How long can I expect a batch to last.

[Eco]

I brewed a 5g batch of German bock on the eve of the birth of a friends Daughter. While I normally keg everything I want to bottle this batch and open them over a period of years? on her birthdays. How long can I expect a german bock at 6.5% to continue to be drinkable before the quality starts to fall off? Am I popping six bottles every birthday? Four? Two??

 

[aiptasia]

Truthfully, it starts to fall off the day you bottle it. Fortunately, it's a very slow process. That being said, it should be fine and drinkable up to about two years or so. You'll definitely taste a reduction in hops flavor and aroma after six months of age. Most low gravity/low alcohol ales are best consumed fresh. Higher alcohol beers can be cellared and will "keep" longer. Just store your beer in a cool, dry, dark place and everything should be fine.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I wouldn't get your hopes up. A couple years tops probably. I had some ale that a friend left in the basement and forgot about that was two years old. Had about the same abv as yours. It was still drinkable, but not that tasty and all the hop flavor was gone. I think a big ole RIS or a barley wine would have been a better choice for this adventure.

 

[TTB-J]

There's no universal answer to this question. Like a bottle of wine, if stored properly, a bottle of beer will last decades. If you're popping at least one open every year, then you'll be able to tell if a degradation in quality begins. As soon as that starts to happen, I would just drink the rest that year and have a really really good birthday party.

 

[firebirdude]

Not wise to celebrate with something that degrades quality as the child gets older.

You'll be celebrating the terrible two's with an unhoppy swag-less beer. And three's are no better....for the children or the beer.

 

[BamaRooster]

Another factor in shelf life is the amount of oxygen introduced to the beer post fermentation. Oxygen will cause the beer to well...oxidize and that reduces the shelf life.

 

[BamaRooster]

Not wise to celebrate with something that degrades quality as the child gets older.

You'll be celebrating the terrible two's with an unhoppy swag-less beer. And three's are no better....for the children or the beer.

good point...maybe a plan to brew the same beer for her birthday every year is something to consider

 

[derek81]

Make mead

 

[Eco]

Thanks for all the input. I concede it wasn't very well thought out. I generally brew smaller beers so when I was brewing one of my bigger beers to date and she had the baby I thought I would recognize that. I shall consider an "accelerated" drinking schedule in that case.

 

[smokeyfisherman]

I'm still considered a "noob" but i think if i were going to bottle something I was planning on keeping around for a while I would spend the extra money on the caps that absorb oxygen. And i would even consider waxing them.