{"id":211453,"date":"2025-04-28T21:04:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T21:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/recipes\/category-a-b\/beer\/a-beerism-guide-to-aging-beer-beerism\/"},"modified":"2025-04-28T21:04:16","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T21:04:16","slug":"a-beerism-guide-to-aging-beer-beerism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=211453","title":{"rendered":"A beerism Guide to Aging Beer \u2013 Beerism"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Over the years I have been asked a lot of questions regarding the process of aging beer. I have been experimenting with it for the better part of a decade now, so I thought it was time for me to put my thoughts into a guide of sorts for those who have questions. Please keep in mind that I\u2019m no expert. My opinions are based on my experience, some research, and a lot of conversations with like-minded people. I\u2019ll make mistakes \u2013 feel free to correct me. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">First off, although there are not exactly absolutely unbreakable rules, there are certainly many things you want to avoid when considering placing a beer down to rest \u2013 especially for a long period of time. I think we have been conditioned to mistakenly view beer as a non-perishable product because it won\u2019t really make you sick if it spoils. It\u2019s on the shelf at the grocery store for months and months next to the Kraft Dinner, so we assume it won\u2019t change, but trust me, it does \u2013 and mostly not for the better. That said, just like that leftover curry or spaghetti sauce in your fridge that somehow tastes better after resting overnight, some beer can evolve into something more interesting (and arguably better) over time. However, it\u2019s about understanding which beers to sit on, how much time to wait, and if that change in flavour is something you like or don\u2019t like \u2013 and that\u2019s the journey I want to help you with.  <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14277\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/drie-fonte\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"4114,2743\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"drie-fonte\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg?w=1024\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg?w=2046 2046w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg?w=150 150w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/drie-fonte.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">What I have discovered though \u2013 through much trial and error \u2013 is that the ultimate key to deciding if you should purposely age a beer for an extended period of time, is entirely dependent on your understanding of your own palate. What you like and what you don\u2019t like are absolutely everything here. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Although I tend to think most beer is better fresh, there are no definitive rules that state drinking one beer fresh is objectively better, and drinking a different beer with a year on it is objectively better. It comes down to personal taste. That said, if you are new to all this, there are things you\u2019d probably want to understand before going forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">One question that comes up a lot is surrounding wax seals. For those that don\u2019t know, some breweries dip their more \u201ccellar-focused\u201d bottles in wax before distributing them. The original idea (as far as I know) was to assist with the aging process by adding an extra layer of sealant to the cap of the bottle. My opinion \u2013 and I think the general opinion of most beer folk these days \u2013 is that it\u2019s pretty much nonsense. That said, there are two positives about doing it: (1) it makes the bottles look damn cool, which let\u2019s face it, is a fun element about craft beer, and (2) it protects the cap and surrounding area from mold and general grossness after sitting in your dank cellar for 5 years. That said, they are also a pain in the ass to open a lot of the time, so I can take it or leave it. In short, I personally don\u2019t think it matters either way. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-huge-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"why\">Why?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">The first thing to ask yourself is <strong>why <\/strong>are you holding onto your beer? Beers don\u2019t need years to start \u201caging\u201d; some beer styles change drastically over the course of a couple of weeks. Maybe you are aging beer because you have too much and you just need to set some aside. Perhaps you want to start a collection of various beers so you can chose what you want to drink when you want to drink it. Lastly \u2013 and what I\u2019m mostly going to be concentrating on in this article \u2013 is that you may be curious about how beers evolve over time, and what kinds of new flavours will emerge. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-huge-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"which\">Which?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Regardless of the reasons you are sitting on beer, there are important factors to consider. For instance, it\u2019s key to have a basic understanding of (1) <strong>which <\/strong>styles you need to drink fresh, (2) <strong><strong>which <\/strong><\/strong>styles you can sit on for a little while without them going \u201cbad,\u201d and (3) <strong><strong>which <\/strong><\/strong>styles you can sit on for a long time to see how they evolve. