Beer Hoarding

See, I had that initial anxiety at first, but now I open what I want, when I want it with no regrets. Half the time the "prized beer" that I have been hoarding away hasn't even remotely lived up to the expectation I had of it. Also, I could get hit by a truck at any minute - what good is my beer going to do when I am dead (other than please someone else)....

 

Oh, and join a tasting group....this helps!

 

This^^^^^

 

The trick is to simply lower your standards for what qualifies as a "special occasion"

Personally, my "collection" (I hesitate to call it that because I'm not actively collecting them--just storing them until I can drink them) grows, not because I'm afraid to open up special bottles, but because I see too many beers that I want to try and buy them. My intake is faster than my consumption--or really at this point, it's about the same.

 

I am lucky if I can even cellar much of what I pick up. I will save some for special occasions even then I make almost anything special just to drink it. For me the excitement is in the drinking not the "collection" although I do live in DE and don't trade so it's not like I have any "whales" nearby.

 

I have the same problem. I'll come home on a friday after work and look in my friges which are usually full of beer and say to myself, "dam I need to go beer shopping. I can't drink any of these." Its really stupid. I need to loosen up a little.

 

The only time I'm reluctant to open a beer is if it's a 12%+ ABV barrel aged bomber, for me, 12oz of that style beer is more tha enough for a session.

 

I sat on a few beers that I thought were special and I only had one of - some aged well, some not so much. Therefore, I make the attempt to avoid being sort of emotionally attached to any beers I have. I've also learned a lot more about what I can cellar and what I shouldn't, but I'm of the mindset that it was made to be enjoyed and for me that is drinking it, not looking at the bottle wondering how it tastes. (That doesn't explain a few that are still sitting on my shelf, but it isn't because I am worried or anxious about opening them - just haven't gotten 'round to it yet ) I try to do the buy two if it is something I might want to hang onto for a while - one for now, one for later for comparison.

It is really easy to accumulate beers - at least it is for me. While we're not totally in craft beer wasteland, some things are more difficult to find so when we see 'em we grab 'em. The logic of "might never see it again " applies more to shopping than having the beer in the house - we have not purchased some particular beers we've seen for whatever reason thinking "hey...they'll make more". Yeah they might, but that doesn't mean it will make it to the stores we frequent! Accumulation ensues...followed by the "holy shit lock up the debit card 'cuz we got a ton o' beahs here".

For example, we are both fond of Allagash - Curieux and Odyssey in particular. When we see them, we buy them. Apparently much faster than we can drink them, because we've quite a few on hand. If we wait for a special occasion to drink them, we'll be leaving them to BA in our wills.

That said, these two in particular truly are special beers to the missus and me - drinking them on "any old day" doesn't diminish that one bit. Odyssey in particular will always be tied with a particular happening that brings back pleasant memories - simply a meal that ended up being the unexpected "perfect place at the perfect time" event. For us, there actually is an emotive component to these beers and I think that is perfectly fine. Sharing them is great, but we aren't hesitant to enjoy one ourselves. (I know full well that these are not particularly rare beers, but they are a bit difficult to come by in our neck of the woods).

 

I think a wise man on this site once said it's for drinking, and not meat spanking, and I'll go with that. I'd hate to expire and have everyone drinking down my cellar after the wake though that's probably what will happen.

 

I used to have the same anxiety the OP has. But then I broke my cherry. All is good now.

 

Just keep a specific number for the number of beers in the cellar. If it gets over that, one must go in the fridge to be drunk soon. That being said, I need to put 14 beers in the fridge.

 

Take something that isn't going to be made, maybe ever King Henry, Bourbon County Cherry.... I ask whether the occasion is special enough. Usually it isn't.

Then again for base BCBS, if it's Friday and below 50 degrees outside. that'll work.

 

Honestly, sometimes, it might as well be.

When I read about people wanting to be presented the bottle of beer at a restaurant and needing to approve it before the pour........yeah......

 

Yeah I can get some fears going on at times when looking to pull a beer from the cellar. It is totally worth fighting the fear of lack and feeling that the universe will provide you with more great beer again after you drink a treasured beer. It was made for our enjoyment!
I am having a hard time this year with an bomber of Abyss that I know will be delicious just waiting for an "opportune" time.

 

It seems there is a significant number of collectors/hoarders on here who are more into the chase and the enjoyment of having a big cellar of hard to find beers than they are in enjoying good beer. I try to maintain a pure just in time inventory so that I am only drinking fresh beer...and 95% of beer at a minimum is best enjoyed fresh. When I see the pictures of the massive cellars on here....I have to ask myself what the heck would possess a person to do that? It's not wine...it doesn't get better except in rare circumstances, and that is even arguable...and there is a time limit on all of it. So why buy huge amounts and store it, and constantly add? In most areas now with the US craft market you can drive out on any given day and find fresh world class level beers of almost any style and usually something new to you. That is fun to do, but to become addicted to the pursuit of the purchase and possession, and not be doing it for the enjoyment of the beer is strange to me. I know I can always replace a great beer with another whenever I want it...I don't care about novelty or rarity, just quality for enjoyment...and thankfully we are now in an era where high quality is really easily found and there is no need for me to pay early for that quality because it is now always available. So, bottom line is I can't imagine ever feeling remorse for drinking a beer. I want to drink it all up for the enjoyment, and then I get to go buy more fresh world class beer...it is always available now.

 

I tend to drink beers that I think will turn (IPAs, etc.) first. That means some beers that I have sit waiting. I try to police it. So my fear really is that I won't get to a beer in time, and it will not be worth the money I spent. Which is a problem simply because I like to buy beer, as well as drink it.

The only anxiety I have about opening a beer is making sure the beer is right for the time. No 11% beers the night before an early morning, for example. Otherwise, my main goal is to drink what needs to be had fresh before it is not fresh, and fill in as needed.

 

Nothing lasts that long in my basement, but I agree with the one poster who feels that little bit of anxiety the 3 seconds before you pop it open. Good way to put it.

The funniest thing is I often find myself opening these types of beers on the nights I least expect.

 

So what are the 40 thousand posts in the "Cellaring / Aging" forum about?

 

Drink that (hoarded) beer for a special occasion and replace it with another (hoardable) beer. There are plenty of them out there.

 

I have no hesitation to open a great IPA because it should be drank quickly. I have those feelings sometimes with stouts or sours just because they could improve with age. My biggest issue is holding into something good because I want to open it with my friends. It is my belief beer is to be shared with friends/family and spread the wealth a bit so I feel bad sometimes if I crack open something good that I know friends without access would also enjoy.