addicted to buying beer...

I'm a sucker for impulse beer purchases and it doesn't help working next door to a total wine n more store...but I'm getting better at finding a balance between beers that can age and perishable beers.

However, it's safe to say I already failed my new years resolution in budgeting beer spending to less than $100 a month to save for homebrewery equipment upgrades.. :/

 

Yes, feeling the same way. I purchase quite a bit of beer every week. Always buy something new, and typically a few favorites also. With so much new stuff available on a regular basis, my inventory position has grown to over 200 bombers/750's. Aging is an intent for many, but recently noticed that some of the product that I have been drinking has sat around too long either by error, or just never got to drinking it.

 

Somehow I ended up buying 4 cases of all hoppy stuff in the first half of last month (Nugget Nectar,Hopslam, Sucks and White Oak Jai Alai), so this month I compensated by spending almost nothing on beer (around $25) and only drink what I have. Down to just a few bottles of nugget nectar and hopslam.

 

I have between 45 and 50 bombers and I feel like I have enough beer for an army.

 

I agree with those of you out there struggling with this. I think the best way to deal with it is to set a space limitation or a money limitation.

Keep an IPA shelf, and a limit of one cabinet for beers that age well. Only buy more when you have space for it.

Alternatively, limit yourself to $20 week on beer.

I finally managed to reign in my buying after I realized I wasn't even getting to all my Heady Topper before it got old - a shame. I don't buy more IPAs if I don't have room for them in my fridge. I don't buy by the case anymore, except for events. And I have a limited space of one beer display cabinet in the living room and one shelf in my closet for aging beers.

 

I've only purchased three cases of beer in my life and I regretted two of them pretty quickly after. We don't entertain very often and I don't drink enough to justify it.

Suffice to say that everyone I trade with in the near future is going to be getting some Backwoods Bastard...

 

I agree with most of the posts on here. I would try a combination of these options:

Link up with some people local to you and have them over to help you drink your stash, look for bottleshares to bring beer too, etc.

Trade for stuff that ages (this one is just a band-aid, you will be in the same predicament).

Find another hobby/distraction. Restore an old car, learn to play the accordion, raise fainting goats, etc.

Harden up and just stop doing it.

 

It really doesn't help that there is a decent bottle shop right next door to my gym. My beer belly is growing at a much greater rate than my biceps.

 

I find it's worse in the spring and summer. I have no car so I have to walk to the store and that cuts down on that but there is always the next day. In the summer time I find my fridge is full and there's no room for food sometimes. I tell myself I can still use the bin. The new releases are like a gleam in my minds eye and when I get to the store I have to have them all or I feel like I have missed out on something. This past december I weaned myself and tried to buy only beers I had had before to see if that would make me taper off. It did work . I am slowing down.

 

haha. I know how you feel. I've got a decent amount of commercial beers (not 200, but always growing) and lots of homebrew in addition. If you can afford it, and what you really want to do is to get to try these beers, start taking lots and lots to bottle shares and inviting people over to help. You have to realize that more beers come out than you will ever get to try in your lifetime. Missing out on one isn't the end of the world, it really won't make any difference at all as a new want will appear the next day. You have to take a step back and realize that. I've cut my excess purchases down this year with the simple realization that my closet space is dwindling and I am basically throwing up money in order to buy something that I hope to one day rotate into my fridge. You can't drink every beer. You just can't. There are too many.

 

This is why I just took an inventory (300 bottles) recently and have been keeping it up-to-date. I bought a beer recently thinking I didn't have it and should pick some up only to get home and realize I already had a few... doh

 

I smell a new employment opportunity for myself...using my psychology degree to open "Beer Buyers Anonymous".
Of course, I'd need to counsel myself as well..

 

I kind of called myself on that recently. Where the feel of taking that cool new beer off the shelf is more addictive than the beer itself.

 

I just go through some simple steps in my head: Do I have beers at home already i'd like to drink? Will whatever i'm considering buying be around for awhile / again? Can I afford it? Then I just remind myself of things i'd like to do, places i'd like to go and can usually talk myself out of it. Another thing that has helped is if I go to a shop and they don't have anything I want, I leave without buying anything. I couldn't tell you how many friends will buy something "just because they are there". That has saved me the most money / pantry space.

 

I do think this is fairly solid advice although a tad pretentious and convoluted to think your palate is superior to mine because you buy less beer or suggesting I'm buying too much because my palate isn't as refined and I don'ty know what I'm looking for in a beer. I do agree with the core logic that buy less and appreciate more. Its definitely an issue I get so excited about beer I buy too much and it amounts to hoarding because there is always something new in this industry. Fantastic advice, thank you.

This is great advice right here! That is what it boils down to. I'd also like to find some people to share with but when you live where there is no taxis and no real next door unless you are couch crashing can't take the chance on driving even if you don't get smashed at tastings.

I'm thinking once the weather breaks I will not buy as much as there are other things to occupy my time.

 

when I am in a new locale that carries beer I cant get at home, I can't help myself. add this to the fact I only drink 4-5 beers in a given week and I have way too much beer. I'm trying to NOT buy beer between now and May, dwindle my stash down a little bit before I purchase my spring/summer contingent of hefeweizens/pilseners and Vitus (plus any new releases that may appeal to me)

 

I too feel addicted to beer hunting. But I've learned to look at women without masturbating, so maybe there's hope

 

This is pure comedy gold. Thanks for the laugh

 

My basement has roughly 300 ageable bombers. i don't feel so bad now.

 

I definitely do this but ensure that I always have a smaller amount of IPAs on hand and only stock up on beers that age well...this way I know I can hold onto them for a while without having them go bad.

Generally I keep a few IPAs in the fridge and try to only buy a couple 22 ozers or a 6 pack at a time sometimes more if I am going to have buddies over to try stuff but generally only an amount I know I will consume within the next couple weeks. I have a lot of barrel aged porters/stouts sitting in my fridge and have been trying to get through them but I just cant pass up a hard to find beer that I know will be good for years when I might not see it again for years...

Cheers!