Palo Santo

No experience aging it...phenomenal beer fresh...and one I'd really like to get my hands on a 3-4yr old bottle of. You know, without having to actually wait 3-4 years.

 

Hey, I have had Palo fresh and aged a number of times and no longer drink it fresh as it is far better aged. I have a bunch in the cellar now and don't plan to even look at them for at least 2 years. BTW, the same is true for Burton Baton (I know it's a DIPA, but trust me).

 

I've had it at just over 2 yrs, and it is brilliant!!! I generally can't keep it around very long though because it's one of my all time favorites. I have some year and a half BB as well. I can't wait to open one next year and see how it's doing.

 

Bear in mind fridge aging (around 38 degrees) slows the aging process versus cellar aging (55 degrees).

This summer I had a fresh Burton baton side by side with a 2009 (2 years old) BB. The aged version lacked any bitterness and was a little sweeter with more caramel malt. The older one also had a little cotton candy in the nose.

 

I cracked open a couple DFH Palo Santos last month while visiting my family back east. I had left several strong ales in the root cellar at my mothers house, and found the Palos mixed in with them. My best guess is that they were from 2008, though it could have been early 2009 when I bought them. Anyhow, they tasted fantastic! The cellaring process certainly hadn't decreased their flavor. I didn't have any fresh examples on hand to serve as a comparison, but going off memory I'd say the cellared beer has a very similar flavor profile in general to the fresh beer, but comes off a little hotter and richer. My 2 cents is to go ahead and try aging your own and see for yourself, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

I've got a couple '08s that I've been cellaring. It definitely takes some patience!

 

That beer is just sooo good, i cant even wait one week without cracking it!

 

Put them somewhere dark and cool and forget about them for a couple of years and you will reap the rewards. This beer is fantastic with a couple of years under her belt.

 

I've got two 4-Packs with about a year in them...gonna wait another year or two and crack them badboys open...I guess I'll buy a couple more 4-Packs and drink them fresh as I wait...

Cheers!

 

Doing the same thing, bought a 4-pack last year, drank one and liked it, then stashed the rest in the cellar...probably try one a year and see how it develops.

 

I enjoined a fresh one greatly for Father's Day two years ago. Didn't have one last year, but bought a four pack to have one a year for the next four years. Might even buy a four pack a year to do verticals.

 

I have had it fresh, at a year, and at two years at this point and find it to be delicious at any age. With age the heat dies down and toffee and vanilla notes become more prominent as the beer smooths out beautifully.

 

I'm actually sipping on a 2 year old bottle right now when I saw this thread. I've had it a number of times since it was fresh two years ago, and so far I've preferred each bottle I've tried over the previous one. The more age the better I say - or rather, at two years old this beer has not peaked yet.

 

I like the beer, but think it needs to be aged a bit to mellow out the heat, personally.

 

I have aged this beer and while I agree it does get better the changes were not drastic IMO. I have not had a fresh one in a while so maybe I dont remember as well the differences in fresh vs aged. I have two left from April 2009 if anyone wants them feel free to message me and maybe we can work something out.

With BB I liked that with at least 6-9 months on it. Fresh you can't even taste the barrel aging at all cause its quite hoppy. The longer you let it go the more the hops fade out and mellow leaving you with some oaky vanilla notes and much more balanced.

 

This beer ages incredibly well. I had a few 2008's within the last 3 months, and they were so good, I just bought a case of this year's release.