How long does homebrew keep?

[Bopper]

All,

I've been homebrewing for 4 years or so and I've never had brews around long enough to need an answer to this question...until now. Two years ago I moved and brought a case of homebrews with me. The case included a nut brown ale, imperial IPA, and an expresso stout. I put the case along with some barley wine that I have been bottle conditioning and somehow forgot that the nutbrown, IIPA and stout were there. They've been sitting there for two years now (in a cool dark closet). Do you think they'll be OK?

I searched the forum looking for an anser to this question (I can't imagine this topic hasn't been discussed before) but couldn't find a thread. Apologies if I'm repeating a past question.

Best,
Boppper

 

[oberon567]

There is a very easy way to discover the answer... throw them in the fridge for a day or two, and then drink them! Then tell us how they taste!

 

[Grinder12000]

Funny you should ask as I just read the answer last night.

It all depends LOL

1 year seems to be the typical length if the conditions are good and you did a good job at bottling. Oxidation is the problem but if that was not an issue it depends on the style and gravity.

 

[Professor Frink]

Those styles of beer I'd say they're good for a while. Typically high alcohol beers, as well as beers with roasted barley, tend to keep for a long time.

 

[Bopper]

Thanks for your answers.

I put a few of them in the refrig this morning...will let you know how they are.

 

[The Blow Leprechaun]

Well, you can either drink them and see, or pour them out without even trying.

It can't get you sick, the worst that'll happen is it won't taste good.

 

[elkdog]

Jamil talks about drinking a 4 year old Scottish 60 and it still being excellent, so it seems there's no real predictor, if your storage conditions are good.

Edit: Your IIPA won't have nearly the hop flavor or aroma after this long, but as mentioned above- they can't hurt you, so it's absolutely worth trying.

 

[Poppy360]

It might be the best beer you've ever made and now it'll take two years to reproduce it.

 

[conpewter]

I have always found that my porters and stouts really take several months before they even smell/taste good to me (especially a couple oatmeal stouts I made)

 

[BigKahuna]

I have a coffee stout that turns 10 Years old in May. It's Past it's peak, but not by much.

 

[leebrew]

I have had a light style beer age for about 9 months. It tasted no different than when it was about 3 months old. Then again it was a light beer.

 

[Bopper]

I just cracked a 22 of the brown ale....After 2.5 years in bottles, it's way better than my notes say it was. I was unimpressed when I made it and, although I can't believe I'm saying this, but it is one of the better beers I've made.

The IIPA is still good, but tastes more like a regular IPA now.
The coffee stout is good as well. This was my worst batch...I added too much coffee and overcarbonated it. The coffee flavor has faded over time and is now about where I was expecting it to be when I made it.

Overall, I am extremely suprised. I expected I'd need to dump at least one of the styles but they are all OK. The IIPA is way past its prime but it's still pretty good...I'll definitely drink them.

 

[Rick500]

Just last night I popped open a 9%+ honey wheat that I bottled three years ago. (It was an experiment!)

It was pretty bad when it was a couple months old... a lot of alcohol "burn."

Now it's probably past its prime, but it's much better than it was three years ago. Wish I'd tried one last year or so. It mellowed out pretty nicely.

 

[Nate]

Jamil talks about drinking a 4 year old Scottish 60 and it still being excellent, so it seems there's no real predictor, if your storage conditions are good.

We've had Scottish ales kegged for over a year and they were still excellent. I agree that it really depends on the beer type and storage conditions.