Aging beer?

[krduckman]

Why are some beer able to be aged, say a year or two and others are not?
For example a barleywine can be aged 1 or 2 years without any ill effects but a pale ale/ brown ale tastes scunked after a year.
I've really only noticed this in non-homebrews(craft beer). My homebrew doesn't last that long.

 

[homebrewdad]

No beer should taste skunked from age alone. Skunking comes from a chemical reaction that occurs when light hits your hopped beer.

For what it's worth, I have two brown ales that are more than a year old. One is an imperial, and the recipe claimed that it didn't even peak until a year - it was right. Ther other is a more normal brown, and while the last couple of bottles appear to be blander than they once were, it's still perfectly fine.

 

[krduckman]

Interesting. So it sounds like from what you're stating there are other factors that causes beer to skunk. Not the beer itself. Thanks

 

[stinkmuis]

dark, high alcohol beers, and sour beers can age for years. The taste will chance over the years due to oxidation. Some beers age better then other one's. I drunk a 28 year old kriek a few days a go and it was stil amazing. it all depends on the way you keep them. steady medium low temps and dark.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/found-beer-treasure-394301/

I found some tips for aging beer on :
http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2012/06/how-to-start-a-beer-cellar-how-to-age-beers.html

 

[BryceL]

Interesting. So it sounds like from what you're stating there are other factors that causes beer to skunk. Not the beer itself. Thanks

Skunked beer is usually attributed to exposure to light. This is why most beer bottles and brown, and fermentation should take place in a dark area. As for aging, like others said, there are several factors but high alcohol beers are usually a good choice. The added time lets the flavors combine and mellow. For example I just had Alesmith Wee Heavy on tap last week. The next day I broke out a bottle I have been aging for a year, huge difference. The aged version was way smoother (didn't have that alcohol bite) and was very complex. Highly hoped beers such as pale ales and IPA's are usually not aged because hop aroma and flavor deteriorate over time.

 

[krduckman]

dark, high alcohol beers, and sour beers can age for years. The taste will chance over the years due to oxidation. Some beers age better then other one's. I drunk a 28 year old kriek a few days a go and it was stil amazing. it all depends on the way you keep them. steady medium low temps and dark.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/found-beer-treasure-394301/

I found some tips for aging beer on :
http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2012/06/how-to-start-a-beer-cellar-how-to-age-beers.html

Nice collection there of old beers. Thanks for article.