How does a IPA that is over a year-old have some complexity?

Recognizing this you are already several steps ahead of some people who've been drinking flavorful beer for longer and much more often. Similarly, the food you've had during the day can make a difference along with several other things.

Enjoy the rest of your journey!

 

Yeah for sure, I guess the way i said it made it sound like the old IPA turn into a good barleywine hahaha my bad.

 

hahaha whatever you say buddy. 120 tasted like a boozy barleywine after a year of sitting around. I know I tasted it.

 

I had some Hopslam a few years back that had a year on it, and it still was a pretty tasty brew, would smoke a bunch of fresher/new brew's (DIPAs), easily.

Cheers!

 

Complexity in hops is three faceted. There is fruit or herbal. floral and spice character to hops. I am determined to someday know how each brewer can coax forward this or that. I think most times the floral in beer goes unnoticed. People lump it in with sweetness in general but it can be broad and soft, or bitter and crisp . Spice can be earthy, woody, soft, sharp, herbal, citric, tangy. The herbal can also vary with notes that can seem sweet or pungent, dried or fresh herbs prickly, hairy weedy, hay , straw grass.

The IPA after a year is awful IMO. it can go from an experience that is like a fresh piece of fruit to bitter pith as bitterness increases. Oxidation is horrible and can make a beer completely undrinkable. The IPA separates like bad gravy. It falls apart in the middle, hops fade. It's elements lose flow. Off flavors develop and it can be sour tasting or bitter.

 

As noted above by @Relik , lots of "complexity" going on as packaged beer ages, as shown by Dalgliesh's famous graph.