweetspot!)
Bells Expedition stout
Founders Imperial Stout
Northcoast Old stock Ale (minimum 3 years in cellar)
Barrel aged old stock (these hold up very well for 8 -10 years)
CW bourbon barrel stout
CW bourbon barrel barleywine

 

Brooklyn Monster Ale

5 years is an amazing place for this beer, too bad they stopped making it.

Most Brett Beers IMO. Love that cherry pie, bandaid, funk