Do lower ABV beers benifit from aging/cellaring?

[BrakeleyBrewing]

I recently got my hands on some extra corny kegs, and I am already thinking about what I want to be drinking this winter. I know I can brew barley wine, big stouts, strong scotch ale etc, keg them and throw them in the basement. But what about beers in the 4.5-6 percent ABV range?

I was thinking of doing a porter, a breakfast stout and some smaller english/scottish beers for the winter. Would they be better if I brewed them now and bulk aged them, or is it pointless with smaller beers? Also, I want to start entering in more competitions, so if it helps at all, I'll do it.

 

[RainyDay]

I'm not an expert on the matter, but I think it has more to do with the style than the proof. For example, while a highly hopped beer would keep for a long time, the hop flavor starts to disappear, making it not an ideal candidate. I have a relatively low ABV Chocolate Coffee Stout that I made for the past couple years, and the longer they sit the better they taste. I think your porter and stout would not only be fine aging that long, but would benefit from it.

 

[jeepinjeepin]

Flavored mellow over time. If you like bright flavors, drink them quick. If you like more subdued, smooth flavors, let them age. I think most of the reason high ABV beers are pushed to age is that they are less susceptible to infection. If your sanitation is solid I say brew a 4-5% malty beer and push it out to 6 months and see what you think.