Aging of beers....?!
I’ve been contrasting and comparing two Aventinus, one from 2002 and one from 2003. The 2002 has a reduced chocolate and more pronounced fruitiness and alcohol accents. The 2003 seems like a… Well like a more mellowed “fresh” bottle, with a more pronounced alcohol. I’ve heard arguments for and against ABV being raised by cellaring of curtain beers. I want to know the real answer!
Answers: I’m looking for arguments for and against ABV being raised by aging secondary fermentation beers.
I’ve been contrasting and comparing two Aventinus, one from 2002 and one from 2003. The 2002 has a reduced chocolate and more pronounced fruitiness and alcohol accents. The 2003 seems like a… Well like a more mellowed “fresh” bottle, with a more pronounced alcohol. I’ve heard arguments for and against ABV being raised by cellaring of curtain beers. I want to know the real answer!
Cellaring or aging does not increase ABV, as many people believe. It could, possibly, increase the ABV very slightly in a bottle conditioned beer, simply because of the yeast/sugar combination involved in the bottle conditioning itself. The people that claim they've had wine aging in barrels for 10 years and it's 40% ABV are either bluffing, or have no clue how it works.
Once fermentation is complete, that's it. There will be no further concentration of ABV due to storage conditions (unless said storage takes place at approx. 80 degrees C with some sort of a 'vapor trap' involved).
My very first guess without study of that specific brewery or that specific brew would be either a slight change in recipe, or maybe the storage conditions of the 2002 bottle Vs. the 2003 bottle.
As far as arguments for and against go, I'd like to point out simple fermentation and distillation rules (applied science?). The alcohol is not going to concentrate any further during storage or aging unless some of the water is somehow removed from the fluid.
Can't a secondary fermentation increase alcohol over time? Not that it would be a perpetual growth mind you.
That I know of, that would only happen if fermentation was not fully completed during primary. Report It
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ask the dudes at a brewery dude, like Dogfish or a small batch brewery
Good Luck
Chimay Rules!
Good Luck
Chimay Rules!
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