Maturing beer.

[Clint]

Hello all
as we know beer generally improves as it matures or conditions...to a point,as some only last so long due to factors such as storage conditions and alcohol content.
It's the big beers I'm thinking about..in particular imperial stouts...why do these benefit from extended storage? What causes flavours to change in the beer? What conditions are best? How long could they last?

Thanks

Clint

 

[NotSure]

My understanding as to what types of beer to condition would be high ABV (8%+) and malty. I hear fruit beer is a a plus too if it's high ABV. Hoppiness goes down over time, but hoppy beers can be aged with that in mind. I've aged and drank beers I've conditioned for four years after bottling (I'm sure others have done much more!). For me anyway, sometimes aging works, and sometimes it doesn't. When it works it's because flavours that were too harsh will mellow or something too boozy will not taste boozy, but warming.

As far as what causes it, I'm not sure but am willing to learn! I've bottled a lot of beer I'm intending to age in the past couple months so my answer may change in the coming years. Right now, I'm ageing Barleywine, Baltic Porter, British Strong Ale, Wee Heavy, and Chocolate Cherry Imperial Milk Stout. I plan to keep them at a stable room temp the best I can. High ABV beer, like Barleywine I've seen in commercial bottles with "best by" dates of more than a decade away.

Big picture wise.... I bet it's just the crap settling out at the bottom that has lots to do with it, but could be wrong.

 

[obscure]

Big picture wise.... I bet it's just the crap settling out at the bottom that has lots to do with it, but could be wrong.

Given that I think filtration is one of the things that commercial brewers do to speed up conditioning of beer it wouldn’t surprise me.

In all honesty I have no real idea why ageing improves beer, but I can’t deny that it does (in most cases) so if anyone has a genuine scientific explanation for why maturing beer improves it I would be interested to hear it.

 

[cushyno]

I don't know about the science.
There's a school of thought in other fields (I'm thinking athletics here) that you really dont need to understand the science so long as the practices you follow lead you to the right results.

Thinking about it. Those athletes that train 100 miles a week and do 80% slow running with 20% speedwork are generally in the right fitness ballpark to compete at a high level. They don't need to know the science so long as they follow the right process.

Same with cooking (Clint you should know this one). Why does marinading your chicken breast in tandoori spices improve over time? How can food cooked yesterday and kept in the fridge overnight taste even better the second time around? My guess is that flavours mellow and blend together. There's a chemical process of exchanging stuff at the molecular level going on. I don't know the science, but I know there is enough evidence that if you follow the process of aging something it generally improves over time.

Bloody wonderful how it happens. My London Porter is evidence of that

 

[Dutto]

A virtually teetotal neighbour of mine gave me a Batemans Victory Ale (ABV 6.0%E) that was about three years past its Best Before Date.

He apologised, I drank it and it was a superb pint! :

I Posted the above back in 2018.

To lay down a brew for over 18 months, my advice would be:

• Ensure that it is over 6% ABV.
• Go for a "darker" beer. e.g. Brown Ale, Stout or a dark Bitter.
• Increase the aroma hops if you want the smell/taste of hops to remain after a year. (The IBU won't change all that much.)
  
  
  

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I think there are couple of things going on as beer ages. Flavours fade and yeast changes the character of the beer.

Strong flavours fade more quickly than less strong flavours so there is a sweet spot where the flavours all balance and strong alcohol flavour fades to become more mellow and warming.

Just like you yeast has a preference when it comes to food. It starts in fermentation by stuffing it’s face with all it’s favourites and then slows down. Think about you at Christmas with a new tin of chocolates, you’ll do the same and within hours will have devoured your favourites. You’ll then go back and rummage through what’s left and after a few more visits to the tin there will be a handful that you’re really not that keen on and these may stay in the tin for weeks before you eventually finish them off. Some yeasts, like brett just take their time.

As for the best storage conditions I think everyone would agree cool and dark. Cellar temperatures are fine.

Darker beers and stronger beers can be stored longer (several months), lighter beers and hoppy beers much less (a few weeks).

No science, just a view from stuff I’ve read over time or have experienced myself.

 

[Hanglow]

Tuur had a good post on this

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/flavour-stability-in-home-brewing.88597/

 

[Paul7189]

Just to add a question on this. I am thinking of really upping my beer production but I don't want to purchase 300 corny kegs just for long term storage. Is there any real difference between maturing in bulk (keg) or in cans/bottles.

I'm looking at making some pilsners and cold conditioning them for around 2 months but also some strong imperial stouts. I assume as long as you're careful with your oxygen purging and store everything cold then it should be fine but I have read differing things about bulk vs individual packaging for ageing.