Cellaring stouts

[twitchster]

I've never cellared any beers before but I was wanting to save several imperial stouts to open around Christmas of this year. I've got several but have no idea which ones are worth cellaring and which ones will just get worse with age. Are there specific things I should look for in a beer when cellaring besides abv? Also, I just have them stuck in a fridge that I use strictly for beer. It's cooler than the recommended 50-55 degree range. How will that effect the beer?

Here's a list of beers that I've got held back:

North Coast - Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Rasputin XIX
Goose Island - BCBS
The Bruery - So Happens It's Tuesday
Oskar Blues - Barrel Aged Ten Fidy
Dogfish Head - World Wide Stout
Brooklyn - Black Ops
Uinta - Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
Great Divide - Barrel Aged Yeti
Great Divide - Oaked Yeti
Great Divide - Oatmeal Yeti
Great Divide - Yeti
Bells - Expedition Stout
Dark Horse - Plead the 5th
Evil Twin - Big Ass Money Stout
Prairie - Pirate Bomb
Sierra Nevada - Trip in the Woods: Bourbon Barrel Aged Narwhal w/currants
Stone - Imperial Russian Stout


Some possible additions are:
Ninkasi - Ground Control
Great Basin 404 Scytale
Port Brewing - Santa's Little Helper
Stone - Give Me Stout or Give Me Death
Stone - Woot Stout
Alesmith - Speedway Stout
Firestone Walker - Parabola
Firestone Walker - Velvet Merkin
Founders - KBS

All these beers are or will be 2016 releases (minus the KBS). Does anyone know if these beers age well? Thanks in advance!

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

BCBS now pasteurizes from what I believe. It's a great beer but not sure on the recent changes.

North Coast is awesome to age. Even the Old Rasputin is great aged. It's a good cheap beer to stock up on.

 

[twitchster]

Cool, thanks man. So essentially I won't gain anything from aging the BCBS but it wouldn't hurt it either. I might have to pick up some Old Rasputins too now.

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

The BCBS will change over time but probably not as much. The yeast is dead but hops and malt are still affected. I just recently discovered I have a couple of the contaminated lots in my cellar. I missed the refund date. I've been meaning to open and try one.

 

[TallDan]

The BCBS will change over time but probably not as much. The yeast is dead but hops and malt are still affected. I just recently discovered I have a couple of the contaminated lots in my cellar. I missed the refund date. I've been meaning to open and try one.

They're hit and miss. Bottles from the same case with the same treatment range from undrinkable to off, but still passable.

 

[twitchster]

So would just sticking them in a fridge be alright or do they need to be about 50 - 55 degrees?

 

[orionol73]

Also, I just have them stuck in a fridge that I use strictly for beer. It's cooler than the recommended 50-55 degree range. How will that effect the beer? That's fine, they will just change a little slower than at cellar temp. I store in both a fridge and cellar and its doesn't make a discernible difference unless you are talking YEARS.

Here's a list of beers that I've got held back: Certainly age these, the others I don't have experience with.

North Coast - Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Rasputin XIX
Goose Island - BCBS
The Bruery - So Happens It's Tuesday
Oskar Blues - Barrel Aged Ten Fidy
Dogfish Head - World Wide Stout
Uinta - Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
Great Divide - Barrel Aged Yeti
Great Divide - Oaked Yeti
Great Divide - Oatmeal Yeti
Great Divide - Yeti
Bells - Expedition Stout
Dark Horse - Plead the 5th
Evil Twin - Big Ass Money Stout
Prairie - Pirate Bomb
Sierra Nevada - Trip in the Woods: Bourbon Barrel Aged Narwhal w/currants
Stone - Imperial Russian Stout
Port Brewing - Santa's Little Helper
Stone - Give Me Stout or Give Me Death
Stone - Woot Stout
Firestone Walker - Parabola
Firestone Walker - Velvet Merkin
Founders - KBS

All these beers are or will be 2016 releases (minus the KBS). Does anyone know if these beers age well? Thanks in advance!

See notes and enjoy the journey! Part of cellaring is experiencing how the beers change.

 

[cegan09]

If you want some insight into why some beers age well and why some don't, this is a good book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/161212156X/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


But the short answer is there is no real guide to which ones age well and which don't. Try it and find out. That said, it's kinda pointless to just throw a bunch away without trying them new. You have nothing to compare to. When I buy something to age I make sure I get a few. Try one fresh, then set a bunch aside. Buy some more the next year and do the same. Eventually you'll have a whole range of the same beer to try and compare. From that you can pick your favorite "vintage" of that beer and age a bunch more to be enjoyed later at the same age.