Due to the gathering restrictions brought about because of COVID and his work schedule, my cigar-smoking nephew and I haven’t had a chance to herf at his Dad’s gravesite for almost two years. As such, my inventory of Deschutes Abyss and other stouts has remained almost untouched. While they are in a temperature controlled storage site at 74 F, I’m wondering if there’s a time limit as far as keeping them in storage. The bulk of the beers are from 2014 through 2016.

I know, I know, I should just drink them and find out but easier said than done given our babysitting duties during the week.

So anyway, any sage advice with beer storage and how long I can keep them?

Indefinite AFAIK....big stouts like that smooth out.

One article I've read said 3-5yrs, but not able to verify with my baby stash (both small and young). Guessing there's probably a sweet spot per brew but added years wouldn't likely make it undrinkable.

Semi-related question. I've got a couple bottles that are entirely too sweet. Will aging lessen that aspect or make it worse?

From my experience it depends somewhat on the % alc . Abyss and others well above 10% have been great after 5-6 years and counting. Some others at lesser % start to flatten out after 3-4 years but don't go bad.

Conan, it truly is a matter of tast.

SOB a sweet beer is gonna stay sweet.

I've got imperial stouts and bourbon barrel stouts older than that. Never been an issue so far. Mine are actually refrigerated though which may be worse than how you have them.

Thanks Z. That's what I was afraid of

If too sweet to drink (for your taste)... could experiment with them and hops. Might be a terrible idea but if they will be discarded anyway whats the difference. Might learn something. i've never played around with small amounts of hops and a finished beer. Might be a terrible idea but unless you talk to someone who has or research it there is only one other way to find out.

Thanks everyone!

Tim - why would putting the beers in a refrigerator be a (potentially) bad thing?

Don't know. Not saying it would be, I just don't know enough about it to be intelligent so I consider the possibility. It's just how my brain works. We need thundergerbil and/or pliny to come to the rescue.

The last article from a brewery I read was idea aging of high abv% dark beers was 58-75° but to be honest I do NOT remember who the brewer was that was being interviewed or if it was from one of the Deschutes emails that include articles.

SOB I tried a German beer years ago that was new to me, pretty sure it was marked malted something or other, it had a red and silver labe that looked cool. It was like 14.something% abv.....it tasted HORRIBLY sweet.....told the store manager (local beer shpo) that he should destroy every bottle immediately I even offered to pay for half. Thankfully I haven’t seen it since the TWO YEARS it took him to move the bottles.

If the ABV is the same ale will always seem sweeter than lager. It has more esters. This leads to greater body and perceived sweetness. Also as Z mentioned the higher ABV'S give greater perception of sweetness. Then there is the amount of residual sugar to consider.

any part of sweetness due to more malt and less hops?

Bung hole storage is best...I heard that from TW...

Thanks for letting me store mine in yours repeatedly.

Beers have 2 enemies.. (besides me).

Heat and light. Keep them cool (cooler than 74 degrees, bruh) and out of the light and you should be fine.

Frank, no. Typically beer with more hops also has more malt for balance.

Conan, barrel aged lasts for a looong time. Burton ale would typically be barrel aged 7 to 20 years.