Someone please tell me I'm not the only one... but.... looking at my cellar spreadsheet. .. getting real nervous about pulling anything out for my bday... like. . Its all soo young still.. and if i drink 1... then that's one less I'll have later. ..this is really blowing my mind
I would have more anxiety about a fire or flood wiping them all out without getting to drink any, rather than pulling an enjoyable beer out to drink.
Keep in mind that many of them have a certain point in time that they begin to deteriorate. Homework in the Cellaring forum may give you some guidance, but I take the approach that on any semi-special occasion, I drink something from my cellar. So, drink 'em while you got 'em.
I just started this year.. oldest thing I have in there is about 1.5 years.. nothing else even hasa year.. so it's all still young
Drink up my friend, the brewers will make more. Having outlived more than half the people I went to school with I've learned the value of seizing the day and my heirs will find an empty cellar.
No reason to be nervous just drink your beer then buy more. If for every beer you drink you buy two more you'll be good.
I have the "If I drink one now, I'll have one less later" fear as well. But I have found this to be very true: The large majority of ageable beers are better fresh, especially beers with additives. After trying verticals of beers like KBS, I will never age them again.
My birthday is Tuesday and my only question is WHAT not IF. Unfortunately I have a mandatory training class the next day.
In 2008 I had a flood in my basement, where my beers were aging. For a brief few days I freaked out why I am saving so much beer, so I started drinking them. Some were very good, some were drain pours. You never know what you are going to get after a few years, well some beers and style you will. Thankfully I stopped freaking and stopped drinking my cellar so one again I have too much beer in my basement
This, I have a few beers I have too many of that are starting to fall apart. I wouldn't worry at all about drinking it too soon, beer is released ready to drink.
Interesting. When I saw the title, I assumed the anxiety would be the one that I feel every now and again. When I take a look at my cellar from time to time, I ask myself: Why am I saving so much beer? As others have said, you run a greater risk of a beer worsening over time than you do drinking something too early for all sorts of reasons. I think it helps to keep notes. I've found that over time, there have been very few beers I liked markedly better after holding on to them for more than 2 years. Sure there are exceptions, but not too many.
There ya go: drink the one with a year and a half on it. It took me about 5 years to build my cellar to the point where I had a beer that was even 3 years old because you have to drink them to see how they taste fresh, at 1 year, at 2 years etc. Also, if you have enough beer to warrant a spreadsheet, that tells me you have plenty of beer and pulling just one for your birthday isn't going to leave a significant dent in your collection.
