KBS Aging

How many bottles did you get? Where are you storing it? Have you had it before?

 

It doesn't go "bad" per se, it is just better to drink when fresh. I just did a 7 year vertical last week and even though fresh is better, there isn't much difference with a year on it. And the older ones are still good as well.

 

The biggest drop off is the quality and intensity of the coffee flavor. Depending on how you feel about this will determine how quickly you will want to drink yours. KBS is not going to go bad but I prefer to drink mine with in the first year.

 

keep it refrigerated and it wont age nearly as fast. like said before it wont go bad. ive it as old as 6 years and it was delicious but it was a different beer. i prefer it fresh but i always try to make some last as its nice to always have KBS on hand.

 

I've had a kbs vertical going back to 2010 including this year's on tap, while it's still a very good beer aged I preferred the fresh and 1 year old the best. So yeah, it ages just fine but like has been mentioned the coffee dies out quite a bit.

 

Not to beat a dead horse here but enjoyed best fresh!!

 

I had one that was 4 years old a couple weeks ago, and it was amazing. I will say that a lot of the coffee flavor had faded, but it was replaced with more chocolate flavors. Everyone who says that the coffee falls off is 100% correct, but my personal preference is to have coffee flavors that are a little more muted in beer (I also like Breakfast stout with a little age on it).

 

If the coffee drops off and the vanilla/bourbon notes increase, then game on.

 

No one has ever asked this. Ever.

 

They are usually all drank by the time they can age properly or it's an obvious answer?

 

First, I can't agree more with what has been posted by many here: beer doesn't "spoil," at least not in that way.

As for KBS, it's a crap shoot in my experience. I personally think my KBS 13 tasted better fresh than it did a year later. But it was still a fine beer. Others have reported that certain years tasted better fresh, so who's to say?

My advice: If you got a full four pack, then have one fresh. Always have one fresh. Then, if you're concerned about making it last, cellar it for six months and try another. If you like the direction it's taking, then wait on the other two--up to a year or two, if you prefer. If you don't like the direction, then go ahead and drink them and rest easy knowing that you didn't let them get too far gone and that you still enjoyed them.

Even if you age beer, remember that it's meant to be consumed. Don't let aging stand in your wait of enjoying beer.

 

Fresh is better

 

Typically with any style beer the colder it is the more it numbs your palate, the more muted the complexity of the flavors are. 50 degrees is a pretty good temp for most styles kbs included. I like My ipas' and saisons a bit colder to start but stouts, porters, barleywine, strong ales etc...I like at cellar temp (48° for me) or higher.

 

You need to manage your expectations about Great Divide beer going forward. That Scotch Ale probably tasted crappy when you bought it. Drink one KBS fresh; determine what you want to cellar from there. For what it's worth -- I prefer KBS aged a year.

 

Anytime I get a new stout especially a coffee stout I pour it cold & have 1/4 - 1/2 that way & let the rest warm to finish it.
KBS, to me, seems to be more coffee forward when it's cold & bourbon forward but better balanced when it warms so I prefer it warmed a little

 

Everyone has different pallets. To you KBS may be fresh while others like it aged. I'm building a five year to see where I find the money spot.

IMO....DAT KBS

 

KBS microwaved on high for 17 minutes really brings out the underlying licorice tones, I feel.

Well, maybe not that warm, but KBS improves the longer it warms in the glass.

 

I'd drink it within a year. It won't "evolve" much if it's kept in a case, relatively cool. Possibly a bit creamier, a bit less coffee.

I would not plan or attempt to plan to age this for more than a year.