I know that smallish beers tend to be better young, while big beers can require months or even years to mature. And from what I've gathered, simple recipes can often be drank younger than more complex recipes (lots of specialty grains) which can take longer for the flavors to mellow.
What I'm wondering is if there is a good rule of thumb for how long to age an ale based on its original gravity. For instance, I'll generally crack open my first bottle from a batch with O.G. 1.050 about 6 weeks after brew day. My barleywine (O.G. 1.102) is bulk aging and I don't think I'll have my first taste until 9 months or a year. Should I let my 1.070 stout age for 3 months before drinking? Should my 1.095 Imperial Stout go for 5 months first?
I plan to allow all of these beers to continue to mature after I start drinking them (I try to ration myself as best I can...), but is there any way to make an educated guess when I can start sampling them? I mean, it seems like it would be a waste to open any bottles that are clearly still green. Does anyone have a general rule they follow after brewing a bigish beer for the first time, or do people just go with their "gut" feeling? I know this might be a tough question because it will obviously vary between styles and whatnot. Maybe I should qualify it with "all other things being equal." Thanks.
What I'm wondering is if there is a good rule of thumb for how long to age an ale based on its original gravity. For instance, I'll generally crack open my first bottle from a batch with O.G. 1.050 about 6 weeks after brew day. My barleywine (O.G. 1.102) is bulk aging and I don't think I'll have my first taste until 9 months or a year. Should I let my 1.070 stout age for 3 months before drinking? Should my 1.095 Imperial Stout go for 5 months first?
I plan to allow all of these beers to continue to mature after I start drinking them (I try to ration myself as best I can...), but is there any way to make an educated guess when I can start sampling them? I mean, it seems like it would be a waste to open any bottles that are clearly still green. Does anyone have a general rule they follow after brewing a bigish beer for the first time, or do people just go with their "gut" feeling? I know this might be a tough question because it will obviously vary between styles and whatnot. Maybe I should qualify it with "all other things being equal." Thanks.