My batch starts/tastes perfect, then ..... ?

[Brewer #5458]

Hi all, wondering if you can add some thoughts on an issue I have: When I brew, I get my hoppiness / bitterness just the way I want it. But after 4-5 months or so, the brew seems to have "tempered" rather significantly. In other words, it is no longer as hoppy and bitter as when bottled. Thoughts?

 

[Bigbre04]

Hoppy beers, especially IPAs and pale ales really should be consumed ASAP. The hops will quickly degrade.

Don't "age" IPAs, or hoppy beers. unless they are super strong, but even then you know that they will very much change over time.

i generally want ipas to age for about a week after they are carbonated before they are tapped.

You really only should expect a shelf life of 3 months maximum for an IPA. This applies to commercial examples that are properly packed with low Oxygen and minimal light contact. Bottle priming can certainly help but you should still try to drink the beer as fast as you can.

 

[Dave Y]

THIS.

The only beers that 'age' well are BIG ones; aka high ABV like Belgian Tripel, Wee Heavy, etc. The hop characteristics will mellow over time and definitely change the beer. For a hop forward expression - say 40-45 IBU Pils or higher IBU pale, this can really mute the primary characteristics that make it enjoyable. For malt forward beers, you may be able to skate by a little longer, but they're not doing anybody any good sitting in cold storage...

 

[Bigbre04]

THIS.

The only beers that 'age' well are BIG ones; aka high ABV like Belgian Tripel, Wee Heavy, etc. The hop characteristics will mellow over time and definitely change the beer. For a hop forward expression - say 40-45 IBU Pils or higher IBU pale, this can really mute the primary characteristics that make it enjoyable. For malt forward beers, you may be able to skate by a little longer, but they're not doing anybody any good sitting in cold storage...

my idiot bartenders are unable to tap kegs in the correct order. They tapped my 6 month old 9.2% belgian tripel early...it is fucking awesome!

 

[Zambi]

Mine never last that long...
But yes, I think most beer benefit from a "holding" period on a couple of weeks, except for those big monsters

 

[J A]

Lagers do well after several weeks or even months.
Stouts, Browns, Reds and Ambers seem to like a week or two of age and then hold pretty well for a while.
IPAs are better if they rest and settle for maybe a week and then are consumed within a month or so.
Hazy/Juicy Pales and IPAs as well as Wits and Hefes should be drank pretty much immediately.
It's tough to drink up beers in a timely fashion if you're brewing enough to stock up. Just expect IPAs to be different toward the end of the run. If you keg, you can freshen hops with a hop spider in the keg when things start to fade or even blend an older, faded IPA with a fresher one that's similar. If you're holding bottles, be sure to keep them cold, if possible and enjoy it for what it is.

 

[Craigerrr]

IPA is always best enjoyed as fresh as possible!
Hops do fade over time

 

[Minbari]

One other unit to consider. How well are you keeping oxidation down? It only takes a minute to oxidize beer enough to reduce its life considerably

 

[Craigerrr]

One other unit to consider. How well are you keeping oxidation down? It only takes a minute to oxidize beer enough to reduce its life considerably

Good point

 

[Sandy Feet]

Hi all, wondering if you can add some thoughts on an issue I have: When I brew, I get my hoppiness / bitterness just the way I want it. But after 4-5 months or so, the brew seems to have "tempered" rather significantly. In other words, it is no longer as hoppy and bitter as when bottled. Thoughts?

Drink it after it has a little time instead of wasting an IPA in the closet

 

[Brew Cat]

Hi all, wondering if you can add some thoughts on an issue I have: When I brew, I get my hoppiness / bitterness just the way I want it. But after 4-5 months or so, the brew seems to have "tempered" rather significantly. In other words, it is no longer as hoppy and bitter as when bottled. Thoughts?

all beers change with time some for the better some for the worse
choose wisely

 

[Gnarishnakh]

Quite a few years ago the homebrew store that was affiliated with the homebrew club I belonged to started stocking Simcoe hops and gave 2 oz to any brew club members that wanted to brew with it. I bought a third and made a fairly big piney IPA with it. A few bottles got put away for 9 months or so, and when I tasted them all the hop flavor and aroma were gone, and the beer had some sherry notes. I entered it in a club competition and won gold in the Old Ale category.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Quite a few years ago the homebrew store that was affiliated with the homebrew club I belonged to started stocking Simcoe hops and gave 2 oz to any brew club members that wanted to brew with it. I bought a third and made a fairly big piney IPA with it. A few bottles got put away for 9 months or so, and when I tasted them all the hop flavor and aroma were gone, and the beer had some sherry notes. I entered it in a club competition and won gold in the Old Ale category.

This is an excellent example to newer brewers that just because your beer didn't turn out the way you wanted it to, doesn't mean it isn't good beer.

 

[Ward Chillington]

IPA is always best enjoyed as fresh as possible!
Hops do fade over time

Ya know...it's kind of ironic that hops, an element in brewing that has a preservative quality and alcohol, another preservative element in beer, when put together to create the high octane quantities that are in a modern IPA, result in a beer with a very limited shelf life.
We've managed to actually get less with more by brewing something exactly the opposite of why the IPA was created.

 

[J A]

Ya know...it's kind of ironic that hops, an element in brewing that has a preservative quality and alcohol, another preservative element in beer, when put together to create the high octane quantities that are in a modern IPA, result in a beer with a very limited shelf life.
We've managed to actually get less with more by brewing something exactly the opposite of why the IPA was created.

The massively hopped original India Pale Ales would have retained little other than bitterness from the original hops. Given that they were destined to sit in a barrel for a few months before being consumed, it's doubtful that anyone ever experienced anything like what we call IPA today. I guess that's the difference in the American Ale designation and the original iteration.
To be fair, UK hops and nobel varieties never had the sort of interesting flavors of "new world" hops so bitterness and some spice/floral/skunky flavor and aroma was about the best that could be expected - pleasant for sure but not exactly marquee attractions. Citrus and pine would have blown minds in the days of British Empire, never mind mango and passion fruit!

 

[Ward Chillington]

Passion fruit! HOW vulgar said the queen!

 

[J A]

Passion fruit! HOW vulgar said the queen!

I know! Right!?

 

[Craigerrr]

Ya know...it's kind of ironic that hops, an element in brewing that has a preservative quality and alcohol, another preservative element in beer, when put together to create the high octane quantities that are in a modern IPA, result in a beer with a very limited shelf life.
We've managed to actually get less with more by brewing something exactly the opposite of why the IPA was created.

 

[Sandy Feet]

I used to drink a lot of the big boy IPAs. I remember being in Aruba on a vacation and trying an English version of an IPA. I was surprised because it wasn't nearly as hoppy and a lot more malt forward. Today, I might like that.
I still like my hoppy beers, but I just can't sit around and slam 7+%ers with a million IBUS all day. I have since lost the weight, but those damn things put 20+ pounds on me and made me feel like I got hit by a truck on Saturday morning.
I also don't recommend the stress weight loss program LOL.

 

[Bigbre04]

I used to drink a lot of the big boy IPAs. I remember being in Aruba on a vacation and trying an English version of an IPA. I was surprised because it wasn't nearly as hoppy and a lot more malt forward. Today, I might like that.
I still like my hoppy beers, but I just can't sit around and slam 7+%ers with a million IBUS all day. I have since lost the weight, but those damn things put 20+ pounds on me and made me feel like I got hit by a truck on Saturday morning.
I also don't recommend the stress weight loss program LOL.

i totally agree!

iv started going to the gym a few days a week. managed to put on 18lbs since the gym started. Yet my doctor was not upset with me! apparently muscle is heavy!