Shelf life / Aging time

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Newfermenter1

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I read posts that urge patience when it comes to allowing time for beer to condition, and other posts that testify to a beer tasting great on its one year anniversary. I know some Belgian style beers can "mellow" or "ripen" (Whatever the correct terminology is!?) for even longer.
Is this dependent on the style of beer you have made, or something to do with the amount of hops (IBU's / Alpha acids) that are used?
I want to be patient, and enjoy my beer in its prime, avoid "green" beer, but not miss out on tasting one of those well aged beers, or let a batch start going "south" (pucker face).
:mug:
 
there is no one answer.

a barleywine might take a year to be good.
kolsch and wit bier should be drank young.

it depends on the style, the recipe, brewhouse methos, oaking or not-oaking. cold crashing. etc...etc..
 
Yes, it really depends on the style. Most regular gravity ales peak at around 3 months and are good for about 6 months before they start to lose something. Higher gravity ales take longer to peak and can be good for well over a year.
 
Thanks guys! Curious because the wife is now part of the obsession, and wants to brew beer everytime we bottle, and I want to try a beer that will be a long keeper so we can drink what we have made already! Guess our friends will be happy when / if I need to speed up the process by giving out some beer!
 
malkore said:
there is no one answer.

a barleywine might take a year to be good.
kolsch and wit bier should be drank young.

it depends on the style, the recipe, brewhouse methos, oaking or not-oaking. cold crashing. etc...etc..

New to the racket, so what can you tell me about "oaking?" Sounds pretty cool! Is this a secondary process? What styles of beer appreciate this?
 
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