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-beers-do-i-need-to-drink-fresh\">Which Beers do I need to drink fresh?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">What I need to start by saying \u2013 and this is really key here \u2013 is that most beer is meant to be consumed as fresh as possible. That said, (And I\u2019m sorry to reiterate what I just said) some beers \u201cneed<em>\u201d <\/em>to be consumed fresh, while others are okay with a little time, and others can (arguably) actually improve with time. It\u2019s important to understand the differences. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"13685\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/2020\/11\/16\/i-got-my-friends-to-review-hopism-a-beerism-5e-baron-neipa-collaboration\/hopism-close-up\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"3627,2418\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Hopism close up\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg?w=1024\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13685\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg?w=2046 2046w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg?w=150 150w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hopism-close-up-1.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><strong>India Pale Ales<\/strong> have to be consumed as fresh as possible; It\u2019s kind of that simple. And I\u2019ll stand by that. Hop flavours and aromatics (which are the focal point of IPAs) fade extremely fast. And it\u2019s not only that, because over even a short period of time oxidation can cause off flavours. Personally, whether we are talking about an American IPA, a Vermont IPA, a \u201chazy\u201d IPA, a \u201cJuicy\u201d IPA, an NEIPA, or an \u201cinsert whatever\u201d IPA, I personally never purchase one more than four 4 weeks old. I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll ruffle a few feathers saying that, but whatever, it\u2019s my money okay! I\u2019ve read a few books on aging beer, and just like everything in the beer world, the minute you think you understand a given \u201crule\u201d, a bunch of exceptions arise. I\u2019m not going to deal with the nitty gritty here, but talk in more general terms, so don\u2019t come at me with \u201c\u2026but Dogfishhead\u2019s 120 minute IPA is meant to be aged, bruh!\u201d. I get it, but fackoff already. Also, any other styles that are hop forward, like American pale ales, India pale lagers, Brett IPAs, Black IPAs, and so on, should also be consumed fresh if possible. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><strong>Smoothies or Slushies<\/strong> are a relatively new style of beer that involves adding fruit puree to a sour beer base post-fermentation. What this means is that the sugar in the puree is not fermented alongside the grain, so yeast in the can will keep eating and keep creating carbonation. If left too long, the can could explode and make your fridge look like a murder scene. Some breweries are experimenting with pasteurization in order to avoid this from occurring, however, we are talking about loads of fruits, so you probably want to drink that as fresh as possible to retain that beautiful brightness. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-beers-can-i-sit-on-for-a-bit\">Which Beers can i sit on for a bit? <\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Not to keep repeating myself, but again, most beer is meant to be consumed fresh. That said, the bulk of beer styles that are made are more or less okay to sit on the shelf at your local store or in your fridge for some time without tasting off.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">For instance, most <strong>Lagers, Porters, Stouts, Red Ales, Brown Ales, Blond Ales, Wheat Beers, Bocks, Berliner Weiss\u2019, Kettle Sours<\/strong>, <strong>and so on<\/strong> do just fine for a little while. That said, despite many of them not necessarily carrying a dominant hop profile, it is important to note that what hop aromatics they do have will fade with time. Again though, you don\u2019t need to worry too much about having these styles extremely fresh, but they are certainly not getting better with time. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"13916\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/2021\/01\/08\/third-moon-brewing-delivers-all-things-lovely-including-this-trilogy-of-pastry-stouts\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"4009,2129\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Third Moon \u2013 Group stouts \u2013 Cover photo\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg?w=1024\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"543\" src=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13916\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg?w=1022 1022w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg?w=2045 2045w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg?w=150 150w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/third-moon-group-stouts-cover-photo.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><strong>Pastry Stouts<\/strong> are a new beer style that I haven\u2019t done too much experimenting with aging. Initially, given their high ABV and rich profile you would think they\u2019d be great contenders for long-term aging. However, many are made with a lot of adjuncts like coconut, chocolate, coffee, or nuts, and some are made with wacky ingredients like cookies, marshmallows or even kids cereal. So not only will you loose the flavor of a lot of these additional adjuncts over time, it\u2019s hard to say what the fat in Oreo cookies are going to do to a beer after 3 years. My advice is to always drink them as fresh as possible, but I don\u2019t think you need to worry about them quite like you would an IPA. