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Overview
'Drink fresh' is the general rule of thumb when it comes to beer, but not all brews must be consumed according to a 'best by' date. Because really, some things are just better with age (see: wine, whisky, wisdom). And in actuality, some beers are better with some age. So, in celebration of Coopers' 2017 Vintage Ale release, we're exploring the idea of ageing, and more particularly, ageing beer, because time can be of the essence when it comes to some of the finest things in life. We've already looked at five unexpected things that get better with age (number one being beer), and now we're diving deeper into this idea of ageing brews.
Chief brewer of the iconic Coopers Brewery, Dr Tim Cooper is an impressive figure within Australia's beer scene. Not only is he a certified medical doctor, but he also heads up the family business, continuing to grow its legacy. As part of this legacy, his team has explored the process of ageing beers since 1998 when they released their very first Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale.
For the uninitiated, these beers are made with the intention that they should be cellared before enjoyed in order to help deepen flavour and bring out new aromas as the brew ages. Looking to dive a bit deeper into this cellaring process, we sat down with Dr Tim to talk through all things aged beer — why you should try it, which beers you should (and shouldn't) cellar and how to age them correctly.
WHY YOU SHOULD AGE BEER
"My father used to tell tales at the brewery of a Norwegian sea captain who would purchase a year's supply when docking in port closest to the Adelaide brewery," says Dr Tim. "He would hoard the beer for his travels, preferring to drink those stored from the previous years as they had matured. This was back in the 1970s, and showed that people were interested in ageing back then." Come the 1990s, numerous requests from publicans pressured the brewery to consider a vintage seasonal; by the time 1998 came around, the Coopers Vintage Ale was born.
Whilst it's not entirely clear what will happen when a beer ages — there are just too many variables — maturation cannot be considered emphatically better or worse, it merely changes the beer's flavour. "Ageing takes some of the raw edges off the perceptible flavour and can definitely be an improvement," Dr Tim asserts. Ageing beer brings out new flavours, replacing harsher notes with softer, sweeter aromas.
"Fermentation with ale yeast imparts fragrant esters of tropical fruit, pineapple and banana evident early on," explains Dr Tim. "These compliment the floral and fruity notes arising from the addition of aroma hops. Consumers will enjoy these flavours when drinking these ales fresh." Then, over a relatively short time, the fruity and floral character of the ferment esters and hops dwindle, so by the five year mark, the malt characteristics become fortified. This further ageing will foster umami and vinous characteristics of, say, port wine.
When it comes down to it, however, it's all dependant on your own tastes. The reason you should try ageing beer exists in why you drink it in the first place — "the end goal should be for better enjoyment."
WHICH BEERS CAN BE AGED
Overall, beers with higher alcohol are up to the challenge of cellaring. "By and large the Coopers Vintage products are generally higher than average in alcohol," Dr Tim explains. Similarly, sour styles and beers you can buy already barrel-aged fend nicely, developing flavour and complexity as time goes by.
These heftier, more alcoholic beers — think stouts, porters and barley wines — not only have natural means of reducing the negative effects ageing has on taste, but their flavours often benefit. Fruity, floral notes and any bitterness decrease due to the natural degradation of hop profiles, all while malt characteristics such as bready notes and sweetness generally take over. Just keep in mind that hop-centric beers, lagers and beers with lower ABV are generally brewed for fresh consumption. Their flavours will suffer from any prolonged ageing.
HOW TO PROPERLY CELLAR
Implicitly funky and unpredictable, beer is like a jazz musician who leads by listening rather than following any sheet music. So ageing beer can go in strange directions, both pleasant and less than. How should you cellar your beer to best bring out deeper flavours and avoid ruining the brew? It's best to avoid oxygen, heat and sunlight. A young beer will age gracefully under proper conditions.
Coopers helps you out on the oxygen front, by naturally conditioning their bottles to help remove any free oxygen that will ruin your beer. Dr Tim explains how "naturally conditioned beers can be best [for ageing], as the yeast mops up the oxygen left over in the bottles helping to curb oxidation and spoilage." He also suggests storing a carton or two in a central part of your house that isn't likely to heat up, "preferably a dark cellar, but anywhere that is cool, around ten to 15 degrees, is good."
A space with minimal light is also ideal to avoid too much sun. Without breaking open the chemistry textbooks, the reason to avoid storing your beer in sunlight is that ultraviolet light breaks down acids from the hops to the same sulphur radical as the smell of skunk spray — hence why as some beers age, they can become 'skunked', particularly hoppy beers and lagers like IPAs and golden ales.
Quite possibly the biggest challenge of ageing beer is keeping it cellared long enough to allow for the ageing process to take place. "I'm completely hopeless," says Dr Tim. "I do always enjoy every vintage, but [I don't] always remember to take it home." We can appreciate that when it comes to tasty beers, it is hard to keep your hands off them.
Sometimes ageing can be a great thing. Stock up on some Coopers Vintage Ale 2017 and try it yourself.
Words: Mikey Lowe and Quinn Connors.