Dirtwolf Enjoy By Dates

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by LarryK, May 5, 2014.

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  1. LarryK

    LarryK Zealot (691) Jul 13, 2012 Texas
    Trader

    Came across Dirtwolf stamped with "Enjoy by August 31" -- does anyone know what dating system Victory utilizes for Dirtwolf? I know of a handful of breweries that (unfortunately) utilize systems that say their double IPA enjoy-by dates are four months out from bottling/canning, while IPAs are often six months out (yuck).

    If it's four months, that would mean this batch of Dirtwolf was bottled around April 30, which would be insanely (and uncharacteristically) fresh for my market, and so I'm left thinking these bottles are closer to two months old (bottled ~February 28) as opposed to less than one week old. But would greatly appreciate anyone who knows about Victory's bottling practices sharing their knowledge.

    As an aside, this would all be avoidable if every brewer would just stamp the damn bottled on/canned on date on their beers. Or at least have the blatant transparency of and/or desire to put as fresh a product in the customer's hands as Stone does. Respect your consumers' intelligence enough to recognize that many of us know how to decide for ourselves whether we think you beer is fresh enough -- a six-month-out enjoy-by date on an IPA is beyond irresponsible.
     
    #1 LarryK, May 5, 2014
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  2. miketd

    miketd Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2006 Ohio

    I was told five months for that beer.
     
    #2 miketd, May 5, 2014
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  3. RangnaR

    RangnaR Initiate (0) Dec 17, 2012 California

    Last time I saw stacks of Dirtwolf (couple of weeks ago) with an enjoy by date of July, I passed. I didn't have my phone with me, or the spare time, to figure out what the date was really telling me...
     
    #3 RangnaR, May 5, 2014
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  4. beerdedking

    beerdedking Grand Pooh-Bah (3,634) Oct 15, 2008 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    In my experience, DIPAs have more hop longevity than IPAs. I have no problem buying a 6 month old DIPA...
     
    #4 beerdedking, May 5, 2014
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  5. David_CT

    David_CT Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2014 Connecticut

    There is a whole discussion about this called "What is the new FRESH" in the general forum, you may find a lot of the information in it helpfull.
     
    #5 David_CT, May 6, 2014
  6. dougfur

    dougfur Initiate (0) Jan 24, 2011 New York

    You are a lucky, lucky person if that's how you feel. Two months is generally my limit and so I'm often disappointed.
     
    #6 dougfur, May 6, 2014
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  7. BoardwalkBock

    BoardwalkBock Pooh-Bah (2,041) Aug 18, 2012 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    I am a huge, huge drinker of IPAs and DIPAs, and imho, this whole freshness deal is getting way too ridiculous on this website. I have had PLENTY of IPAs and DIPAs that were 3-4-5 months old and were still delicious.

    Had a HopDevil a few weeks ago that was 4 1/2 months old and was fantastic. And yes, I've had that beer fresh many, many times.
     
    #7 BoardwalkBock, May 6, 2014
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  8. Ri0

    Ri0 Initiate (0) Jul 1, 2012 Wisconsin

    I found some DW stamped Enjoy by August 31. I can tell you that it still tastes fantastic! I figured that it was bottled 6 months ago.
     
    #8 Ri0, May 6, 2014
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  9. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I picked up some DirtWolf at the end of April, that had just arrived. The enjoy by date on the case itself said September (late September, I think), so 5 months since bottling seems about right.

    DirtWolf is absolutely fine a few months in, as long is it's kept cold. IPAs absolutely fall off, some worse than others - but people make too big a deal out of it. 3 month old Sucks lives up to its name, unfortunately; 3 month old DirtWolf should still be awesome.
     
    #9 Roguer, May 6, 2014
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  10. GenericForumName

    GenericForumName Initiate (0) Oct 31, 2013 Pennsylvania

    dirtwolf is 5 months. august 31 is bottled march 31. Ive already bought 6 cases and the bottles ranged from 5 days to a month and a half. it was the same beer. i am going to buy an august 28 case on thursday and enjoy every drop of it over the next week or so.

    releasing an infected batch of beer is irresponsible, deciding on and expiration date that makes sense based on 20+ years of brewing is not.
     
