Some friends and I are tossing around the idea of holding a "cellar tasting", opening some beers that we have aged. I have some questions about how long we should wait. Example: collectively, we have some 2011 DL (also a Vanilla), KBS, BCBS (and variants), and some of the same from this year. Obviously we're collaborating and choosing wisely on entries. Is it worthwhile to age any more than a year? I know people have verticals from past years, which I'm also looking to accomplish, but is there that big a change after a year? We're looking at a year from now, so late 2013.
I've had beers 7 months apart that tasted totally different and aging is all about personal taste you can do whatever you want I think your over thinking it a bit. If you wanna drink it just do it. If your hesitant about opening something just save it you can age all those brews for quiet some time depending on who you ask.
I have cellared many beers myself and purchased properly cellared beers from others. In short, time absolutely matters, even beyond a year. Don't be afraid to age something an extra year or two, because it will change. Yesterday I had a three year vertical of Terrapin Wake-n-Bake, and each year showed a noticeable change. Most of the plateaus in flavor profile that I have experienced have been after the ten year mark, at which point the chemical changes within the bottle have slowed so much that one year can be almost unnoticeable. Stouts, and many other styles, definitely keep changing after their first year in the cellar. One of the best sources of beer knowledge to consult regarding cellaring is "Dr." Bill Sysak from the Stone Brewing Company. He has been cellaring and studying the entire spectrum of beer for several decades, if you search for him on the internet you'll be able to find some interviews and articles that he has written and probably find some great answers to questions you have regarding beer. I recently opened a four year old triple from Val-Dieu, and it was spectacular, certainly not the same as a fresh or one year old triple. I have tasted many vintages of J.W. Lees Harvest, Samichlaus, Thomas Hardy's, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, and they have all shown differences through the years of aging. Just last month I opened a 10 year World Wide Stout next to a 2 year one, and they were very different. Within specific styles of beers I have noticed significant differences between 1 year old bottles and 4 year old bottles of the same style. Stouts typically have tasted earthier in their first year to me and sweeter and more mellowed as they approach years four and five. Barleywines have had a much more abrasive hop and bitter malt character to me in their first year or two, but have generally lent themselves to be sweet, smooth, and sometime vinous after five or six years. Old ales are even more drawn out; they can take even longer to significantly change. For the majority of beers, the first year in the cellar is not when most of the changes in flavor develop, you'll notice equal changes the second year, and the third and so on. I have stouts, barleywines, and too many others to list that are beyond four years old. Some of those will get opened this year and others will continue waiting.
