Beer and aging

[batkins]

Do most beers get better with age? Will they reach a point that they start to decline? What is that point? What is the predominant factor for how long to age a beer? I ask because I read of people aging different vintages of the same recipe, say Samiclaus (sp?). How long would be safe to age? Is it a crap shoot as to wether it gets better or worse in the end?
Thanks ....and sorry for all those questions in a row.
Bill Atkins

[Richard English]

As a generalistion, the stronger the beer, the better it will keep. However, that's not quite the same as "ageing" since in the process of "laying down" there is the expectation that the drink will improve.

Fine wines are often almost indrinkable when first bottled (with huge tannic bite) and may take years to give of their best. The same applies to any drink which continues to change in the bottle (which means that there is no point in storing the pasteurised and sterile offerings from A-B in the hope that they will improve!)

Strong bottle-conditioned ales will improve for some time - even years. Thomas Hardy's Ale of fond memory was not even considered ready to drink until it had been laid downfor ten years! Reports I have read suggest that Fuller's 1845, although excellent even when it is new, will improve for some years.

Most beer, though, will not keep for as long as many wines, simply because of its lower alcoholic content. I doubt that a beer from the 1920s would be much good - although Madeira wine from that era is still sold.

Spirits will keep almost indefinitely although I doubt that there is any benefit in storing them insofar as flavour is concerned. Whiskies and similar spirits develop their flavour in cask, not in bottle.