Does long term storage in fridge equal cellaring?

[mtnagel]

Let's say I found a Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout from Sept 2009 in the back of my fridge

Does the fridge "lock" in the beer or does it continue to age/mature in the fridge like beer does when cellared?

 

[jonmohno]

It still ages. At least with IPA's,probably even barleywines.Im about to find out with the barleywine,although I dont have an exact memory of it a year ago. but I often drink a sixer of stuff randomly and it does change over time.It can age but just slower,colder usually always equals slower though. Its really lagering which would age it very slowly.Cellaring with age it faster.Id be interested in more testimonies of either myself. Like a 5 year fridge barleywine vs a 5 year cellard or even room temp aged.

 

[mtnagel]

Thanks that's kind of what I was figuring. I don't know who has the patience for that test!!

 

[RainyDay]

Let's say I found a Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout from Sept 2009 in the back of my fridge

Does the fridge "lock" in the beer or does it continue to age/mature in the fridge like beer does when cellared?

My only thought is that the colder temp would preserve the original character longer (or age it less quickly).

 

[jesserizzo]

Yeah, it still ages, just slower. I've heard it said that for every 10C reduction in temp, it ages 2-3 times slower. So going from cellar temps of about 55F (13C) to fridge temps 40F (4C) is about that 10C reduction. So almost 4 years in the fridge is worth about 1.3 to 2 years of cellaring.

 

[uncommonsense]

John palmer was talking about this on brew strong. He said the it ages differently. Its all about the oxidation rate and gravity. Gravity is the same no matter what but the rate of oxidation is slower you end up with cleaner beer in the fridge. Becuase gravity pull all the crud down but you get less oxidation. I guess thats the idea behind lagering. I could be wrong though.