When Did We Stop Aging Beer?

The last few weeks I have been using Tasting Beer: An Insider’s Guide to the World’s Greatest Drink as a reference book.  Tired of flipping to pertinent passages as needed I made time to sit down and really begin reading the book cover to cover.  One fact stood out in the first hour.  In the early 1700s people began to prefer aged beer.   In fact people of wealth would buy beer to age it and refused to drink the fresh stuff.

It is really ironic that today I am explaining the benefits of aging almost weekly .  At a beer store in Chicago I recently stumbled upon a beer from 2006.   The staff was surprised I wanted it when they saw the dates, and even tried to talk me out of it.  Heck they couldn’t figure out how it was on their shelf.  The beer was a Drie Fonteinen Oude Kriek.   It should be aged.  Also, they are no longer in production so if you see it buy it.

Simply put: it is amazing at how much Big Beer with Born on Dates etc. have changed perceptions on beer.  Some beers are only better with age (Bourbon County Stout).  This twisted notion denies an entire segment of consumers the chance to try some truly amazing beers.

Tags: Aging, Cellar