Chimay best dates

[schomberger]

So, I was looking at a chimay white and blue sitting in my cellar trying to remember how long ago I bought them; the best before dates stamped on the labels are 2012 and 2014 respectively. I'm wondering how old that makes them... I figure I'd like to age them about five years. As well, any thoughts on aging these beers ?

[Belgian]

The White Cap 330 / Cinq Cents 750 are dated for 2 years expiry, the Bleue 330 / Grand Reserve 750 at just five years, I guess for legal reasons.

But Abbaye de Scourmont (Chimay) says of the Bleue "Shelf life : may be kept several years" (Chimay has claimed up to 15, I would not keep past 8 years since it's already mature.)
- I have some 2006 that is drinking really well. It is less sweet and more velvety layered and subtle.

Of the White Cap or Cinq Cents "Shelf life : To be enjoyed "young" - whatever that means in Belgium (Chimay has claimed up five years for the White and the Red.)
With a few years aging the White loses all its hard edge and peppery qualities it had when fresh, and might remain in its prime a few years past expiry. But why wait so long when it's already at its peak? (The folly of longer-aging-must-be-better.)

Bottle dates of Trappist beers.
I think Trois Pistoles is an equivalent that ages extremely well and costs half as much as Bleue. Fin du Monde is a Tripel much different from Chimay White but it also benefits from a sleep in the cellar. Worth a try.

[esprit]

Although it's been a few years since I visited Chimay, last time I was there I was taken to a local countryside restaurant (you could see cows and deer outside the window) and Chimay's Export Manager started inquiring about vintages (my French isn't great) so I though he was asking about wine. Turns out he was asking about Blue (all Chimay beers in Belgium are vintage-dated as opposed to BEST BEFORE). As it turned out, this restaurant had 23 consecutive years of Blue in their cellar and brought a 23 year old to the table. It was poured gently into our two Chimay chalices (no doubt a ton of gunk on the bottom by now) and what I tasted was truly amazing. No carbonation but instead a rich mouthful of something more akin to Madeira than beer...it was amazing and proof to me that there is no such thing as a best before when it comes to high alcohol, double-fermented dark Belgian ales...they just change.

[schomberger]

Thanks for the info, guys. I'll probably sit on them a while longer. And speaking of Trois Pistoles, I've some of that aging too; I've found even just a full year makes them smoother, more rounded (ie better imo)