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-beers-can-get-better-with-time\">Which Beers Can Get Better with Time?  <\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Figuring out what beer gets better with time is kind of the ultimate question. Some would argue that none do, while others swear by it. Regardless, understanding what you like and what you don\u2019t like is really the key here. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Aging beer is a privilege in that it assumes you have the space to do it and the finances to buy enough beer to sit on for a long period. My suggestion is to always buy two of a beer that you are looking to rest for a long time, one to drink fresh and assess, and the other to age. So if you are up for it, you need to know what beer styles you can sit on and what flavor profiles within these beer styles make for optimal aging potential. Very broadly speaking, beers that are (1) darker and (2) high in alcohol tend to be the beers that do well in the cellar. However, there are always exceptions to this as I\u2019ll get to shortly. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"9624\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/2017\/05\/31\/surviving-15-bottles-of-dieu-du-ciels-equinoxe-du-printemps-verticals-variants-part-5\/equinox-du-prin-group\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"4890,3667\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.3&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;DSC-H300&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1486305306&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Copyright 2009&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;7.6&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"equinox du prin group\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg?w=1024\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"767\" src=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9624\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg?w=2046 2046w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg?w=150 150w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/equinox-du-prin-group.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><strong>Barleywines<\/strong>, <strong>Belgian Quads\/Dubbels<\/strong>, and <strong>high ABV Scotch Ales<\/strong> are perfect for the cellar. They generally range from 9% to upwards of 20% in some cases, they are darker in complexion, and they often do not have a distinct hop profile that you need to worry about fading. An important thing to note though is that American Barleywines are hopped heavily and depending on the alpha vs beta acid hop profile, extended cellaring can cause oxidized flavours of wet cardboard. It\u2019s not like you can know this simply by tasting it, but if the brewery writes on the bottle that it\u2019s meant for aging then you are probably good. However, my rule is that if I\u2019m getting a ton of hop aromas, I\u2019m not going to age the beer. It will probably be better fresh. If the hops are all in the bitterness, this is actually a good thing and will help the beer over time, in my opinion. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">What you can expect from these styles is a softening of sharpness over a short period of time (1yr), with less bitterness, more round characteristics and a bit more harmony of flavours. When you start pushing to 3+ years is where things start to really change, with bitterness falling off a lot, the body thinning out, and you have a ton of that fortified wine thing happening. Some examples work better than others, and how much you enjoy these flavours will really dictate your sweet spot. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Another thing is phenols. Belgian yeasts that are used in Quads\/Dubbels produce phenols that carry spicy flavors of clove and cardamom (it\u2019s that \u201cBelgian\u201d flavor people talk about). These phenols fade over time and are slowly replaced with sherry and port-like flavors. So, if you like the spicy notes, then long term aging might not be your thing. While if you don\u2019t like them, or don\u2019t care about losing them, then go for it. <\/p>\n<figure data-carousel-extra=\"{\" blog_id=\"\" class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14442\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/stoutism-glass-and-cans\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"3846,2565\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"stoutism-glass-and-cans\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg?w=1024\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" data-id=\"14442\" src=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14442\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg?w=2045 2045w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg?w=150 150w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/stoutism-glass-and-cans.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><strong>Imperial Stouts<\/strong> are a style that many people like to age, including me. However, they are a style that you need to be careful with. Ranging from 9% all the way to upwards of 16+% ABV, this style of big-boy beer isn\u2019t something you ever need to worry about drinking ASAP. However, with more long term aging, the dark roasted malts can start to create umami flavours of soy sauce, which can be very off-putting. Also, long term aging transforms the beer from having a sharp coffee-like profile into a more rounded, sherry thing. In Barleywines and quads, that marriage can work better in my opinion, but like I keep saying, everything about aging beer is a matter of personal taste. For my tastes, going past one year is a risk. It can still be rewarding though, I\u2019ve been blown away with three or four, or even five year old bottles, but many have also gone down the drain. