How long will my ale keep

[Luvabeer]

hi all
I bottled a ipa mid November and managed to save a few bottles. So I know it gets better with age. But how long dare I leave it before it turns. Also I’m going to do a larger kit for the summer any suggestions which would be a easy starter for a novice!! Any advice much appreciated
CHEERS

 

[Frogbrew]

Your iPa should be good for min 12 months I reckon.
A decent lager IMO is the Wilko cerveza or the Richie's Simply lager, both good summer BBQ beers with just brewing sugar to add.
Some may disagree but it's all a matter of taste.

 

[terrym]

As a rule of thumb the stronger and darker a beer is the longer it takes to come good, but it then lasts longer too. I've kept beers for a year before drinking and others on here do the same or longer from I read.
In the end only you will know with your IPA
As far as suggestions for a summer lager there's kit review section here
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/beer-kit-reviews-a-z.77650/

 

[phildo79]

I have always found IPA's to lose flavour as they age. I am of the ilk that they are best drank fresh. Whilst your IPA will last many months, you may find the flavour profile has deminished somewhat.

Rarely do kits anymore but the last one I did was a Munton's Connoisseur European Lager. It was crap.

 

[terrym]

I have always found IPA's to lose flavour as they age. I am of the ilk that they are best drank fresh. Whilst your IPA will last many months, you may find the flavour profile has deminished somewhat.

Rarely do kits anymore but the last one I did was a Munton's Connoisseur European Lager. It was crap.

There's IPAs and IPAs. If its an 'American IPA' full of hops you are probably right. My limited experience on that bears that out. But if its an 'English IPA' which in my mind is a different beer I'm sure it would last longer before is starts to deteriorate.

 

[phildo79]

Yeah, probably the really hop forward IPA's would noticably lose their flavour quicker. This is rarely an issue for me as a keg only lasts me about 2 weeks ffs.

 

[Clint]

When I did kits I done the Wilco cerveza a few times adding a dry hop helps a bit...

 

[Brewed_Force]

I recently found half a crate of a dunkel lager kit I made in March 2017 in my shed.
The reason it went in the shed is because it was quite 'thin' tasting and wasn't carbonated enough.
After nearly 2 years 'maturing' (ahem...) it is now quite drinkable, almost porter like.

 

[Luvabeer]

Lol this is the mad house but brilliant advice

 

[MrRook]

How long a brew lasts can be greatly affected by how anal you were about cleaning and sanitation.
I had a 4% nut brown ale batch that lasted a year and the last one was still very good.

 

[Poochops]

I tend to brew heavily till I've filled the garage about 500 bottles, then only very occasionally after that till most of its been drunk, takes about a year and stored well in the cool and dark I find them fine, they do change and do have a peak in flavour. Hoppy IPA though I'll drink first because they tend to lose hop flavour quite quick. My occasional brews are generally high ABV impys or Belgians and I have some coming up to 2 years and they're lush but the alcohol help preserve them