Well Aged Stout

[RobboMC]

New brewers often ask how long will my brew last in the bottles.

Last night I cracked open an old glass bottle that a brewer had found during a garage clean-out.
It was a straight K&K Coopers Stout. "In those days all I knew was to add the sugar and ferment it" he said.
The steel top was thouroughly rusted, and the brewers comment was that all he could remember was that it was brewed before his daughter was born. She is 13 and just started high school.

So how does a 14 year-old Coopers Stout taste. Absolutely magnificent!!!!

The low level of carbonation had remained, the stout flavour has smoothed into a generous dark ale
and it's one of the best black beers I've ever had.

 

[Gormand]

Nice I have been aging 12 bottles of each of my brews for 3/6 months (6 of each) I am about to crack my first 3 month batch. Maybe I should start putting away 1 bottle from each indefinatly and have a big party in 10 years or something where we open them all up

 

[Silo Ted]

Cool !

Was the bottle a twist top or a crown seal ?

 

[Milky11111]

I've been storing a bottle of every batch since I started (which isn't very long, yet.) After one of my friends told me a story about after her father dying, who was a brewer, they found bottles he had stashed away for long time aging and that they tasted great. I'll probably pull a few out every special occasion or toast.

 

[colonel]

As I've put in previous posts, as long as you keep the light off them, they should not only last, but actually get better over the years.
Recently tried one of my Dark Ales from Dec 1995 which was beaut.
Before I had a bit of a break from brewing, I wasn't even trying them if they were less than 10 months old (I had quite a stockpile, so there was no need).

Cheers

New brewers often ask how long will my brew last in the bottles.

Last night I cracked open an old glass bottle that a brewer had found during a garage clean-out.
It was a straight K&K Coopers Stout. "In those days all I knew was to add the sugar and ferment it" he said.
The steel top was thouroughly rusted, and the brewers comment was that all he could remember was that it was brewed before his daughter was born. She is 13 and just started high school.

So how does a 14 year-old Coopers Stout taste. Absolutely magnificent!!!!

The low level of carbonation had remained, the stout flavour has smoothed into a generous dark ale
and it's one of the best black beers I've ever had.

 

[Cog's]

RobboMC

Great to know, was wondering the exact question.

I am down to my last bottle of stout and it was brewed about 4 months before my daughter was born, she is now 14 months old.

Thanks to you I will be keeping this beuty until she has got to the same age or so.

Be worth more than a penfolds grange to me anyway.

Cheers
Cog's :icon_chickcheers:

 

[Muggus]

Excellent story!

Similiar thing happened to me a few years back. Found the last bottle of a toucan half batch Coopers stout that I named STout Anger, because it was so dark and bitter. It was 4 years in the bottle, and tasted amazing.
Ever since i've put away at least a couple of bottles of all of my stouts, and actually won 2nd place in last years NSW state homebrew comp with a 2 year old Imperial Stout in the Strong Stout catagory.

 

[brocky_555]

i have a bottle of stout that i was given as a gift 12 months or so ago maybe it will be good after some time. Do you need to store it under any special condions ?

 

[Gormand]

Excellent story!

Similiar thing happened to me a few years back. Found the last bottle of a toucan half batch Coopers stout that I named STout Anger, because it was so dark and bitter. It was 4 years in the bottle, and tasted amazing.
Ever since i've put away at least a couple of bottles of all of my stouts, and actually won 2nd place in last years NSW state homebrew comp with a 2 year old Imperial Stout in the Strong Stout catagory.

Are you saying what I think your saying? 2 cans and only filling to 11-12L?
If so that does sound pretty amazing, any idea what the FG of that was?

 

[Muggus]

Are you saying what I think your saying? 2 cans and only filling to 11-12L?
If so that does sound pretty amazing, any idea what the FG of that was?

Spot on mate.
From my notes...just when I started taking them luckily!...OG 1.086 FG 1.030...started 24 December 2004, bottled May 5th 2005...LOOONG time in the fermenter, lots of autolysis.

 

[DU99]

we don't use chemical's,all natural product so why shouldn't it last a few month's/year's..grange even goes "off"

 

[Muggus]

..grange even goes "off"

But wine has sulfur dioxide in it...