Aging Sideways?

That's still just a matter of opinion.

 

I heard most of the complaints had to do with yeast rings on the side of the bottle and increased levels of oxidation and that the previous reason of doing so (to keep the cork wet) as no longer an issue with new cork technology.

 

If the bottle is filled correctly where would this oxygen come from to increase oxidation?

 

I could be wrong, but is it because there is the same amount if air exposed to a larger surface area of the beer that would contribute to increased oxidation?

 

Just because a beer is sealed doesn't mean oxygen can't seep in between the cap and bottle. This is why many breweries wax top their bottles.

 

I am not an expert, but assuming the bottle is under pressure, how could O2 get in while CO2 was causing internal pressure pushing "out".

 

Equilibrium. Ever had a really old beer? Notice how much of the carbonation is gone?

 

Back diffusion.

Regardless, I think the real question is "If O2 can get in why doesn't all the CO2 get out?" My only potential response there is that it does, just so little that you'll never notice.

As for the OP's question, as far as I can tell literally all the information about aging is old wives' tales. No one has ever done any kind of scientific (or even pseudo-scientific) research into this, that I've seen. So do whatever you want, the odds that it makes a noticeable difference are miniscule.

 

I am pretty new to cellaring, but yeah, I always assumed the CO2 was trying harder to "escape" than air was trying to get in, so the only time O2 would get in would be when the beer was already completly flat and had no pressure inside the bottle.

 

That's people's intuition, but it's not how it works. It's perfectly possible for one species of molecule to diffuse against a pressure gradient if the gradient is formed by a different species. At least, according to the guys I work with.

 

I just go by the label, if the brewer recommends it I will age it on its side (the only one I have is Grirardin)

 

I keep my beers in a cellar originally built for wine. I did try to do a little research, and did find the following:

Unlike wine, which rests on its side to keep corks moist, all beer—even if it has a cork—should be stored upright, says Alan Sprints, 51, founder of Portland, Oregon’s Hair of the Dog brewery. “That way, sediment remains in the bottom. Store bottles on their side, and sediment kicks up when you pour.”

I'm not especially worried about the sediment. Any beer that's so old that has traces of sediment in the pour, I'd decant before serving. I still believe this is all a matter of personal preference.