Well, there is certainly a lot of so-called “social distancing” going on these days (which is the smart move considering the coronavirus threat) and it got me thinking about a longtime, tried-and-true beer tradition that may come in handy if you are staying in more than usual for health and safety reasons: cellaring beers.
For those who may not know, “laying beers down” as some call it is the practice of putting a beer away to let it age. Some have big collections of these brews, breaking them out for gatherings to share with others, or simply waiting to enjoy themselves when the mood strikes. Not all brews are great for this custom, of course, but I have done it with all sorts of beers just to see how various ones age.
Stouts and porters are at the top of the list in my opinion, as maltier beers tend to age better. Hops degrade rather quickly, so brews such as IPAs aren’t always great candidates. However, it all depends on expectations. You won’t get the hop bomb the beer was intended to be if you put it away for six to 12 months, but you still might get an interesting flavor profile.
For example, I cellared (although not in my cellar, as I was living in an apartment) Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’, a hoppy wheat beer a number of years ago. The beer’s usual citrus notes had disappeared, but the grainy malt backbone came forward and seemed to have developed a honey-like sweetness. While I’m not usually a huge wheat beer fan, this is one I always liked, and I even liked it after the hops dissipated a few months later.
Another hoppy beer I once put away for six months or so was Dogfish Head Burton Baton. This is an imperial IPA, but it’s complex malt profile made is good candidate for cellaring. Once again, the hops that are usually evident when you drink it fresh were virtually nonexistent, but definite citrus and pine notes linger. But the oak, vanilla and caramel flavors all melded nicely into a twine of sweetness that could only come with age.
The beer is around 10% alcohol by volume, and the boozy aspect is not evident after a few months (although if memory serves, it really isn’t a big factor when fresh, either. And while I certainly admit I liked the fresh version better, the aged one was also quite tasty for an IPA.
What beers, especially ones that aren’t the usual candidates for cellaring, have you laid down for aging?
Let me know, along with how long you aged them by writing to me at geolenker@yahoo.com.
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March 15, 2020 at 05:56PM
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Beer Nut: Some brews get better with age - MassLive.com
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