Firestone Anniversary aging?

Drank my 16 last weekend and it held up no problem. Its really up to you and how long you can hold out.

Personally, I would sit on the 17 and 18 another year or so.

 

On their website (tons of info about each beer there BTW), FW advises to store most of these beers (including beers like Parabola etc.) pretty cold, at or below 40 degrees F. I believe I drank a 14 not too long ago and thought it was still great.

In the notes about 16, 17, and 18 it says "I suspect that this beer will age well and change favorably for years to come."

 

I've got the entire top shelf of my beer fridge dedicated to FW beers, boxes and all. I figure the brewery knows best, so if they say keep them cold, I'm going to keep them cold.

 

I have drank the different anniversary beers with less than a year and never been as happy as when I waited closer to 2. I am getting the itch to drink my 17, but I am going to try to hold out until next fall.

 

I don't have this problem. Anytime I get a FSW, especially Parabola, they last until my next night off.

 

Beer, yes drink.
Drink beer, yes.
Yes, drink beer.

 

Different blends of mostly the same beers. Although I have not looked closley at the notes in awhile.

 

Just did this exact vertical about three weeks ago. People really loved the fresh 18, but all were stellar. Part of the allure of such a share is you see how Firestone Walker has tinkered with the concept of an Anniversary beer over several years. Some beer heavier percentages of a certain beer than another and some include a beer that wasn't in existence at the time of previous anniversary brewings. It's fund to try them and compare.

 

If you're looking for an excuse to drink them, just drink them. They are fantastic beers, especially the 18, and they are ready to go as soon as they are released. There is no reason to age them other than a personal penchant for experimentation.

 

You're definitely right, but I think it would certainly be interesting to see how the blend changes each year. Definitely a vertical for different reasons than the standard vertical reasons, but still interesting nonetheless.

 

We just cracked open a 5 year vertical last weekend... they all still held up very well but 17 and 18 were the crowd favorites...

But you are correct all of them were different...

 

We just had a tasting with 6 years and all of them were great! It would have been hard to pic a favorite.

 

I have an entire freezer dedicated to fw beers. Love the way they age.

 

@Beersnake1 of course! Johnson analog temperature controller. Use the same one on both of my beer freezers

 

I have found that most of the anniversary beers continue to benefit for up to around 3 years, but after that the thinning body tends to overwhelm them. 15 I found held up the longest in that regard.