Can Conditioning be Stopped????

[BlackDuck]

The simple question is....can the conditioning/aging phase in a bottle be stopped or slowed to preserve the flavor and aroma???

Here's the details. After I bottle carb for 3 weeks, I put about 6 to 8 beers in the fridge to cool. And try to always have that many in the fridge at any given time. So as I drink a couple, I'll replace a couple from the bottles that are in storage in the basement. Temps in the basement range from the low 60's in the winter to the high 60's in the summer.

I bottled my Fruit Salad Session IPA on December 21, 2014. I opened the first bottle 3 weeks later on 1/11/15. At that point, the aroma and flavor were really good. I opened the second bottle about a week later and would say that it was a little better than the first. I would say that it was in it's prime at this point. And probably stayed there until late February. Then, at the beginning of March, I noticed that it was losing it's hop flavor and aroma. It was now more like a pale ale than an IPA. I had one last night and could really tell it was losing it's IPA goodness. It has changed drastically from the beginning of March to the end of March. I have 6 bottles left and all of them are in the fridge.

So, back to the question. Can the conditioning/aging process be stopped or slowed by putting all the bottles in the refrigerator when I think it's at it's prime? Will the cold temperatures preserve the hop aroma and flavor for a longer time than leaving the bottles at basement temp?

Looking forward to hearing your opinions.

[RickBeer]

To my understanding, you won't stop it, but you will greatly slow it down.

[Dawg LB Steve]

FWIW, I have been told un-chilled can continue to condition out and chilled down will slow the process. The word is you want to chill store bought IPA's and PA's to keep from "going bad" aka losing something in the flavor/aroma.

[jimjohson]

You can slow it down, but not stop it.

[BlackDuck]

Thanks for the insight guys. I have my second round of this beer fermenting now. So, when it hits it's prime, I'll put everything in the fridge. Then we'll really know for sure how much it slows it down.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Thanks for the insight guys. I have my second round of this beer fermenting now. So, when it hits it's prime, I'll put everything in the fridge. Then we'll really know for sure how much it slows it down.

Since you already know the outcome of rotating them into the fridge slowly, kind of a good experiment to see!

[LouieMacGoo]

I saw one experiment where someone had a beer that he took a bottle and put it in the fridge every week for a month starting right after his "normal" conditioning period. He then took the 4 beers out and taste tested them side by side. He said there was a distinct difference in the 4 beers one being very young and green (4 weeks in the fridge) and the others progressing toward the the more mature sample (1 day in the fridge). So the one that was put in the fridge for the 4 weeks basically "stopped" conditioning.

It might be interesting to do this same type of test over a period of four months instead of weeks.

[Kealia]

I'm going to get shot for this answer - but when you move to kegging you won't experience that same thing because the entire batch is going to be chilled together.

Other than that - yeah, toss 'em in the fridge when they hit the peak of flavor/freshness.

<ducks>

[BlackDuck]

You better duck Ron!!!!

[Dawg LB Steve]

I'm going to get shot for this answer - but when you move to kegging you won't experience that same thing because the entire batch is going to be chilled together.

Other than that - yeah, toss 'em in the fridge when they hit the peak of flavor/freshness.

<ducks>

You got it, Ron! No shots fired here.

[Ibasterd]

The only solution I've found is to drink my IPAs rapidly once they peak! I actually do put all beers from a batch in the fridge once I feel they are at their peak. Especially IPAs. I also do this as a precaution against gushers, as I've had an intermittent problem with them.