Challenge: a beer to keep for 18 years.

[MattK]

Here's a challenge.

My wife will be dropping our first sprog in a few months, while a friend of mine had his first a few weeks ago. He had the idea that as well as laying down a nice Bordeaux for their 18th, we should brew an 18 year beer. We are working on the assumption that they will have been indoctrinated into the ways of real beer by that point, so will be able to appreciate it. If not I'm sure we can enjoy it ourselves! I'm sure we could also find excuses to sample a bottle or two at various points along the 18 years.

Anyway: I'm looking for ideas for a beer that will not just last for 18 years, but will improve. I've heard several stories of breweries finding 10 year old cases and they always say they're fantastic. However, I've not know of any as old as 18 years.

In terms of styles, I guess an old ale is the obvious choice. An IPA is another possibility, or a porter. Suggestions welcomed!

[weiht]

Maybe something imperial??? I think the added alcohol will be excellent

[Shadowknight]

Barley Wine?

[eguin]

There's plenty of Thomas Hardy ale recipe's that may do it,here's just one of them....dont forget to save me a bottle;


Eldridge Pope Thomas Hardy's Ale - 12 litres

Eldridge Pope Thomas Hardy's Ale
OG 1125
Pale Malt 6,800g
Amber malt 1,700g

Goldings 55g (start)
Fuggles 65g (start)
Styrian Goldings 25g (last 15)
Irish moss 2tsp (last 15)

Mash liquor 18 litres
Mash Temp 67'C
Mash time 2 hrs
Boil time - 2.5 hours
Alc 12.8%
FG 1030
75 EBU
Final vol 12 litres

[Manx Guy]

Hi,

I thought about doing something similar... as far as I can see it would either be an Imperial Stout or a barley wine for me.

I've started to pull a couple of recipes together...

My son is now 14 months and I havent yet brewed anything...


I might wait until he is six and then brew something that will have aged 12 years!

I've already bought him several bottles of Irish and Scotch mat whiskey and a couple of bottles of wine.

Assuming they last until he is 18...



Guy

[MattK]

A barley wine does seem like a good idea, and would lend itself to sharing a small bottle every year. I'd not heard of the Thomas Hardy Ale: that looks fascinating!

[eguin]

Matt, i have bottles 15, to 20 years old which they is ok to drink, heres a description off a site, also check out ebay to see how much people are paying for bottles of'thomas hardy ale'!

"Best beer in the World"
Off-licence News International Challenge 2006

A unique achievement with a special place in English brewing history. Strong in alcohol and powerfully hopped, it doesn't spoil with time and careful storage, but can be kept for at least 25 years, growing in character as the flavours blend and develop into mature masterpieces in miniature.

A superb after-dinner drink, it can be enjoyed immediately or cellared in accordance with the instructions on the back label. O'Hanlon's produce annual 'Editions' of individually numbered and tagged 25cl bottles that make beautiful gifts and treasured possessions for the beer lover

[staplefordbill]

At my local brewers' group earlier this month, someone brought in a barley wine he made 13 years ago. It was delicious. You get oxidation with beer that old, leading to sherry flavours, but that's part of the style and not unpleasant.

[pantsmachine]

If i was going to make a decades keeping beer(i have thought about this). I would steer away from the American hops as they are great for a big bitter aromatic BOOM in a new IPA but they don't always age well or leave a particularly good blend after 6 to 9 months. It would be hopped to around about a theoretical 200IBU's with EKG's, Fuggles & Bramling cross(bramling being used sparingly). I'd stick to pale malt only, mash it high(70), take it up to about 6.5% with grain then boost it to 7.5 to 8% with cane sugar( i would invert the sugar and darken it slightly to give just a touch of colour to the beer). It would be a 20 gallon batch and i'd split it between 2 different yeasts so we had a single variable to compare as the years went by.

I'd leave it a month after finishing then bottle with fresh yeast. In saying all that i'd only expect 5 gallon of each to make it through to the 18th Birthday as 2 bottles of each annually to check progress will consume the other 5 gallon of each. This beer would ROCK!

[boingy]

It's a good concept but I'm not sure an 18 year old will have developed the taste for such a complex beer. They'll be more interested in just getting smashed on cheap lager and lurid blue alcopops. But, yes, definitely a barley wine and maybe aim for 25 years!

[MattK]

Yeah, maybe 25 years is a better plan!

[MattK]

pantsmachine: you'd boost with sugar rather than boiling it down to concentrate?

[MattK]

...though I guess if you were doing 20 gallons, you'd need to start with a ridiculous amount if you were to try to reduce it!

[pantsmachine]

Hi Matt,

It might be that you have better selfcontrol than i do so 20 gallons might not be needed(sounds good though doesn't it)?

Adding sugar is a legit way of boosting gravity while keeping the body relatively light. 10 to 15% would be the absolute max i would go to weight for weight. One of the reasons for going that way is that i would mash high to retain body from the single grain so would lose X amount of fermentable sugars(they will still be comsumed slowly over the years, be wary of this). Actually looking at it for that POV i think i'd go for a lower mash temp and at least be reducing the chance of bottle bombs. I'd still keep the sugar levels up though as a 8% beer from grain only even at a low mash temp would be too thick for me.

Since you are keeping it for so long simplicity in the recipe would also be a factor, hence the single grain, colour from the sugar(could caramelise your first runnings to introduce some colour or a toffee note) and classic UK hops. No point making something strangely exotic, waiting years then its a bit pants! Big ass massively hopped IPA's are on a tier of their own for complexity and depth from relatively simple ingredients list and to me are THE classic beer.

An example of a 'classic' ipa recipe would be a bit like this. I'm not saying you should go the same route as i did but its a great beer and could act as a basis for your own invention?

http://bennachiebrewery.blogspot.com/20 ... chive.html

http://bennachiebrewery.blogspot.com/20 ... steor.html

[jimp2003]

I was just reading Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing and he mentions a style that would often be used for this purpose in the 18th and 19th centuries - a Doble-Doble.

He gives a recipe and describes the process in detail but the gist is to mash your grain as usual and run off 4 gallons of wort which you then raise to strike temperature and use as the liquor to mash a second fresh batch of grain. The OG is well over 1.100 and the recipe he gives has 72 IBU.

It might not suit your situation though as the maturation is 8-12 months but it would be a nice project...

Jim