Quote:
Originally Posted by
bigt 
Does beer really attain the complexity and other attributes assocciated with vintage wines? What are the typical attributes of a beer that is aged well?
Actually more so. With wine you are limited to one medium, so there is a proven limited amount of flavors you can get with wine, where as with beer it is virtually unlimited. Then you throw in the CO2 effect and it is no wonder beer is, and has been, gaining such ground with food pairings. Certain styles age much better than others meaning they produce more appealing flavor profiles after aging. I prefer to drink hop-forward style beers as fresh as possible because the aromatics dissipate rapidly even though there are plenty with the strength to age for years to come. Certain Belgian strong ales and barleywines I prefer laying down for a few years.