Why is "collecting" beer so offensive to many BAs?

That's a huge part of the reason I'm glad that in the last few years Pennsylvania has finally (painfully, belatedly) allowed for bottle shops to function in the state. Historically if you wanted to buy a bottled beer in PA... it was 'a whole case' (only units that you could buy it in) or 'drive to Delaware'. Usually a bomber or 2 or a 6'er of something is enough.... and god help you if you gambled on a case that you ended up not loving.

 

Good convo. Unfortunately this thread is like a good editorial in the newspaper the real morons that need this don't read the thread posts they are trolling the trade posts.

 

Perfectly stated, thank you.

 

Most of the beer in your "collection" is just getting worse. Most beers won't taste "better" with age. Those that see beers rotting away in people's cellars makes them angry because if they had that beer they'd be enjoying it not letting it sit in a basement/closet

 

I have a minimum cellar, it's usually beers that are high abv that are age worthy sipping beers. I have Bombers of beers like Huna and MZ that I'm kinda handcuffed with, they're more beer than I drink solo, and no one I know likes these style of beers. I tend to always keep some Bcbs, coffee, and Kbs around when I want a sipper or a nightcap. It's been a long time since I tapped into the Coffee, but it was superb at 3 years old, so it's there for my enjoyment. I don't publicize my stuff, my beer list isn't up to date, and I don't really care what others do. It's their stuff drink it or look at it , so what?

 

It's all about perspective...Instead of a nasty wine cellar, it is a fine vinegar cellar.

 

Now you know you've entered into a deep, philosophical beer conversation when the first two replies begin with, "In life, there's always"

 

It just seems wrong that people have extensive beer cellars when there are millions of sober children in Asia.

 

It's the perception of greed, warranted or not, that gets people upset. No one would mind if someone walked in and bought all the bud lite in a store - it's plentiful. The problem comes when it is something rare that gets scooped up and that is also in high demand. It's the old "mine, mine, mine 2 year old" versus a concept of sharing and leaving some for others.

 

Also with a very few exceptions beer does not increase in value. People do collect wine that they will never drink but it becomes more valuable as it sits.

 

"Hey, I've got a lovely vinegar to pair with that roast pork."

 

It's not a big problem for me. It all gets drunk, no pun intended, in the end.

 

There are fans who have entire cases of BCBS in storage, and there are fans who didn't get a single bottle this year.

Thats the problem.

The limit on supply causes hoarding. Nobody hoards what is in plentiful supply.

 

I wish there were more beer advocates like you. Case in point; yesterday a local brewery released 200 hand-numbered bombers. There were 30-40 people in line when the doors opened. First guy in line bought 96 bottles. The remaining 104 bottles lasted for 8 more guys. 7 minutes and sold out. The inconsiderate hoarders made all sorts of excuses, but later that afternoon the "for trade" posts started showing up on the local Facebook beer groups. That's why many of us frown on "collecting". We've learned that collecting, cellaring, picking up for friends, and other phrases are often just code words for "I'm hoarding the crap out of this beer to use it as trade bait".

 

The only thing I collect are stouts and Trappist belgians. I like to drink beer and have a family to feed. I currently have 3 beers in a dark closet. Lol. Don't hate.

 

Half the time someone wants to brag about their cellar to me, they dont even have all these wares they spent time and huge money on properly stored. It's just in a shelf in their basement... heck my basement sure is heck isn't 55 degrees all year long.. let alone my closet.

Then they'll complain how off something is when they open something old.. or perhaps it was infected, when they open it 2 years later.

Hence forth the so called Bourbon County Barleywine and Coffee disaster that happened this year. Me I grab it when I can, will I stand in line for it? No. Went to a few places bought only 2 regular and 2 barleywine. Didn't find and coffee, and later lucked out on a Regal Rye.

Maybe 2 days after I bought the barleywine I drank one. Perfectly fine. 2 weeks later drank the other one perfectly fine. They may not have been compromised, but if they were at least the infection didn't root and I enjoyed my beer. What do I see a month+ later oh well... the beers no good... well that sucks for some...

Beer is meant to be drunk.. you drink it.

Just like wine 95% of all wine sold is meant to be drunk immediately. not aged. and with beer in my opinion after watching all this stuff over many years come out, you know what number I think that is?

it's 100%. Buy that thing, go home... drink it (and or share it with others right away).

Sure there are styles that age great, but to me there are few and far between that are worth it, I would say less than 5.

More so you can get great tasting beer right now... NOW...

now.

People can do whatever they want, they can go stand in line, hoard bottles, trade stuff, buy something to save for a special occasion but as I always say:

You can't drink when you're dead.

Nothing like having hundreds of bottles there that you'll never get to experience in your life. That's not for me, there's too much good beer out there.

So when people on here ad nauseum are complaining about trades, prices, something going off or trying to leverage beer for some other purpose other than actually... gee I don't know... drinking it... don't complain. Just go look in the mirror.

Go ahead and collect, but I am tired of the people complaining about what they can't get, how they got ripped off in a trade, when they have to get something else instead of what they have already, and not be satisfied.

go drink beer, it's not a piece of great furniture to stare at all day.

 

Collecting beers is like collecting Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and they are both things that nerds do. And as a supremely cool person, nerds are my mortal enemy.

 

I hate people who show up at your shop only when a more limited beer comes out, yet they consider themselves one of your regulars. I say this because they buy up as much as they can each time. Do I sell it to them? Yeah, it's my job and we set the limits so I can't change the rules because the "regulars" want some. But its the attitude that pisses me off, and like other people have already stated in this thread it's the mentality of these people. You almost wonder how they got into beer being that their personal taste and preference is so jaded. It's crazy. They don't care about shops or breweries they just care about themselves. They want more and they will do what they need to get more. It's sad.

I have put a major dent in my cellar, which pales in comparison to others I have seen on this site, and just started sharing beers with BA friends, those memories will last longer then the bottles, and theres a new brewery everyday, so much beer! Theres no point in holding on to stuff that long anymore. I have a few really high ABV beers that will stay in there a little longer but thats it. People need to meet other BA's and share. It's so much fun. I do consider myself lucky in the sense that every BA I have meet in real life is awesome and generous, and few that we have developed a friendship beyond beer, which is great because instead of having to do a share where we all acquire a rare, hard to find bottle, we can just go to a bar and get some great stuff on tap. Thats what its all about. When more people have that mentality there would be more beer for everyone. Would it remove the assholes? No, but thats never going to happen.

 

Any comment I might make towards a fellow BA on their "collection" or "haul" is typically made tongue in cheek or as a smart ass. Jealousy might be the case sometimes, but I can't hate on those that "have" whilst I "have not". Good for them, because there will be times that the shoe is on the other hand!