Here’s one of my favorite riddles from The Hobbit:

“This thing all things devours: birds, beasts, trees, flowers; gnaws iron, bites steel; grinds hard stones to meal; slays king, ruins town, and beats high mountain down.”

What is ‘this thing?’ If you guessed “time,” go ahead and pat yourself on the back. 

Time is powerful, unstoppable, and often a brewer’s best friend for enhancing a beer’s flavor. In the hands of particularly adept crews like Chicago’s Old Irving, time can even turn an ordinary Belgian Quad into something flavored like an oaky Old Fashioned cocktail!

Old Irving’s As Time Goes By swims with the fruity esters of dark Amarena cherries and raisins, backed by sweet bourbon brown sugar, and even a hint of orange zest. That’s because the brewers took their rich and malty Belgian Quad base and aged it for 11 months in premium J. Henry & Sons bourbon barrels.

The brew is full of woodsy bourbon flavor, complemented by pops of sweetness that quell the boozy heat wonderfully. It’s a top shelf reminder that, in life, good things take time.

We don’t recommend taking your time on snagging this good thing though — we have only 240 cans to go around!!

*USA Today ranked Old Irving as one of the 10 Best Brewpubs in America in 2020