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><strong>Belgian Tripels, <\/strong>and<strong> Belgian Strong Blond Ales<\/strong> are 9-10% ABV Belgian beers that are blond in color. Their high ABV allows for aging potential, however they are not as popular cellar beers as the Belgian Quad given the colour and flavour profile. When fresh, they are sharp yet sweet, but balanced, with spicy clove and pear flavours. Over time, just like the Quads, they loose their spicy phenolic character and develop an intense floral honey-like profile. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><strong>Wild Beers<\/strong> are a tricky bunch. It is a catch-all term that doesn\u2019t really mean anything aside from the beer containing \u201cWild Yeast\u201d, i.e. Brettanomyces. It\u2019s tough to separate these into categories because many sour beers, including Lambic, definitely contain wild yeast, but I\u2019ll go to those shortly. What I\u2019m referring to here are <strong>Wild Saisons<\/strong>, <strong>Brett Beers<\/strong> and <strong>Barrel-Aged Brett Beers<\/strong> in general. These beers tend to be subtle and not too intense. The brett can add a fruity and leathery character, and some have a real barnyard aroma that can be described as horsey or musty. Personally I find aging these beers a bit of a coin toss. Maybe there is a science to it, but I haven\u2019t cracked it yet. Over extended aging, I\u2019ve seen beers like this improve drasitcally and turn into something amazing, or some just change subtly, while others are so overtaken with an intense Brett funk that they aren\u2019t drinkable.  Brettanomyces helps slow oxidation, so these beers can be good candidates for aging, however as I mentioned above sometimes things don\u2019t go well. Personally, I wouldn\u2019t go past one year with most of these beers. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><strong>Flanders Red<\/strong> and <strong>Oud Bruin<\/strong> are malty Belgian oak-aged sour beers that have a sweet and acidic profile that is slightly roasty, rather acetic, and are rich yet refreshing. These beers do quite well over time, bringing in lots of extra fruity vinous notes, while the big malty base holds up to time. The quintessential Flander\u2019s Red is Rodenbach which is from Belgium and available in Quebec and Ontario (at times). There are many local examples too. I would say these are safe styles to do some fun long-term aging to see how they evolve. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><span class=\"uppercase\"><strong>American (Barrel-Aged) Sours<\/strong><\/span> can do well with time. These highly acidic beers are inoculated with bacteria and wild yeast, which helps the beer over time. However, these beers are almost always fruited, and like we spoke about earlier, adjuncts fade over time. They won\u2019t drop off as quickly as a Berliner Weiss, but they will loose some brightness over the years, so that\u2019s something to consider if you lay these down to rest. I have sat on various versions of these beers for a few years, but I\u2019ve never really properly experimented with long term aging. What I have noticed is that they don\u2019t change as quickly as other beers. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><strong>Lambic<\/strong> is special. It\u2019s exclusively brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium. Brewers ferment the beer spontaneously by exposing it to microflora living in the environment around them (as apposed to fermenting with the cultured yeast strains you would find in other styles). Lambic is produced with 2\/3 malted barley and 1\/3 raw, unmalted wheat, aged hops, and is placed in a Koelschip (an open-top, flat vessel for cooling wort) in order to cool and get inoculated with the wild yeasts and bacteria living in the region. It\u2019s then aged in oak barrels for at least a year before being blended into gueuze or other styles. Gueuze, which is a subset of lambic, is a blend of aged lambic, ranging from one to three years (generally) and is bottle conditioned to produce a livelier carbonation than in most unblended lambics. The microflora of the region, coupled with generations upon generations of brewing and blending experience, make these beers truly unique, and something that can\u2019t be reproduced anywhere else in the world. Until you taste one, you can\u2019t truly understand the delicious and somewhat bizarre flavour profile surrounding these beers. They are highly acidic, dry, and exceptionally fruity, coupled with musty and dusty aromatics that are often best described as smelling and tasting like barnyard, dank basement, or horse blanket. What makes these beers unique also allows them to age brilliantly for extremely long periods of time. As always, it\u2019s a matter of taste, but Lambic ages slowly and gracefully like a bottle of wine. As I said earlier, fruit can fade over time, so the fruited Lambic is arguably better fresh, however many still sit on them for decades. In many ways, Lambic doesn\u2019t seem like something that would age well given that they are generally around the 5-6% range, but trust me when I say that these do well over the years. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-huge-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"where\">Where?