TOPIC:

I was told a long time ago that light-colored beers didn't age well, but you can just ignore that advice. Belgian Tripels age WONDERFULLY as Richard pointed out.

(I tried a 30 year old Westmalle tripel for my birthday last year and it was AMAZINGLY good.)

Seems like strong is really the only requirement. (And bottle conditioning helps; then again non-bottle conditioned beers will oxidize faster which will get you aged flavors in a shorter period of time...)


Adam

"Biertourist":33a5ej1a wrote: I was told a long time ago that light-colored beers didn't age well, but you can just ignore that advice. Belgian Tripels age WONDERFULLY as Richard pointed out.

(I tried a 30 year old Westmalle tripel for my birthday last year and it was AMAZINGLY good.)

Seems like strong is really the only requirement. (And bottle conditioning helps; then again non-bottle conditioned beers will oxidize faster which will get you aged flavors in a shorter period of time...)


Adam[/quote:33a5ej1a]

I was just about to post the exact same thing! I had a Westmalle Triple that was 20 years old a few weeks ago which showed no signs of oxidisation! It was one of the best beers I have ever had in my life. I'm really tempted to buy a few cases of the triple in the new 75cl bottle and just forget about them.

It tasted of heather honey, clove and nutmeg with no trace of alcohol. The age had really done wonders to this.

The stronger De Dolle beers all seem to hold up well! They will be releasing their Stille Nacht Special Reserva next year and I highly recommend that. The 2005 vintage ran the westmalle triple pretty dam close.

"nigel_c":168mgq4o wrote: Thanks. Anybody got hidden away they are particularly looking forward to trying but just bring themselves to pop the lid?

Nigel.[/quote:168mgq4o]


I've got a bottle of Moriau Gueuze from 1990 and the Kriek from 1999. I got them in from the original Moriau Cafe which is situated in a little village outside Brussels. The owners son who is very old himself sold me one of his last bottles that his dad produced before he died.

You can still buy a modern version that F. BOON produces but it has very little in common with the original product.

I've tried the old Kriek before, it was a bottle from 1982 and it was stunning. Still bright red and full of cherry.

There still a handful of Kriek at the cafe but you need to ask nicely. Sadly the Geueze is all gone.

"traPISSED":3r2uzdy0 wrote:

"Biertourist":3r2uzdy0 wrote: I was told a long time ago that light-colored beers didn't age well, but you can just ignore that advice. Belgian Tripels age WONDERFULLY as Richard pointed out.

(I tried a 30 year old Westmalle tripel for my birthday last year and it was AMAZINGLY good.)

Seems like strong is really the only requirement. (And bottle conditioning helps; then again non-bottle conditioned beers will oxidize faster which will get you aged flavors in a shorter period of time...)


Adam[/quote:3r2uzdy0]

I was just about to post the exact same thing! I had a Westmalle Triple that was 20 years old a few weeks ago which showed no signs of oxidisation! It was one of the best beers I have ever had in my life. I'm really tempted to buy a few cases of the triple in the new 75cl bottle and just forget about them.

It tasted of heather honey, clove and nutmeg with no trace of alcohol. The age had really done wonders to this.

The stronger De Dolle beers all seem to hold up well! They will be releasing their Stille Nacht Special Reserva next year and I highly recommend that. The 2005 vintage ran the westmalle triple pretty dam close.[/quote:3r2uzdy0]

Cracked Kettle in Amsterdam or do you have another good place to find some old aged ones?

Adam

"nigel_c":3pmfihsk wrote: Thanks. Anybody got hidden away they are particularly looking forward to trying but just bring themselves to pop the lid?

Nigel.[/quote:3pmfihsk]

Nothing compared to Trappissed I'm sure, but I've got a 2008 Great Divide Barrell-Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (aged for 13 months in a first-use American oak barrel; 12.2%), a 2 year old Westy 12 (needs 2 or 3 more), and 2 one year old Russian River sours (American Lambics) -Consecration and something else I forgot about already.

I'm not disciplined enough to age them as long as I'd like. (I need to buy some and hide them at relatives houses; lol!)


Adam

"Biertourist":3di0qltw wrote: I'm not disciplined enough to age them as long as I'd like. (I need to buy some and hide them at relatives houses; lol!) [/quote:3di0qltw]

Well that’s the plan for me. Planning a run up to drink store on sat to pick up a few bottles I can’t get locally. Few for samples and a few to pack away somewhere. All recommendations welcome.

Nigel