beer hauls

[OLS]

Grassy-a$$, Al-b...Now one more question before I totally threadjack. I see here and there, "put some away for
a few years, you'll be glad you did." At the risk of starting a fight over 'aging' I come from the bourbon community,
where once it's in glass, time stops. Besides the analogy to Cuban Cigars, i.e., the price will never be going DOWN,
so when you see the good stuff, grab it, what could one logically expect a beer like that to do over time?
Or maybe, which beers seem to benefit from time in the cool and dark.

[Bill86]

Originally Posted by OLS

Grassy-a$$, Al-b...Now one more question before I totally threadjack. I see here and there, "put some away for
a few years, you'll be glad you did." At the risk of starting a fight over 'aging' I come from the bourbon community,
where once it's in glass, time stops. Besides the analogy to Cuban Cigars, i.e., the price will never be going DOWN,
so when you see the good stuff, grab it, what could one logically expect a beer like that to do over time?
Or maybe, which beers seem to benefit from time in the cool and dark.

I've personally never been able to age beers, even in cases. I just drink them all.

Cigars are easier for me to set aside.....easier to horde tons in coolers then to have a ton of beers lying around. I just don't have the space for it.

In general though Imperial stouts are ones to age. IPA's in general you wouldn't want to age.

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by OLS

Grassy-a$$, Al-b...Now one more question before I totally threadjack. I see here and there, "put some away for
a few years, you'll be glad you did." At the risk of starting a fight over 'aging' I come from the bourbon community,
where once it's in glass, time stops. Besides the analogy to Cuban Cigars, i.e., the price will never be going DOWN,
so when you see the good stuff, grab it, what could one logically expect a beer like that to do over time?
Or maybe, which beers seem to benefit from time in the cool and dark.

Others here will have far more sound advice but here is my try at advice:

Start here

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/store.php


This is merely a starter article but it helped me. I started a year or so ago aging beers and its been more of an experiment than anything. Some I have held onto longer tasted better within months but lost something within a year, others sucked totally after aging and some have been better every time I try them. IPAs and other hoppy beers lose hoppiness as they age but very complex beers can benefit from time as flavors meld, as cigars. And just as stronger Cubans tend to fair longer in aging, stronger beers do as well. Some beers I've had that had a strong 'alcohol' taste became less harsh as they aged while some beers that were tasty to begin with became boring as they aged.

[kaisersozei]

Originally Posted by OLS

Grassy-a$$, Al-b...Now one more question before I totally threadjack. I see here and there, "put some away for
a few years, you'll be glad you did." At the risk of starting a fight over 'aging' I come from the bourbon community,
where once it's in glass, time stops. Besides the analogy to Cuban Cigars, i.e., the price will never be going DOWN,
so when you see the good stuff, grab it, what could one logically expect a beer like that to do over time?
Or maybe, which beers seem to benefit from time in the cool and dark.

The best beers to age are high ABV, bottle conditioned ales. This includes the Imperial stouts Bill mentioned, but also barleywines, double IPAs, Christmas ales, and many Belgians. The reason is that the yeast in these bad boys will continue to work on the beer, causing changes over time.

If you have the patience, it can pay off. Most of the beers I age are homebrews, some go back to the mid-90s. I shared a 1996 (I think) "mystery stout" at a herf a few months ago, and it was like a smooth sherry.

[BeerAdvocate]

Barleywines & Imperial Stouts are my favorites to age.
Also bourbon barrel beers such as Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

[OLS]

Well in the other thread I told the tale of the Thelonius Bit(hes Brew that I had seen, of course it was only a mental
picture and it was the regular Brother Thelonius belgian ale, but of course, I rushed back to the store today.
We had a Wicked bout of severe weather here last night, and work had no power. As I move electrons around
to make funny pictures for a living, no need for me to stick around. And for some reason Buster's opens
really early, lol. So I march in there to collect my bit(hes brew. Which isn't. So instead of doing what I SHOULD,
Marching right back out, what do we ALL do? That's right, we make yesterday look like a coin in the fountain.
More or less, anyway, I mean I did not break the bank. Alcohol marketers love me, cause I never saw
a gift set I didn't want to buy, and I 'needed a glass', then I figured people seem to like the hoppy hoppenstein
or whatever, and I thought I'd try another rack on color alone and went for that russian stuff.

Thanks to all who replied with answers to my newb question. Here, for you, are more pics of glass.

[kaisersozei]

Originally Posted by OLS

Thanks to all who replied with answers to my newb question. Here, for you, are more pics of glass.

Those all get the in my book. Victory makes some great beer--Hop Wallop is an excellent specimen. Imperial IPA, and if you're not a citrusy hop fan, it might be a little much. I love it, though!

[NCRadioMan]

Brad = Winning!

I really dig those, Brad! And now you have a great Chimay goblet to down the goods.

Trappist Ales 4 Life!

[Bill86]

Damn Brad! Well done Those Old Rasputins are tasty

[Bill86]

Got me a pair of Mephistopheles today. They were only $9 a piece.

[OLS]

Ouch, Son, I understand that is well laden with alcohol. But you do like em strong.

[Bill86]

F**K I'm an arsehole! Those bottles are 2007! I should have cleaned them out! 16% ABV for the 2007's. I had the 2011 Mephistopheles, now I'll get to try them with some age on them.

(sorry I'm just kicking myself in the head right now) I had no idea.

[kaisersozei]

Originally Posted by Bill86

F**K I'm an arsehole! Those bottles are 2007! I should have cleaned them out! 16% ABV for the 2007's. I had the 2011 Mephistopheles, now I'll get to try them with some age on them.

(sorry I'm just kicking myself in the head right now) I had no idea.

As much as I like Avery's stuff, I'm not a fan of the Mephistopheles. Maybe with some age on them, they even out, but I found the 2011 release to be very wine-like and thin.

I did find a 2009 bottle of this last week

http://www.averybrewing.com/index.ph...d=76&Itemid=75

Thinking about sharing it with my son when he graduates from Radford in a few weeks

[Jbailey]

4 bombers of Goose Island Big John
4 bombers of Three Floyds Behemoth Blonde Barleywine

[BeerAdvocate]

Originally Posted by Jbailey

4 bombers of Goose Island Big John
4 bombers of Three Floyds Behemoth Blonde Barleywine

Great Haul

[kaisersozei]

Not a big haul, but all this talk of strong beers & Avery got me in a barleywine kinda mood



Avery Hog Heaven, which I drank last night and it was pretty good, more on the hoppy side than I was expecting, but that just made it in my book.

The Stone Old Guardian is 2011 vintage. I may drink that one tonight--depending on how I like it, might head back to pick up one for the cellar.

[GTS21]

Some odds and ends

[cort]

Originally Posted by GTS21

Some odds and ends

@sshole!!

[kaisersozei]

Originally Posted by Cort

@sshole!!

Whoa, that's sexy crazy & crazy sexy right there!

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by GTS21

Some odds and ends

This picture turns me on