What's the general consenus on IPA dates/age as extras?

Discussion in 'Trade Talk' started by cfh64, Jul 15, 2012.

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  1. cfh64

    cfh64 Pooh-Bah (2,070) Aug 16, 2005 Texas
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm pretty sure this topic has come up before but what how old do you guys/gals consider an IPA too old to be sent/received as extra? This is by no means in reference to any people I've traded with. I have had IPA's that are about 6-8 weeks old and although not as tasty as if they were 2 weeks old they are still quite delicious.

    Although I wanted to send some of these out as extras, especially well known and highly rated IPA's, I didn't because I didn't want to offend the other person or make it seem like I was just trying to unload a not so fresh IPA.
     
  2. claaark13

    claaark13 Maven (1,412) Nov 29, 2007 Indiana
    Trader

    If I don't know the age, I'll generally get one for myself to first test the waters. If I'd still drink it myself, I feel fine sending it off.
     
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  3. InebriatedJoker

    InebriatedJoker Initiate (0) Sep 16, 2010 Ohio

    I would say it depends on just how old they are, otherwise it's really no big deal as long as they are still drinking fine. Columbus Ipa doesn't bottle date and I always taste one out of the sixer before sending just to make sure they are still good to go , I have only once had a bad sixer, they tend to sell rather well in these parts..
     
  4. Msquared2

    Msquared2 Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2011 North Carolina

    This is a good question. I don't tend to drink many IPAs so I am not as familiar with the "24 hour drop off period." Since I am not a great judge of freshness and hops in general, I will send anything that is less than 6 weeks or by the "drink before" date. I could have made some people upset I guess. But they are extras.
     
  5. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    As long as it's within the best by date or within a few weeks of the bottled date, you should be a-ok.
     
  6. jrnyc

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

    I wouldn't send anything that I wouldn't drink myself.
     
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  7. harrymel

    harrymel Initiate (0) Dec 15, 2010 Washington

    I agree with most of what has been said so far. Although, I recently sent out an IPA I'd aged over two years, why?!

    Cuz it was the bomb. It was DFH 60 min.
     
  8. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    for receiving, i don't really care (i love the "extras" practice and i always include extras unless specified not to, but i still consider what i get as a bonus). obviously i'm more excited if the beer is fresh, but free beer is free beer.

    for giving, definitely < 1 month. i'm not a huge IPA guy so i don't usually send mega hoppy beers anyway, though some NEBCO offerings might start making it into boxes (their revamped sea hag IPA recipe is excellent). if no date information, i'd do as suggested above (drink one, send if good).

    i'm firmly on the "freshness freak" side of the silly "freshness debate" on BA. i think people posting about "OMG you only like IPAs if they're a day old!!" are mysteriously overreacting to people caring about freshness, AKA caring about their beer tasting as good as possible.
     
  9. ShogoKawada

    ShogoKawada Initiate (0) May 31, 2009 Pennsylvania

    after 3 months, don't send. After six weeks? What are you, a supertaster?
     
  10. slentz

    slentz Initiate (0) Mar 20, 2010 Pennsylvania

    If it wasn't bottled the same day the box lands it's a drain pour.
     
  11. VncentLIFE

    VncentLIFE Initiate (0) Feb 16, 2011 North Carolina

    Its an extra. They cant be mad about a free beer. If you want to impress them, just taste it first. If youre not sure, dont send it. I had a bottle of Sculpin to ship out, but it was like 3 months old. Couldnt do it.
     
  12. cbeer88

    cbeer88 Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2007 Massachusetts

    It largely depends on the beer. Some hold up better than others, and some beers are just easier to get fresher than others. For example, one time I sent a pair of 2 month old Heady Topper cans. HT holds up quite well for about 3 months IMO. Now on the one hand I wish I had fresher stock to send, as it is not as good as perfectly fresh. But, on the other hand, I'm pretty sure they appreciated getting to try Heady Topper more than some other random fresh local IPA I could have sent instead. I'd certainly feel similar about receiving some Alpine rarity vs something much more easily gotten.

    Generally I do try to pack it with less than a month though. By the time it gets to them, and they get around to drinking it, it could easily be 6-8 weeks.

    I have received a couple of 6 month+ IPA's in BIF's, which is a bit more of a no-no. Even as a trade extra, that's pushing it.
     
    cfh64 likes this.
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