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Where to store your beer is a good question. If you want your beer to oxidize slowly, and taste as \u201cfresh\u201d as possible, keep them in your fridge. This is essential for beers that are hop forward (IPAs), however if we are talking about more long term storage, or if you simply don\u2019t have the luxury to store beer in your fridge at all, then a cellar is ideal. If you don\u2019t have a basement or a cellar, then a closet or a space in a room with the least temperature fluctuation is ideal. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-huge-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"tastings-comparisons\">Tastings Comparisons<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">I\u2019ve just talked a lot about which styles of beer I believe do well over time, but let\u2019s now dive into a few specific examples from my own cellar. I\u2019ll be drinking two bottles of the same beer, however, they will be different vintages, quite far apart in years. I will be comparing Dieu du Ciel! Solstice D\u2019Hiver, Rodenbach Caract\u00e8re Rouge, and Dieu du Ciel! P\u00e9ch\u00e9 Mortel. I feel like these choices will give you a good idea about how certain beer styles evolve \u2013 also, this is what I had on hand \ud83d\ude09 <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-huge-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"dieu-du-ciel-solstice-d-hiver\">Dieu du Ciel! \u2013 Solstice D\u2019hiver<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14158\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/2021\/12\/26\/a-beerism-guide-to-aging-beer\/solstice-combined-cover\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"5027,2706\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Solstice Combined \u2013 Cover\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg?w=1024\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"551\" src=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg?w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg?w=150 150w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/solstice-combined-cover-1.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Montreal\u2019s own <a href=\"https:\/\/dieuduciel.com\/en\/\">Dieu du Ciel!<\/a> is magic. I say this not because of their years and years of brewing revolutionary beers in Quebec \u2013 which is very much the case \u2013 but because despite being in small 341ml bottles with twist-off caps, their beers age better than any other brewery I\u2019ve experienced. I\u2019d also say that out of their extensive portfolio of breathtaking beers, their top for aging is Solstice d\u2019Hiver, an American inspired Barleywine. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">When it comes to aging Solstice d\u2019Hiver, it\u2019s not my first rodeo. A few friends and I did one of our first ever vertical tastings with this beer (drinking various vintages of a particular beer in one session). If you\u2019re interested, I wrote a whole article about that night. <a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/2016\/05\/24\/verticals-variants-episode-1-dieu-du-ciels-solstice-dhiver\/\">You can access it here<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">As I mentioned above, Barleywines are a great beer for sitting on. This particular version of Solstice d\u2019Hiver is their bourbon barrel-aged edition which spends about a year in the barrel prior to being bottled. This mean that not only is the beer \u201cpre-aged\u201d, but the barrel imparts amazing flavours of vanilla, oak, and all things bourbon. This edition is arguable perfection the moment it\u2019s bottled, however, it continues to evolve over time and depending on your tastes, one could say it gets even better. What I have here is Solstice d\u2019Hiver Bourbon 2013 and Solstice d\u2019Hiver Bourbon 2020. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" id=\"solstice-d-hiver-bourbon-2013\">Solstice D\u2019hiver Bourbon 2013<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Up front the nose is all candy, with layers of raisin, port, and general fortified wine aromas. Lots of sherry layers come through, delivering some serious oxidized smells, but not overly so. Over-ripe cherries and hints cardboard meet vanilla bourbon complexity. It\u2019s a touch floral and a bit soapy as well. On the palate, layers of raisin and sherry sweetness mix with an unfortunate hint of cardboard. The bourbon is still there, but not quite are forward as I recall. The bitterness is still impressively present, cutting through the sweetness \u2013 and alongside the booze burn, it\u2019s balanced nicely. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" id=\"solstice-d-hiver-bourbon-2020\">Solstice D\u2019hiver Bourbon 2020<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">The nose on the \u201cfresher\u201d version delivers rich banana and nuttiness, with lots of oak and bourbon vanilla layers. It retains much more of that toasted  malt character instead of that ripe fruit thing in the older bottle. The vanilla is huge, with layers of chocolate, figs and dates coming through as well. The palate on this 2020 bottle has a stronger caramel presence, and is almost doughy, with big layers of raisins and milk chocolate. The body is richer as well, and stickier, delivering lovely layers of bourbon and oak. Light oak tannins add further depth and help cut through the sugars. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Both of these were great and provide such a different experience from each other, however, for my personal tastes I don\u2019t think either are in their \u201cperfect\u201d state. The 2020 has a doughy banana thing and the 2013 is a touch too floral and soapy, with an over abundance of sherry. Again though, and I really can\u2019t state this enough, everyone\u2019s palate is different, and finding the sweet spot for aging beer is entirely subjective and a personal journey. