Beer Aging and Maturation: need advice/help

Hey guys,

I'm looking to do something a little different this fall. I still consider myself somewhat of a novice, though I've been brewing for 4-5 years.

This Thanksgiving, while the SWMBOs are working hard on the meal, I was thinking about getting the guys together and doing a 'family brew'. My thought was to find something that we could brew, then age until next Thanksgiving when we'd drink that one, and make a new batch.

If I go down this road, do you guys have any suggestions for great recipes that are meant to be aged for 6-12 months? I'm excited about the possibility of passing on the gift of brewing!

Big, strong, and dark...Imperial Stouts, Belgian Ales, IIPAs, Barley Wines, etc;

That being said I've had normal IPAs that were bottled and kept in a fridge for a year that tasted fine.

Regular ol' IPA should be fine. So long as the OG is above 1.065 and it's bottle-conditioned, it ought to keep for a while.

What you brew should depend on a certain baseline of what everyone likes. If they like sweeter beers, go for a Scotch Ale or "Wee Heavy". If they dig Da Hopz, brew up an IPA or Double IPA.

Cheers,

Bob