Bell's Two Hearted Question

Bell's states Two Hearted holds up to aging for 6 months.

 

Or maybe the fact that it's Centennial hops. Both beers use it exclusively.

 

I do get tired of hearing people go, "Oh it's 3 weeks old, holy shit it's a drain pour."

However, I've only found the case of a different taste in the beer, with only a couple beers. Sweetwater IPA and Cigar City Jai Alai.. Both get sweeter-ish with age, but still have a hoppy taste, and then a more muted aroma is all.

Plenty damn drinkable and plenty damn good, still.

 

I only like it from tap.

 

Founders isn't exclusively Centennial anymore, but I agree that it seems to be a hop with great longevity. A local (4 Hands) brews a red with solely Cent., and it has a great shelf life too.

While I agree that for the most part, this bugs me- some beers do drastically drop off, quick. Had a Sucks last Sunday, great. Had another last Tuesday, and had to double check I didn't pour a Brown Shugga. Both were from the same 12/29 case. Only other hoppy beer between was All Day, so I don't think it was fatigue.

 

Which goes to show it's all about our own tastes.

I've got Sucks that is probably getting up there in age compared to what some of these BA's consider old, and I'll still drink it down like there's no tomorrow. I don't notice much in drop off other than the aroma, and a slighty "juicy" note.

 

Since when is Founders Centennial not single hopped with centennial? I took a tour before the holidays, and the guide said Centennial was an ode to the centennial hop, and they don't dry hop it with anything else.

 

I'm not sure when the change was, but I think within the last couple of years. I only know because of this website; I remember they use at least one bittering hop (Magnum?).

It could very well only be dry-hopped with Centennial.

 

Did a taste test recently - just under 1 month vs. almost 3. Noticeable difference blind. But the 3 month was very drinkable. Nose and punch wasn't the same.

IMO the 3 big factors are:
-bottling quality (lock it in) - canning should hold up better
-amount and ratio of dry hopping vs. bittering vs. late boil (dry hopping fades first)
-storage

 

It is "bottle conditioned"... Not to the point of a homebrew obviously but there is a small amount of yeast added I believe and that does add to the shelf life of the beer, look at the life of SN beers for an example. No beers hold up like SN Pale Ale and Torpedo.

I have noticed that Two hearted is amazing under 1 month
Awesome under 2
Great under 3
Good under 4
and drinkable under 6

With that said around here it is always under 1 month old, but I have lost bottles in the back of my fridge.

 

I guess I'm an outlier but I think Two Hearted falls off pretty quick. I usually don't even consider it an option if its over a month and a half old. I've had it fresh a number of times and that is when the aroma and everything else about the beer is perfect.