Peak flavor for bottle condioned beer?

So I've got my first few batches in bottles and they taste pretty darn good at 2 weeks. They are all 5 to 6% ABV ales and have been stored at room temperature and in the dark. Assuming no contamination or oxidation problems, when is peak flavor typically for "session" beers such as these? 4 weeks...4 months? Just curious,

Ben

I've heard a rule of thumb for conditioning is about a week in the bottle per % of ABV. So, that's a rule for beers that have thumbs. YMMV, I suppose.

Well, it really depends on the style of beer, recipe, fermentation factors, and how long you let the beer sit in the primary/secondary. However, the simple answer is that most beers will be drinkable by 3 or 4 weeks in bottle and will only get better from there if properly stored. I usually wait a full month before I start drinking a batch in earnest, though I find its usually the beers that have been aging for 2-3 months that taste the best and win me the awards.

I'm a huge fan of IPAs and found that the hops flavor mellows out considerably and it tastes best when it's young. I would choose a 3 week old IPA over a 2 month old IPA.

depends on style for sure. Milds and wits are good young, whereas a complex stout with many additions could take longer for all the flavors to meld together. Really depends on the beer itself.

Well my nut brown ale came out at 5.9% abv and it tastes pretty good at 2 weeks, although there is abit of a strong roast flavor to it and you can definitely taste the alcohol. I'm wondering if this will mellow out with time...

It probably will and the question is whether or not you prefer that change. Do you like how it tastes? If those flavors seem overbearing, then I would try it again in a week or two. If you like it, enjoy!

I would recommend that you make sure to save at least a six pack to be able to taste how it changes over time.

I agree with the above statements that it depends on the style. If you had a barleywine, I would definitely let it sit. If you had a wit, I would say drink it up. For this one, experiment and see what you like best.

I made an amber with 1 oz Chinook and 1 oz Amarillo. It is 5.9% abv. AndI noticed around the 6 week bottle conditioned time, the beer had lost its hop flavor substantially and the crystal malt was coming through.

Again, depends on style

Lighter, lower ABV sits in the bottle for 2-4 weeks and then I drink away. I cellar some tho, and those types peak within 2-4 months.
Darker or higher ABV is def longer. A 6% porter I do bottles for 2 months, peaks in 6.

Also, clarity is vastly improved by an extra couple weeks in the bottle.

Most of mine are at the best 5 to 8 weeks from brew day. Some fall off after that, others are more stable.

beerjunky828 said:

I made an amber with 1 oz Chinook and 1 oz Amarillo. It is 5.9% abv. AndI noticed around the 6 week bottle conditioned time, the beer had lost its hop flavor substantially and the crystal malt was coming through.

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I prefer the malt, plus me and SWMBO agree -- hops, like compliments, are best able to be appreciated when administered suitably sparingly.

I did 5 gallons of a stawberry blonde...it actually carbed in record time at 3 days. It tasted good at that point but had a slight plastic like after taste. I hope it's gone in a few weeks. Even with the very light plastic taste, it still ended up having a nice strawberry aroma and flavor.