Probably a topic that has been debated exhaustively but I want to ask some questions about how fast a beer is ready. I recently attended a beer fest here in St. Petersburg Florida where the Tampa Bay Brewing Company (I think one of only two brewpubs in the entire metro area, including Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tampa, what a shame) was showcasing some of its beers.
One of the the brewers was there so we got to talking. He, like a lot of brew pub brewers, got his start as a home brewer. I asked him why there seems to be such a disparity between how long homebrewers age there beers and how long commercial brewers age their beers. His answer was interesting. He said that most of the beers served at TBBC are green beers. Green in that they are very new. He says that aging gives flavors a chance the mellow and blend. However, most of the craft beers they serve have specific flavor profiles that they are trying to extenuate. In other words, at least if I understood him right (I was getting a little tipsy at this point) part of what makes a craft beer a craft beer is the different, unique flavors. Allowing them to age, though it will mellow a beer really takes away from the "freshness" of the beer or the distinct flavor profile that makes a craft beer what it is. When i asked him if this logic also applies to homebrews he said its the same thing. The newer the fresher the beer the more the distinct flavors will stand out. The older, the more these flavors will have blended and mellowed.
What say you?
One of the the brewers was there so we got to talking. He, like a lot of brew pub brewers, got his start as a home brewer. I asked him why there seems to be such a disparity between how long homebrewers age there beers and how long commercial brewers age their beers. His answer was interesting. He said that most of the beers served at TBBC are green beers. Green in that they are very new. He says that aging gives flavors a chance the mellow and blend. However, most of the craft beers they serve have specific flavor profiles that they are trying to extenuate. In other words, at least if I understood him right (I was getting a little tipsy at this point) part of what makes a craft beer a craft beer is the different, unique flavors. Allowing them to age, though it will mellow a beer really takes away from the "freshness" of the beer or the distinct flavor profile that makes a craft beer what it is. When i asked him if this logic also applies to homebrews he said its the same thing. The newer the fresher the beer the more the distinct flavors will stand out. The older, the more these flavors will have blended and mellowed.
What say you?