Everybody we have talked to that runs pasteurization has had unanimous preference for pasteurized malty beers vs unpasteurized. Pasteurization “ages” the beer and many malty beers could use a little bit of that and our feedback over the years backs this up. We consistently have our customers declare that the bottles are better than the draft, and we agree, and it is almost certainly because the bottles are pasteurized and the draft is not. Why not pasteurize the draft beer? Heating a keg up to exploding sounds absolutely off the charts dangerous and just no, no frickin way. A little age on a big sweet imperial stout, not a lot, but a little can really help the flavors meld together and smooth out the rough edges. We will always maintain that our beers are ready to drink when we sell them and as they are a perishable product, even after pasteurization, shouldn’t be expected to be delicious forever. Many are for a long time, and that is great but we wont guarantee that. We release so many beers each year you might as well enjoy them otherwise you end up needing a storage unit to collect them all.
Brewery Notes