I just enjoyed one bottle from each of my first three beers that I ever brewed. They had sat in the back of my fridge for around two months, or more. I suggest saving a beer from each of your brews and doing this, its interesting to see how they age. Each had significant chill haze when I drank them at two or three weeks old. Each beer had cleared right up after a few more weeks in the fridge. Anyway, it was a fun exercise and I'm now a believer in letting beers age a bit.
Something for all beginners to do.
- Thread starter Athos56
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starrfish
Well-Known Member
yup, hard to do once you start kegging, but started sugar carbing a keg to get a pipeline going and like results better.
My first batch I drank over about two months. When I got to the last 3 bottles I was really kicking myself for how quick I drank it. It really came together at that point.
I try to put aside a six pack from every brew now for a few months after the rest are gone.
I try to put aside a six pack from every brew now for a few months after the rest are gone.
BamaRooster
Well-Known Member
Time, especially on darker beers, can have an amazing effect.
I do small batches (25-32 bottles per batch) and I've started to let them sit for two months before even trying that first one. Even IPAs which are supposed to be consumed "fresh.' Stouts get even longer.
When they hit the two month mark, they are awesome - wonderful flavor, crystal clear, big fluffy head that lasts and lasts, etc. Every time I try a two month old beer, if I drank half or 3/4 of the batch before it hit its prime, it's such a disappointment because it feels like I wasted all that beer by drinking it before it was ready.
Edit: The batch that really got me was my Pliny clone, made from the "official" recipe. I started drinking it at about 3-4 weeks in the bottles. Over the course of the next couple weeks and months, the flavor changed SO much. By about 3 months in the bottles, it was a completely different beer. Right around the time I had only 2 or 3 left, I got some real Pliny for the first time. Had to try the real thing and mine side by side. The aged Pliny, which was so different from what it was after one month in the bottles, was spot-on identical to the real thing. And that's when I had that Eureka! moment that beers do well with a couple months of aging. Cheers!
When they hit the two month mark, they are awesome - wonderful flavor, crystal clear, big fluffy head that lasts and lasts, etc. Every time I try a two month old beer, if I drank half or 3/4 of the batch before it hit its prime, it's such a disappointment because it feels like I wasted all that beer by drinking it before it was ready.
Edit: The batch that really got me was my Pliny clone, made from the "official" recipe. I started drinking it at about 3-4 weeks in the bottles. Over the course of the next couple weeks and months, the flavor changed SO much. By about 3 months in the bottles, it was a completely different beer. Right around the time I had only 2 or 3 left, I got some real Pliny for the first time. Had to try the real thing and mine side by side. The aged Pliny, which was so different from what it was after one month in the bottles, was spot-on identical to the real thing. And that's when I had that Eureka! moment that beers do well with a couple months of aging. Cheers!
theonetrueruss
Senior Member
definitely.. I had a 15% abv IPA last October in a keg. It was good then. I bottled off a 6 pack to save. Had a couple in Nov then waited and last night drank one and it was super awesome perfect. Sad I only have 2 left. Should have bottled up a lot more and saved them for a couple months. Granted- the hop aroma is greatly lessened so I'd want to have some fresh for that experience but save most for the more refined taste that aging gives.
I'm only 5 batches in and only have a 12 pack left of my KiltLifter Clone that was my first attempt. I agree that it has only gotten better with time. I brewed this batch Thanksgiving weekend... About how long is too long to keep this one around? I know there's no exacting answer to this, but does anyone have a rule of thumb? 80/20 rule?
I'm still drinking bottles of my stout that was brewed nearly a year and a half ago and they still taste good so I still don't know how long is too long.
I do know that the APA that I bottled this last November is beginning to lose some of the hop aroma though.
I do know that the APA that I bottled this last November is beginning to lose some of the hop aroma though.
I drank the last of a RIS a couple years ago - the beer was over five years old at the time. It was the best beer I ever had. Of course it always is when you have the last bottle. I have half a case of 10 year old barleywine I'll be drinking once I get back to the states. Can't wait to see how that one is doing.
Today is the official opening day of my first batch, after the suggested minimum of three weeks in the bottle. I think the idea of saving some and letting it age is great, but I'm not sure I'll be able to resist the temptation to just drink it until it's gone.
I think I might be able to "lose" a few bottles in the fridge behind the cheese drawer. In any case, this is a good reminder for me to write the brewdate on the caps so I don't forget what's in the bottles as my pipeline spins up.
My currently-fermenting porter will require a lot more time than the one I'm drinking today, so it looks like I'll have to spend a few weeks... let's just call it "acquiring more bottles for future use."
I think I might be able to "lose" a few bottles in the fridge behind the cheese drawer. In any case, this is a good reminder for me to write the brewdate on the caps so I don't forget what's in the bottles as my pipeline spins up.
My currently-fermenting porter will require a lot more time than the one I'm drinking today, so it looks like I'll have to spend a few weeks... let's just call it "acquiring more bottles for future use."
azscoob
Brewpub coming soon!
When I started brewing I made a 5 gallon batch every weekend for a couple months, I was very busy brewing so I spent less time chugging down my beers. when my pipeline gets low I try to knock out some quick beers, hefes, milds, ordinary bitters etc. to get up to capacity again so the bigger more complex beers can have some time.
I drank about 6 of my fist brew a week after they were bottled, they were barely carbonated, I drank another 6 that week. By week two in the bottle there were only a few left. I think the last four were properly carbonated
. The second batch was a little better, I was still finishing off the first batch so I didn't get to it as quick. I'm starting to do a longer primary, 2 weeks, so that its about 4 weeks old before I break into it. What's throwing things off now is that I have a some Apfelwein and a Lager in the mix, I have to make sure I got the bottles free when I need them...My green beers have gotten a reprieve. I have to empty a few store-bought 22oz brews the old-fashioned way so I can refill the bottles with a porter I plan to bottle next weekend. I think that will keep my thirst slaked for a week or so, giving the bottles of my first batch a little longer to develop before I start murdering them again. 
I'm very patient. I brew 4 batches in 2 days and then repeat in 2 wks. This allows me to get a big reserve and then something is always ready. It's easy to be patient if you have a supply line.
