I just wanted to briefly post this. To anyone that thinks you can age IPA's. I recently purchased some Two Hearted Ale, that was bottled in July. It did not taste like the Two Hearted I know. I know all about drinking IPA's fresh, this info is mainly for newer brewers and whoever else would like to know...
At a club function recently a friend and fellow brewer brought a bottle of Hopslam that he had left. Nothing like the Hopslam I had in January.
Plus, the last 120 Minute I had was so cloyingly sweet, I vowed never to pay the $10 / bottle again for this reason. I assume this was not a bottle from this year.
Lastly, this sounds like sacrilege, another friend invited us over for dinner and had a bottle of Pliny, that had been bottled about 9-10 months prior. Honestly, nothing if not terrible, knowing how it should taste, that is.
The main reason I wanted to share this with everyone is to spread the word, Drink your IPA's fresh! I consider all the above beers in my favorite IPA's category, but time is only detrimental to them and other IPA's.