    #10 GenericForumName, May 6, 2014
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  11. kingston2

    kingston2 Savant (1,049) Sep 14, 2008 Pennsylvania

    Kimmich the brewer of heady topper swears the beer if stored well will drink great for over a year.
     
    #11 kingston2, May 6, 2014
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  12. bubseymour

    bubseymour Grand Pooh-Bah (4,800) Oct 30, 2010 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    If they would just switch to brewed on/bottled on date, all of this goes away, then those knowledgeable about freshness issues with IPAs just buy as we feel appropriate.
     
    #12 bubseymour, May 6, 2014
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  13. RBassSFHOPit2ME

    RBassSFHOPit2ME Initiate (0) Mar 1, 2009 California

    I'd argue just the opposite. DIPAs fall off faster and become a bit malt messy pretty fast in most cases (in my experience) I won't buy one after a month has passed from bottling. But I'm a picky bitch when it comes to my DIPAs. ;-)

    Cheers!
     
    #13 RBassSFHOPit2ME, May 6, 2014
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  14. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I bought a case of Dirtwolf very fresh in February (less than 2 weeks from the bottling date). Over the next 2-3 months I drank that case. That beer noticeably tailed off at 2 months from bottling and by 3 months the hop aroma was greatly diminished. As far as I am concerned, Dirt Wolf will indeed drop off a cliff at around 2.5 months.

    I should state that I stored my case in an unheated basement so it was stored cool but not cold. If you have the ability to refrigerate this beer continuously then it might hold up beyond 3 months of bottle age.

    I am a little perplexed in the 5 month best by timeframe for Dirt Wolf.

    Cheers!
     
    #14 JackHorzempa, May 6, 2014
  15. mj81

    mj81 Savant (1,072) Sep 11, 2013 New Jersey
    Trader

    Amen brother! If one's palate is to the point that they can't enjoy a 1-2 month old ipa then I feel bad for you son. He'll I've drank year old 90 minute and double jack that have magically turned into a fantastic dipa/barleywine hybrid. I'll take my unrefined palate that can still enjoy months old ipa/dipa over that of having to thumb my nose at something that is older than 30 days. Hell, some of them are better once the hops mellow slightly and tend to suck those first 30 days.
     
    #15 mj81, May 6, 2014
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  16. Starkbier

    Starkbier Initiate (0) Sep 19, 2002 Maryland

    nothing perplexing here, all VBC flagships utilize a 5 month BB date, very similar to Sierra Nevada and other market leaders.
     
    #16 Starkbier, May 6, 2014
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  17. LarryK

    LarryK Zealot (691) Jul 13, 2012 Texas
    Trader

    Thanks for the info -- Victory doesn't say anything about the length on the bottles or their website. Not sure where else to get that info except straight from the brewery itself and they didn't respond to me on Twitter, so I came here.
     
    #17 LarryK, May 6, 2014
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  18. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Here is a ‘secret’ list courtesy of @jesskidden:

    Victory Beer – Enjoy by dates

    5 month "enjoy by" date:

    Victory Lager

    Prima Pils

    Hop Devil

    Festbier

    Headwater



    1 year "enjoy by" date:

    Yakima

    Hop Wallop

    Whirlwind

    Sunrise Weissbier

    Moonglow Weizenbock

    St. Victorious

    St. Boisterous

    Baltic Thunder


    3 year "enjoy by" date:

    Golden Monkey


    5 year "enjoy by" date:

    Old Horizontal

    Storm King


    Bottled On Date:

    Helios

    All 750mL bottles
     
    #18 JackHorzempa, May 6, 2014
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  19. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    I can vouch for at least six months. Bought 2.5 cases cold when it was still sold at the brewery; kept it cold for the ride home and put it right in the beer fridge. The last one was every bit as good as the first one.
     
    #19 otispdriftwood, May 6, 2014
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  20. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    Here's a query for all the IPAs go south in a week theorists: If you've never had a particular IPA super fresh, how do you know whether or not the particular IPA that is 3-4 months old has faded? Or is it just one of those, well everybody says it does. If IPAs ARE properly stored [40 - 45 degrees] and and there is any fading, it is minimal, IMHO.
     
    #20 otispdriftwood, May 6, 2014
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