Tonight we embark on an epic journey. A journey that may end in two, five, or even ten years. There's also a reasonable chance the journey ends early next week. This journey will require my gang of friends to seek out mythical pirate treasure buried somewhere deep under the homes of our seaside town while we simultaneously fend off a second-rate mafia crime family. No, wait, that's the plot line for The Goonies.The topic tonight is aging beer. There is no journey; unless you count years of aimlessly roaming the earth until you reach the target age of your beer.
A quick Google search will help you find good information on putting your beer away long term. Your first stop should be a 2012 post by the professionals at Dogfish Head. There is also some good information to be found at Beer Advocate on cellaring beer. Guys Drinking Beer sum it up best when they say the key to cellaring is forgetfulness. Finally, the Washington Post has a good read on why not to cellar; most beers are best served fresh.
The four bottles we are laying down are date stamped April 12, 2016. Today, May 15, 2016, they are in the back of the beer fridge where they will remain for years to come. The goal is to age the beers two to five years though I've read about some enthusiasts looking at 10 years; and read one post that claimed the staff at Dogfish Head said 120 Minute IPA can age 50 years. True or not, I'm not interested in a beer that will outlive me. So, a couple five years will be right by me.
Stop by in 2018 for a review of this aged beer...or in 2019...or 2020...or next week.
