The perfect time to open a cellared beer?

Roll the dice and see what happens. Follow your gut.

 

Had a 2011 Black Tuesday late 2013 and it mellowed out a lot and was very enjoyable. Also Evan Williams Eclipse after 2 years.

A beer I had 4 years may lost some carbonation or could have just been the bottle.

But depends on the style. Im going to sit on some sours for a while

 

I generally only cellar big impy stouts and if I only have 1, I always drink it at 12 months. If it is good and I have more I drink the rest, although I sometimes keeping a few for 2 and 3 years if it is a 12oz bottle (like Expedition Stout).

Only exception is Barleywines, which I happily let go for 3 years before trying.

 

Dubbels & Quads : Fresh or at least 2 years

Stouts : Better with one year than fresh

BA stouts: fresh or one year

Barleywines: the more time the better

fruit lambic: within two years

geuze: longer the better

Flanders red/brown: "fresh" since its already blended to have a certain profile

American sour : ?????

 

Unfortunately, I don't think there is an answer or even a general rule. It is dependent on both personal preference and each individual beer. That is two too many variables to make any definitive statement.

I do have a few opinions that are by no means rules however:

• Expedition is best four-five years old
• Beers with additives (fruit, coffee, chocolate, etc.) are best fresh
• Bigfoot is best two years or more
• FIS is best fresh
• Fruited lambics are best fresh
• Gueuzes only improve to at least ten years, sometimes more
• Fantômes improve out to ten years or more but go through stages of better and worse on the way
• BCBS is best one year in
• Belgian abbey styles improve up to five years out.
• Huge beers (Black Tuesday and variants, Bruery anniversaries, and basically anything over 12%, will usually smooth out over time but will begin to oxidize after three-five years.

 

Palo Santo Marron: A year on it is fantastic!

The only Imperial Stout I age is Storm King. Two years in the cellar, then I enjoy. I just can't seem to get into a Hoppy Stout. I lied, I'm aging an Expedition Stout. I had one with a year on it, and it was Amazing!

Then there's hoppy beers that have been Oak Aged. I didn't like the initial flavor of a fresh Oaked Big Hoppy Monster. I aged it about 7 months and I liked it. Got another bottle chilling to see how it progresses. Burton Baton aging that one too.

Overall: I don't usually Cellar beer on purpose, for the simple fact I don't know when I will die. If I die tomorrow or this afternoon, all my Walez die with me. Unless @gillagorilla, @wiscokid920 come over and raid my cellar.

 

Wednesdays usually work for me...

 

Have you tried the year old GI BW?

 

Not yet, I will though this Wednesday.