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"rodenbach-caractere-rouge\">Rodenbach \u2013 Caract\u00e8re Rouge<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14275\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"4427,2848\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"rodenbach-character-rouge-combined\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg?w=1024\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg?w=2046 2046w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg?w=150 150w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rodenbach-character-rouge-combined.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Second up is Caract\u00e8re Rouge from <a href=\"https:\/\/be.rodenbach.be\/be\/nl\/age-gate.html?redirect=%2Fbe%2Fnl.html\">Rodenbach<\/a>. Rodenbach is a Belgian-based brewery who make the quintessential Flander\u2019s Red ales which all other examples of the style are measured against. This particular beer is created with the addition of fresh cherries, raspberries, and cranberries. When I first started to get into beer I manged to land this bottle and it stayed with me for about 10 years, from apartment to apartment. This seemed like a good time to dive in!<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">What I have here is a 2011 Batch 2, and honestly, I\u2019m not exactly sure of the vintage of the fresher one \u2013 I\u2019d say something around the 2018 area. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" id=\"caractere-rouge-2011-b2-17\">Caract\u00e8re Rouge 2011, b2 17 <\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">The nose is incredibly fruity, with rich jammy notes and sour Cherry Blasters candy. It\u2019s deep and rich in aroma, with some nice sherry and port layers, but nothing over the top, which is surprising for a 10 year-old beer. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">The palate is sweet, delivering layers of big jammy fruits while not coming off oxidized in a negative way. It seems a touch thin, but the roundness of the flavours here are amazing. Huge cherry and raspberry compliment a solid but subtle acidity that breathes life into the malty base. Vinous notes bring in fortified wine and sherry sweetness, while a tart and tannic finish cleans everything up nicely. Truly amazing how well this held up. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" id=\"caractere-rouge-2018\">Caract\u00e8re Rouge 2018 (?)<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">The nose on the recent vintage is zestier, with more bright fruits instead of that jamminess on the older bottle. Sharp and bright raspberry aromatics mixed with sweet cherries. The nose carries far less candied fruits and more freshness, while still being rich and vinous.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">The tang factor is stronger here, and again, carries a brighter berry flavour that provides a zesty profile \u2013 it\u2019s more on the refreshing side of things. Lots of cherry, some raspberry, and cranberry tartness brings so much fruit to the table, which definitely helps cut through the rich malt base. The acidity isn\u2019t particularly intense, but does provide a nice level of sourness to cut through things. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">This was definitely a positive experience and I would recommend playing with aging not only this bottle, but all their products. Rodenbach can now be purchased not only at your local beer store around Quebec, but even grocery stores (I\u2019m not sure about this particular bottle though). For those in Ontario, they are often stocked in the LCBO. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-huge-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"dieu-du-ciel-peche-mortel-bourbon\">Dieu du Ciel! \u2013 P\u00e9ch\u00e9 Mortel Bourbon<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14288\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/peche-boubon-vs\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"4125,2811\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"peche-boubon-vs\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg?w=1024\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"697\" src=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg?w=2046 2046w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg?w=150 150w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/beerism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/peche-boubon-vs.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">I could write a hundred articles about <a href=\"https:\/\/dieuduciel.com\/en\/\">Dieu du Ciel!<\/a> P\u00e9ch\u00e9 Mortel. This coffee-infused imperial stout is one of the best examples of the style, and probably my all time favorite beer. It has an entire day dedicated to it worldwide, and has had countless variants; from being aged in different types of barrels, to different types of coffee, brewed with the addition of all kinds of complimentary adjuncts like coconut or cacao, and even has had fruit added to it (although personally, I don\u2019t recommend those). <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Under normal circumstances I actually wouldn\u2019t recommend aging beer that has coffee in it. As I mentioned earlier, coffee not only fades over time, but can also start to add vegetal flavor to the beer \u2013 green pepper in particular. However, I also mentioned that Dieu du Ciel! is magical, and P\u00e9ch\u00e9 Mortel is no exception. I\u2019ve had countless versions of this beer over countless age periods, and on the most part, they are always either still good, or at least still interesting. Just like the Solstice d\u2019Hiver from earlier, both versions of P\u00e9ch\u00e9 Mortel that I\u2019ll be talking about are the bourbon barrel-aged additions. I will be again comparing 2013 with 2020. