Optimum Age for Stone RIS

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by MichaelInMA, May 1, 2016.

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  1. MichaelInMA

    MichaelInMA Devotee (373) Apr 24, 2016 Massachusetts

    What is the optimum age for a Stone Russian Imperial Stout?

    That is the only beer that I cellar. I have a 115 year old house with a pantry in the basement that stays a nice consistent 50 to 60 degrees all year round. An ideal cellar. Every year I get at least 3 bottles of Stone RIS. I just tucked away my 2016 bottles.

    I have heard that 2 years is optimum. I still have several bottles of 2013. I think I bought a case that year. That makes them 3 years at this point.

    Going threw my inventory I found a bottle of 2011. I had to crack it open and try it. It is very mellow. Very, very mellow. It is also has some very strong Carmel notes I had never noticed in any others. I am drinking it in a sniffer. It has the most pleasant nose of any beer I can remember having. There are two after tastes. The first one is nice. The second one after two or more minutes is not so great but I have had beers that are far worse.

    I wonder what the alcohol content is now. I have heard it usually goes down. The angles portion even in a glass bottle.
     
    #1 MichaelInMA, May 1, 2016
  2. Goldfishman

    Goldfishman Initiate (0) Jan 29, 2012 Massachusetts

    I drank a 2009 last year and it was still drinking amazing .
     
    #2 Goldfishman, May 6, 2016
  3. HighWine

    HighWine Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2010 Illinois

    I opened a 2008 in 2013 and thought it was last it's prime. You're right, though, the nose was fantastic. Unfortunately the taste wasn't as good.
     
    #3 HighWine, May 7, 2016
  4. riotontheroad

    riotontheroad Savant (1,211) Apr 7, 2010 California
    Trader

    cracked one almost exactly 2 yrs from the bottling date and was blown away! tucking a few away for 2018!
     
    #4 riotontheroad, May 7, 2016
  5. RDMII

    RDMII Initiate (0) Apr 11, 2010 Georgia

    ABV doesn't go down after a beer is packaged.

    People have had this beer, myself included, at a decade old or more and loved it. There is no 'ideal' spot other than what your palate agrees with.
     
    #5 RDMII, May 7, 2016
  6. dragonaut

    dragonaut Initiate (0) May 29, 2005 Iowa

    FWIW I have heard Mitch Steele from Stone likes it at 7 years when stored well, I know our region's stone rep likes 5 years. It holds up better than most. Not many beers hold up past 2-2.5 years, even good cellar candidates, save for lambic/gueuze…
     
    #6 dragonaut, May 8, 2016
  7. jrnyc

    jrnyc Grand Pooh-Bah (3,012) Mar 21, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I had the 2013 Espresso last night. Espresso was long gone but what was left was smooth and chocolatey. Bitterness that fresh RIs have was gone.
     
    #7 jrnyc, May 8, 2016
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