I started brewing extract kits the first of July. Of my first 4 batches I have only 1 bottle of each left. It’s almost like losing a favorite pet!
Made a Belgian Dubbel that required long aging and then had visitors so my pipeline had a hiccup. The next ones are not ready yet!
I just opened my last Irish Red Ale, which was my first brew. Cheers! :cheers:
my first year I started brewing, I kept one bottle of each brew, and cracked them all open on New Year’s Eve. Was a fun, reflective journey back in time through my first year of brewing.
I’ve tried to do that with some of my early batches that I really liked. Never really worked. I’d get down to 2-4 beers, would put them away. Inevitably I’d eventually say F-it and drink them. My rationale was that I could always brew more. But, I do have a Belgian Tripel that is bottle conditioning right now. That one I will be trying to save a few bottles for a rainy day.
I also was just given a few 750ml champagne bottles from a guy in my brewclub. I’m going to start using these to bottle one or two of my stronger or longer aged beers. To crack open a year or 2 down the line… again… if I can hold off that long.
I actually just drank a strong ale (Dogfish Head 90 minute clone) that I brewed back in March and had bottled. Most of it I had kegged and it was delicious. I was really disappointed in the bottled version. Not what I expected.