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" id=\"peche-mortel-bourbon-2013\">P\u00e9ch\u00e9 Mortel Bourbon 2013<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">The nose on this older bottle begins with earthy coffee alongside some ashy layers. Extremely dark chocolate aromatics come through as well, delivering some subtle fruity elements \u2013 cherry in particular. Vinous port-like sweetness emerges on the nose as well. It seems to no longer carry a ton of bourbon, but there is definitely still a vanilla and general spirit thing happening. Out of the gate on the palate, the bitterness is definitely more subdued than normal, and again, the chocolatey flavours are different now. Instead of that frothy mocha-cappuccino thing you get in the fresh version, this is more on the fruity side, with a vinous backdrop that gives some sweet sherry layers. The coffee is still present, and because this beer is normally so bitter, it really held up beautifully over the years. I feel like this has likely seen better days, but it it still bangin\u2019 and is just so impressive given that it\u2019s a 9 year old beer! <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"has-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" id=\"peche-mortel-bourbon-2020\">P\u00e9ch\u00e9 Mortel Bourbon 2020<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Right off the bat, the nose on the 2020 is dramatically different. More mocha and doughey cake-like aromatics come through with all kinds of milk chocolate, which is further complimented by rich vanilla bourbon sweetness. I could live inside the aromas of this beer. On the palate I\u2019m hit with a far sharper profile in comparison to the 2013. Bright chocolate-forward coffee layers mix with a big vanilla bourbon complexity. It\u2019s sweet, but balanced as always, and the year this spent in the barrel helps round things off perfectly. Light oak tannins clean the rich malt presence, while milk chocolate and vanilla balance the sharpness. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">Dieu du Ciel! is an institution, and for me, P\u00e9ch\u00e9 Mortel is it\u2019s spokesperson. I adore this beer in all it\u2019s forms. If you\u2019re interested, I\u2019ve written about it several times and have dedicated two entire articles about it\u2019s aging potential. If you are interested, you can read <a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/2016\/09\/27\/dieu-du-ciels-peche-mortel-six-ways-verticals-variants-episode-3\/\">one here<\/a> and and the second <a href=\"https:\/\/beerism.ca\/2019\/03\/14\/death-by-peche-that-time-we-drank-18-peche-mortel-variants-and-then-died\/\">one here<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">First off, I want to say thank you for reading through this very lengthy article. This has been a very long post to write, and I have been working on it for the better part of a year now. Aging beer is something that many are interested in, but there are not a ton of resources out there for those that want to dabble in it. I hope my personal experience with aging beer over the last ten years helps a few people understand when and why they should or shouldn\u2019t age beer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">After all this I will leave you with a couple of points I\u2019ve touched on several times within this article. Most, if not all beer can and should arguably be best consumed fresh. That said, there are several styles that not only do just fine with some time on them, but some can (in my opinion) improve over time. However, it is always a personal and subjective experience that you must discover on your own. How much do you like or dislike sherry flavors? How much do you like or dislike a sharp booze burn? Or even, how much you like or dislike \u201cgreen\u201d flavors in your beer? Whether it\u2019s the \u201cgreen\u201d hop-burn of newly canned contemporary NEIPA or the \u201cgreen\u201d flavours of a very young Gueuze. Understanding what you appreciate is always the best way to avoid having to drain pour a beer you\u2019ve dedicated years to. Good luck! And remember, don\u2019t take it too seriously, it\u2019s just beer! \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over the years I have been asked a lot of questions regarding the process of aging beer. I have been experimenting with it for the better part of a decade now, so I thought it was time for me to put my thoughts into a guide of sorts for those who have questions. Please keep [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":211454,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[137],"tags":[7097,3171,15790,2059],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-211453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beer","tag-aging","tag-beer","tag-beerism","tag-guide"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A beerism Guide to Aging Beer \u2013 Beerism - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=211453\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A beerism Guide to Aging Beer \u2013 Beerism - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Over the years I have been asked a lot of questions regarding the process of aging beer. I have been experimenting with it for the better part of a decade now, so I thought it was time for me to put my thoughts into a guide of sorts for those who have questions. 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