I have a bottle of Thomas Hardy that I've had for quite a long time. Just never had the special occasion to open it up. I've been fairly careful in storing it so I'm guessing it's in good shape but who knows. I have had a few "aged" beers that were just spectacular. Even a few that weren't meant to be aged.
A friend forgot two bottles of Anchor Christmas Ale in his parents' fridge and they stayed there for a good five years. The lid got loosened on one and his mother threw it out. But when we had that second it had to have been five years old and sweet mercy, the complexity and nuance of the flavors was outstanding. That said, most micros aren't meant to go beyond half a year and some even less.
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