Drinking a 2012 bottle of Founders RIS and not super pumped about what time has done to it. Getting a lot of black olive/ cigarette butt aromas and flavors. A year ago I assumed this would age beauitfully. Anyone age this for longer than a year? Is there a sweet spot that I haven't hit yet? I love it fresh, perhaps I might need to stick with that.
I had an 09 about 3 weeks ago and it was delicious! But I wasn't sucking on olive pits and smoking a cigarette when I drank it...
Recently drank a 12,13,14 one after another. In my opinion the fresher was better. I no longer plan on aging any of this. Fresh Only.
Drinking mine bottled right now, 12/28/12? Fantastic, the heat has mellowed to a great balance with the sweetness, dark fruit and light anise. Much better than the '12 Narwhal I had before it, not that Narwhal is bad. Its so different, roasted and dry compared to Founders. I've got jack squat for descriptors today, but this Founders Imperial Stout is damn ethereal after brew day. Perfect way to spend a day where the wind is blowing snow to near whiteout conditions on the highway. Maybe I'll have a fresh Central Waters BBS or my last Dark Horse plead the fifth from '12? to cap off the night.
Do you have another? If so, this is the advice I was given. Smack the bottom like a Snapple a couple of hours before drinking it. Try it. Let us know. It worked for what I thought was going to be a drain pour.
FIS is sublime both fresh and aged. Aging mellows it out a bit but doesn't attenuate the delicious nuanced flavors.
