20+ year old beer

Come March I am going to be a new father. I got this crazy idea of doing a batch of beer(or mead) around my kid's birthday every year and saving 2 or so bottles until they are 21.

Is this even remotely possible for a homebrewer? Has anyone successfully kept beer or mead this long without oxidation?

I have a bottle that is 25 years old, but I wouldn't drink it. It is from my first batch, but to your point, YES but it should be strong, well made and stored carefully. A giant barleywine, Imperial Stout, that kind of thing will work. It will become sherry like and taste very different then its original, fresh form. Go for it!

Mead will work too, and you would follow the same rules as above.

Congradulations, by the way! It's cliche, but true; having a kidling absolutely changes your life in ways that you cannot fathom ahead of time, and that you would never change back.

Oh, and I like the idea of a mead, too; even a REAL big barleywine would be a little scary after that long a period, but a nice mead would be in great shape.

Isnt Thomas Hardy barleywine aged like 25 years?

Check out this link for some good information:

http://www.bpe.com/beverages/beer/vintage_beers.htm

And yes, Thomas Hardy is a beer made to be aged for a long time.

Funny, I was thinking of doing something similar as I will ba a new father come December. I was thinking of making an Imperial Stout called Conception and keeping a few bottles to crack when he/she is 18(Canada).

How about a dopple bock called IMPREGNATOR?

I think you should do a mead. It will ahve a great flavor. Consider the impact the drink will have on your kids after 21 years. If their first [legal] drink of your homebrew is an old, dusty, oxidized, vinegar/sherryish barleywine, will they truly be impressed with your homebrewing capabilites?

On the other hand, if their first drink is a nice, fruity, smooth, warming sip of mead. Ahhhh . . . . a lifetime brewery companion.

I have a bottle of Barkshack Ginger Mead that's 13 years old now. I think I'll crack it open when I retire in 3 years.

everyone always wants to celebrate the birth - how come we never get to be in on the conception?

just don't be surprised if your bright, wonderful child finds it and drinks it when he/she's 13 or so.

Brewpastor said:

How about a dopple bock called IMPREGNATOR?

Click to expand...

No no, that's what you drink to start the conception.


lol pastors

Thanks all. The bpe article was extremely helpfull.

I think I will try a big mead, probably about 5 lbs. of honey per gallon. I haven't tried using champagne yeast with mead yet, this will be a good time to try.