Was buying beer for Easter and I noticed the store I was at had Avery Maharaja. I was vaguely familiar with this brew from here so I decided to grab a bottle. As I was signing my credit card receipt, I noticed the bottle said it was from the 2009 batch. Correct me if i am wrong but this is probably past its prime right? The Hoppy flavor has probably died out with age right?
Old Imperial IPAs?
- Thread starter BigBill
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pinback
Well-Known Member
Depends on what the ABV is in a way. In another way, 3 years is a long cellar time and I would bet its past it's prime unless it's north of 9%.
Doesn't mean it won't taste great tho...please report back with some more info like ABV and IBU and what type hops and then what you thought of it in your tasting! Very cool to find a brew 3 yrs old anyway, right?
Doesn't mean it won't taste great tho...please report back with some more info like ABV and IBU and what type hops and then what you thought of it in your tasting! Very cool to find a brew 3 yrs old anyway, right?
Pogopunx82
Well-Known Member
I had a 2010 bottle of IIPA from Santa Fe Brewing last year that had no hop aroma or anything thing of the sort, but it turned into a nice barleywine.
Andrew5329
Well-Known Member
The term "imperial" historically is a classification given to beers which have a specialized recipe that gives it the longevity to last the 1-2 years it took on a ship to reach it's destinations throughout the British Empire without going bad. (the main difference between an "imperial" and a non imperial is the addition of large quantities of Hops during the boil which then help prevent spoilage)
If it's a true to recipe Imperial it should be fine. Give it a taste and even if it's "Bad" it wont make you sick (no known pathogen can survive in finished beer) worst comes to worst bring it back to the store.
If it's a true to recipe Imperial it should be fine. Give it a taste and even if it's "Bad" it wont make you sick (no known pathogen can survive in finished beer) worst comes to worst bring it back to the store.
This is what I would figure as well. It'll retain most of the bitterness and malt character, but the hop aroma and flavor will probably be long gone.
Problem is, the best part of the Maharaja is the hop aroma and flavor!
Let us know how it tastes aged. If it's still as great as fresh (albeit in a different way), I might have to pick one up to age.
Ramitt
Well-Known Member
That is not historically accurate as I understand it.
pinback
Well-Known Member
Check out this writeup
http://tehtable.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/a-quick-note-on-aging-beer-in-general/
http://tehtable.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/a-quick-note-on-aging-beer-in-general/
Thanks for all the responses...
Pinback - ABV is 10.27%, IBUs is 102. I agree finding a 3 yr old beer is cool. It is interesting to see how things change. I haven't had Maharaja fresh, but I've drank a lot of other other hoppy IPA/DIPAs this weekend so it is interesting to compare vs those.
As for the tasting, I would say broadly it tastes along the lines that Ohrumphf amd pinback's link implied it would.
It poured amber body with no head. Very lightly carbonated. Very malty smell, like smelling milled grain (reminds me of the grain room at my LHBS). Taste is caramel/toasted malt, not very hoppy at all. Very, very dry finish.
I compared my tasting vs some of the tasting notes vs BeerAdvocate notes and fruity flavors and hoppiness has clearly faded away which is to be expected.
Funny i spent $10 bucks to buy a "hophead" beer but got a beer lesson instead....
Pinback - ABV is 10.27%, IBUs is 102. I agree finding a 3 yr old beer is cool. It is interesting to see how things change. I haven't had Maharaja fresh, but I've drank a lot of other other hoppy IPA/DIPAs this weekend so it is interesting to compare vs those.
As for the tasting, I would say broadly it tastes along the lines that Ohrumphf amd pinback's link implied it would.
It poured amber body with no head. Very lightly carbonated. Very malty smell, like smelling milled grain (reminds me of the grain room at my LHBS). Taste is caramel/toasted malt, not very hoppy at all. Very, very dry finish.
I compared my tasting vs some of the tasting notes vs BeerAdvocate notes and fruity flavors and hoppiness has clearly faded away which is to be expected.
Funny i spent $10 bucks to buy a "hophead" beer but got a beer lesson instead....
pinback
Well-Known Member
Well, good to know how it turned out. Kinda crazy to think that 102 IBU could dwindle to about 5 huh?
A lesson I learned-don't buy beer on the top shelf that is fairly close to lights even if it is 50% off ! The light kills it.
A lesson I learned-don't buy beer on the top shelf that is fairly close to lights even if it is 50% off ! The light kills it.
bwomp313
Well-Known Member
yeah I always grab from the back on non-top shelves
