Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Mature bottles  (Read 1327 times)

Offline James K

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 443
  • Flagstaff, AZ
Mature bottles
« on: June 25, 2018, 01:25:03 am »
I have a beer I bottled approx 2 weeks ago. I’m not exactly in a rush to drink all 20 bottles (750s).
I guess I’m wondering about pros and cons of short and long term bottle storage.
The longest beer I’ve kept in a bottle was for a year and I wish i didn’t drink so many early on. So. That’s where I’m at.
Vice President of Flagstaff Mountain-Top Mashers
2017 Homebrewer of the year
"One mouth doesn't taste the beer."

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Mature bottles
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2018, 06:14:56 am »
It really just depends on the beer style. Not many beer styles do well with age, but a few can.

Offline James K

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 443
  • Flagstaff, AZ
Re: Mature bottles
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2018, 01:46:00 pm »
It really just depends on the beer style. Not many beer styles do well with age, but a few can.
This a dark Belgium beer.
7# pils, 2# places wheat, 1# chocolate, 2# while wheat, Candi sugar.
I personally think it will get better over time because of the Candi sugar. But I also want to drink some, I just think it’s not quite old enough though.
Vice President of Flagstaff Mountain-Top Mashers
2017 Homebrewer of the year
"One mouth doesn't taste the beer."

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Mature bottles
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2018, 07:37:53 pm »
Strong Belgian styles can age nicely. How long is going to depend how carefully they are packaged and what temp they are stored.

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Mature bottles
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2018, 07:31:19 am »
Strong Belgian styles can age nicely. How long is going to depend how carefully they are packaged and what temp they are stored.

As an aside (and may be interesting to all you o2 avoidance folks out there) I just place in the top 10 in the World Beer cup on a strong dark Belgian that has been in a 22 oz bottle since last August. So not bad for (basically) hand bottles non-bottle conditioned beer! OTOH maybe in top 3 if it had been fresh. lol

Offline James K

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 443
  • Flagstaff, AZ
Re: Mature bottles
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2018, 10:47:50 pm »
I used carbonation drops for this. I love them. But. I also tried one today after bottling a 9.2% lager with a gun. My friends and I agreed that I should crash the dark Belgian and let it mellow out a bit. It’s almost like an oud Bruin but no acid.
We also drank it pretty warm because I stuck it in the fridge before bottling today’s beer. Which didn’t take long.
So yea. I’m gonna crash it down to 36* for a week. Then drink another.
Vice President of Flagstaff Mountain-Top Mashers
2017 Homebrewer of the year
"One mouth doesn't taste the beer."