When is the right time to drink different types of beer?

[Muz]

I’ve just been thinking about a Belgian Blond I bottled recently. I got some feedback that it might need a little more time in the bottle before it’s at its peak. That got me wondering about bottle conditioning. I know that hoppy beers should be drank as soon as possible as the hop oils don’t stay fresh for long. I know that high alcohol dark beers and certain sours require a year + in the bottle to get to their prime. But there are a lot of beers I don’t really know if they’re better fresh or aged. And if aged, how long?

I know there are no hard and fast rules on this but are there any good articles on the principles of ageing different beers?

Thanks

 

[Flash_DG]

I recently made a Blonde Ale with WPL550 and it had some really nice flavours fresh that seemed have dropped off after a few weeks. Everything I read about them said to that the longer you leave them the more complex the flavours got.

 

[MHB]

No single right answer, and a lot of going to depends on...
Good rule of thumb is "The bigger the beer the more it benefits from maturation".
For mine (other than hop monsters and sour beers)
Pale Ale 3-4 weeks +
Amber to brown 4-6 weeks or more around 3 months for some.
Dark to black 3 months +
Stouts and bigger 6-12 months, up to several years.

Kunze has a good representative image

Remember that Kunze is mostly about Lager brewing.
There is some decent reading on the LoDo forum.
I think when we are talking about highly hopped beers, LoDo is a really important part of the equation.
Mark

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Glad I read this thread properly. Fancy asking beer nerds when is the right time to drink!

Actually. Two answers. Since you are bottling, the first time to drink is when you think the beer is carbed enough.

After trying above, make an executive decision, Such as, may leave this a while. How long is a while .. that is up to you. Maybe some now, some a bit later.

Let me assume you have a few bottles in the larder. Drink another in a month. A few months.

It's home brewers mate, no real answer.

Learn to taste the difference between a "green" beer and a matured beer.

Half the fun in growing old.

 

[Journeyman]

Also glad I read it past the first sentence...
"I’ve just been thinking about a Belgian Blond I bottled recently"

He COULD have been an anti-EU Cockney, talking to his china's down the rubbedy.

I'm not sure what 'bigger' means - more alcohol? More particulates? But looks like a general rule is, the darker the longer to leave it?

 

[Danscraftbeer]

When is the right time to drink different types of beer?

All through your entire life.

Your Adult life that is etc...

Maybe not if your pregnant but you can still taste test with no harm for sure.

I have no qualifications to influence this activity.

 

[sirosis]

I reckon any hour that has 60 minutes in it.

 

[philrob]

Anytime from midnight for the next 24 hours.

 

[krz]

This is a really good question, and the comments are also great.
For me, Im a bit of a pisshead, I cant wait to drink my next brew.
I usually brew 2 kegs at a time, sometimes 3. I start to drink it about a week after kegging.
BY the time the second keg is ready to drink, I really appreciate the taste.
Mostly ale yeasts I drink cause i dont want to wait that long for a lager.

My preference beer is Kolsch, because its sort of between an ale and a lager and it drinkable quick, and it tastes great.