Indefinitely aging your RIS

Welcome to this expensive habit that is cellaring. There is not set time on when to cellar something for it just depends on your taste buds. I would recommend buying 4 packs of founders imperial stout, Brooklyn black chocolate stout and other similar and easy attainable stouts to start. Those two are some of my favorites to test and both age pretty gracefully I would say. Then buy fresh versions of those next year so you can taste them side by side and see what your taste buds prefer.

 

I would first say that saying beers "get better" with age might not be the best wording. Beers clearly change and some people like those changes and others do not. I can say from my own experience that most of the RISs I have had over 5 years in the cellar have been less than stellar, with a few notable exceptions (Courage IRS at 17 years in the cellar being one that comes to mind).

 

There will always be exceptions, but most IRSs that age well seem to peak (for my palate, of course) within about 3 years. BWs and Old Ales seem to vary more (some are best fresh, some peak after a few years, and some hold up for 10+ years).

 

"Better" is something you will have to decide, but to me, I have had too many RISs with a lot of age on them that between off flavors and oxidation have just not been as enjoyable as they were when they were younger. Don't get me wrong, there are beers that historically age well but I think too many people think that every RIS and barleywine will be "better" with age and that is just not the case.

 

Yep. Lambics are probably the sole exception to the rule.

 

Storm King is easy to find year round and develops nicely for at least a few years. Ten FIDY holds up, but is slow to change. Stone IRS is a bit of a classic. But fully agree, no beer should be considered indefinitely cellarable; you're best to get multiple bottles, drink along the way, and be ready to enjoy the remainder or majority when you feel the batch is 'done.'

 

At the Dark Horse 4 Elf party a guy I met broke out a 1999 Arcadia RIS. It was awesome. He also had a 2007 that was also very good. Both of these he had just bought at the brewery so I'm sure they were stored in optimal condition.

 

I prefer 80% of stouts fresh I'd wager but Abyss is one I like after 2-4 years for sure. There are others, though I haven't experimented with very many yet (most of my cellar is 2012 and newer)

 

Bell's Expedition

 

+1 expedition, bells website says it can be cellared indefinitely. If there was one stout to choose it would be this one because of everything i've read this one has the legs to go the distance. The BA kazoobrew appears to be the expert with experience trying older bottles, you could check some of his posts, or maybe he will chime in.