How long can I cellar my stout

Cellaring is always a bit of a crapshoot. All beers will change with time. Some for the better, most for the worser. Generally, the bigger the beer, the better your chances of having a positive outcome. No harm in cellaring a few and periodically giving one a try.

 

What's your calculated ABV? IBUs? Both play a role, especially ABV, in potential aging. I usually brew an english barleywine every winter for the purpose of aging it for the next winter. So I can tell you from my experience at least that 1 year is great for a high ABV beer.

 

IBU's will diminish with time, guaranteed. ABV plays a huge roll in cellaring as mentioned by @utahbeerdude. Store your bottles upright, not lying on their sides and in an environment where the temperature is below 65 degrees F and humidity is not above 40%. A refrigerator is too cold, unless you can hit that magical 65 degree temp.

Have fun, and on a side note, I have cellared my 11.5% ABV Barrel aged stouts and 9% wheat wines for more than 5 years and they only got better.

 

Too cold for what?

OP: Are you just looking to "keep a few bottles as a memento" as you stated, i.e. maintain them as close as possible to how they are now? Or are you hoping for the beer to change over time? If the former, as cold as possible without freezing will slow down staling. If the latter, warmer temperatures will accelerate most chemical processes, including staling and other changes associated with aging.

 

I have read that cellaring at 53 degrees for complex high ABV beers and red wines is ideal. My mean temperature in my brew barn is 65 but fluctuates between 65 and 70. I have cellared nearly 100 bottles of home brew in that environment without any ill effects.

I guess, if you want to attempt to retain the "As Brewed" character of the beer as @VikeMan states, just put them in your refrigerator. I don't know where your is set, mine is at 38 degrees. I've never done this, except for shelf beers and everyday drinkers.

Good luck... and Cheers

 

Store some in the fridge and some in the cellar. Compare them over time. This will help you determine which storage method produces a result you prefer.

 

For storing beer here is my rule, if it is 8 % abv or higher and is not a pale or IPA I will keep it up to 2 years in the celler. My house is old and the old cellar that has field stone foundation stays around 50 F. My brother has cellared beer for up to 3 years with good results in a similar situation. Good luck with whatever plan you use.

 

it isn't possible to answer your question because there are too many variables, the biggest being abv and how you bottle your beer. how you intend to cellar homebrew is also important.

if you have made a big beer, and you are extremely careful to avoid oxygen pick up when racking, then you can age homebrew for a year or more.

I suggest putting a six pack away in your favorite cellaring space.

 

Considering how many new brewers drink all of it before the beer is even at it's peak, good on you for trying out longer term storage. If you are asking whether your home brew version of a beer needs to be consumed earlier than a comparable commercial version, I would say "no" and go ahead and put aside a couple "momentos". It may fade more quickly due to differences in a commercial packaging process from home bottling, but not so much so that you shouldn't try to keep at least a few for a while.

 

Try it and find out. I have a stout of my own that I'm really trying to lose several bottles worth for a while for the same reasons.
You might have something that holds up, or you might get something that becomes an oxidized mess. Without actual numbers to speculate about. There's no way to determine what will happen until you make it happen.

 

Definitely cellar some. I brought in 2 versions of my imperial stout (one was about 5 months old, the other one was around 14 months) to my LHBS/brewery. The guys there really enjoyed both, but said the 14 month was much more complex. I would say if the stout you brewed is a big enough beer it should hold up for 4-5 years. If it's 15%+ abv it'll age like any wine would - a decade or more given the right environment.

 

If properly handled- beer will last a long time.

 

I brewed a 10% stout in September. It is finally drinking very nice, 3 months later. I am giving a lot away as Christmas gifts, but I am going to keep a dozen or so bottles. I plan to open one every month or two. Record changes in flavors and review each beer as if I never had it before. Then compare notes to determine which one I liked the best. This will also allow me to know when the flavors start to fade or the beer is passed its prime.

Every beer will age differently. But trial and error is the only way to know how long that beer will last. If you are consistent with your recipes, you can repeat the beer and you will know exactly the shelf life of that brew. Enjoy!

 

last month, i opened a swingtop 500 mL bottle of the first beer i ever brewed.
it was a stout brewed 5 years ago.
got a bit licoricey and slightly oxidized, but in a good way.
was a good drink.

 

I brew a RIS yearly in early January only to age a cellar for a minimum of 1 year. I have a few bottles left in my Cellar/basement usually around 60f that are pushing 7years old. Never had any issue cellaring any big beers. I did lose the occasional IPA or Red only to find it a year or two later and ....ehh not so great

 

The rule in my homebrewery is to always cellar at least 4* of every brew, no matter what the style. I'll try one after 6 months and keep the remaining for another 6 months, then try another etc. etc.

Even if the beers start to go downhill, it's still an educational and interesting experience finding out how and why.


* Obviously much more if it is a large stout or something that gets better with age.