To drink or not to drink..

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Pivot

Pivot

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So I just picked up a $7 bottle of Fullers 2009 Vintage ale. I am so tempted to just crack this thing open, but I almost feel like its more of a collectable then a beer. the thing has a serial number for christ sakes! Should I drink this damn thing or keep it?
 
well there is also the fact that its bottle conditioned. i think fullers recommends cellering for like 4 years before drinking. god damn what did i get myself into haha. im gonna feel guilty if i open this thing, even four years from now.
 
Buy a second one and drink away, cellar the second one, and take tasting notes.

a few years from now drink the other, take notes and compare.
 
Im not 100% because I havent been brewing that long, but shouldnt a bottle conditioned beer be sold around like 60 degrees? I found this vintage ale in the cold section of the store, and i may be completely wrong but i thought cooling it stopped the yeast. would it be a problem warming it back up noiw?
 
This beer IS better with age. Hide it in your cellar and open it in a couple years. It is best to have a couple so you can taste them at different stages.

It will be good now. All the flavors will be brash and full. With aging it will mellow out and blend to a smoother more elegant drink. Both are great ways to enjoy it.
 
Buy two (2) more bottles. Drink one. That way you get it out of your system.

Cellar the second until next year. Cellar the third until the year after.

There are a lot of people that do exactly that. They buy a few bottles of good barleywine every year, but don't crack them until at least a year later.

Donkey Sniffer is right - it'll age well.
 
If you don't drink it now how will you know if It aged well and was worth the wait?

If I really had to have some aged beer I would buy it from someone who had the patience to sit on it for years.
 
Beer is not collectable, it's drinkable. If you want to age it that's different. I agree with buy two - drink one, age one so you can compare notes.

-OCD
 
I got your answer, and will help a fellow drinker out.

When you are not looking I will drink the beer, refill it with water, and then you can store it as long as you wish. It only works when you are not looking because if you see me drinking the beer you may want some thus killing any future collectibles I may have to drink for you. :ban:
 
I've had a bottle of Brother Adam's Bragget Ale from Atlantic Brewing Company in my cellar since 2006.

Every year when I camp up there, I buy two bottles - one to keep in the cellar and one to drink while camping the next year.

The guy who did the tasting this year said someone brought a bottle from the original batch...from 1995, I believe...said it was unbelievable.
 
I bought a bomber of Stone's 09-09-09 with the expectation of not drinking it until 12-12-12.. it lasted about 30 minutes...LOL I have no will power.
 
You can't buy just one.
This March, I bought 8 DFH 120s to share w/ my GF. We each drank one that night. Had the 2nd pair this weekend. Next pair will be in 6 or more months.
It's a different beer altogether now. She liked it fresh. Din't like it 9 months old. I like it more now. Can't wait til summer! :)
 
ALWAYS BUY TWO, that way you can have one enjoy it, and wait until your will power gives in to have the second.... For some that would be called collecting others it would be called days.... im somewhere in between, like 3 months...
 
MStudinski said:
I bought a bomber of Stone's 09-09-09 with the expectation of not drinking it until 12-12-12.. it lasted about 30 minutes...LOL I have no will power.
Click to expand...

haha, I have 05-09 chilling, but I think it took me 4-5 bottles of each until i actually managed to save one...
 

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