Aged Beer
Color: Varies with underlying style
Clarity: Varies with underlying style
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Varies with underlying style
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Varies with underlying style
Perceived Bitterness: Varies with underlying style
Fermentation Characteristics: Aged Beers are any beers aged for over one year. A brewer may brew any type of beer of any strength and enhance its character with various aging conditions for an extended time. In general, beers with high hopping rates, roast malt, high alcohol content, and/or complex herbal, smoke or fruit character are the best candidates for aging. Aged Beers may be aged in bottles, cans, kegs or other non-wooden vessels. Aged character may be expressed in mouthfeel, aroma and flavor.
Often, aged character is the result of oxidative reactions that either bring individual flavor components into harmony or are unique flavors unto themselves. Sherry-like and fruity flavors often develop during aging, and hop character often changes. No matter what the effect, the overall character should be balanced and without aggressive flavors.
The level of change created by aging will vary with the duration of aging and the underlying beer style. Mildly-flavored beers are more likely to develop aggressive and unpleasant oxidation. Positive transformations are more likely to occur in beers with higher levels of hops, malt and/or alcohol.
Body: Varies with underlying style
Additional Notes:
Within the framework of these guidelines, Wood-Aged Beers, Brett Beers, Sour Beers or beers exhibiting attributes of aging in the presence of any microflora must be categorized elsewhere.
When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, brewers may be asked to provide supplemental information about entries in this category to allow for accurate evaluation of diverse entries. Such information might include the underlying beer style upon which the entry is based, or other information unique to the entry such as length of time aged, type of vessel, duration of aging process, micro flora present if known, other ingredients or other processing which influence perceived sensory outcomes.
- Color SRM (EBC): Varies with style
- ABV: Varies with style %
- IBU: Varies with style
- AE - Apparent Extract: Varies with style
- OG - Original Gravity: Varies with style