Most beers are meant to be consumed right away – isn’t that the whole idea? You may even see a “sell by” or “best before” date on labels for beers that are at their best when they’re most fresh. Yet for some craft beers, bottle aging allows flavor development and evolution, just as with fine wine. For example, hop character can mellow and integrate with evolving malt and yeast aromas and flavors, highlighting desirable nuances that are masked or not present when the beer is new.
Oftentimes, breweries will provide suggested parameters for aging beer – including ideal temperature and maximum length of aging time—right on the label. Candidates for cellaring/aging are typically bottle-conditioned beers with an 8 percent ABV or higher, although exceptions exist.
What’s the best beer storage position for your cellared bottles – upright or lying down? Again, label instructions may specify a brewer’s preference. Most beer experts recommend upright storage, especially for bottle-conditioned beers, so yeast sediment settles at the bottom of the bottle where it can be poured into the glass or left in the bottle at the drinker’s discretion.
The most important factors for bottle aging beer include temperature and darkness. Ideal cellaring temperature is generally in the 50-55° range, with protection from long-term light exposure highly recommended. In the absence of a true cellar environment, a cool, dry, dark place, such as in a box in a closet, may suffice. To avoid constant temperature fluctuation, rule out the garage for your cellar. A refrigerator is always a safe place, although cold refrigerator temperatures will markedly slow down, and perhaps even stop, the desired aging process for beers you are truly trying to “cellar.”
Most beers are meant to be consumed right away – isn’t that the whole idea? You may even see a “sell by” or “best before” date on labels for beers that are at their best when they’re most fresh. Yet for some craft beers, bottle aging allows flavor development and evolution, just as with fine wine. For example, hop character can mellow and integrate with evolving malt and yeast aromas and flavors, highlighting desirable nuances that are masked or not present when the beer is new.
Oftentimes, breweries will provide suggested parameters for aging beer – including ideal temperature and maximum length of aging time—right on the label. Candidates for cellaring/aging are typically bottle-conditioned beers with an 8 percent ABV or higher, although exceptions exist.
What’s the best beer storage position for your cellared bottles – upright or lying down? Again, label instructions may specify a brewer’s preference. Most beer experts recommend upright storage, especially for bottle-conditioned beers, so yeast sediment settles at the bottom of the bottle where it can be poured into the glass or left in the bottle at the drinker’s discretion.
The most important factors for bottle aging beer include temperature and darkness. Ideal cellaring temperature is generally in the 50-55° range, with protection from long-term light exposure highly recommended. In the absence of a true cellar environment, a cool, dry, dark place, such as in a box in a closet, may suffice. To avoid constant temperature fluctuation, rule out the garage for your cellar. A refrigerator is always a safe place, although cold refrigerator temperatures will markedly slow down, and perhaps even stop, the desired aging process for beers you are truly trying to “cellar.”
