Beer Hoarding

Dark Beers go in a cupboard, Lighter brews in the fridge.
Just drink them when I want, really. I pick up beers a lot so

 

OP - I definitely had some anxiety a year ago after I traded for a Prop. I gave up a LOT in the trade and I wasn't sure if I even wanted to drink it! It's weird, but just having it in my "cellar" was kind of cool. And to be honest after I drank it, even though it was delicious, I was really sad it was gone.

 

We all have fun in different ways, I guess!

 

Ditto this. I couldn't bring myself to drink my last Heady that I got while visiting VT in July. Broke it out on Christmas. Bummed I didn't drink it sooner.

 

There are some beers I save for special occasions, but the majority of my enjoyment of beer comes from drinking it.

 

I think you misunderstood what I was saying. What I meant was I'm not afraid to open any bottle, but if after I drink it I really like it, sometimes I'll just wish it wasn't something I couldn't get again.

 

I'm a collector by nature so sometimes it's difficult for me to crack something, but I also don't drink a ton so I don't mind sitting on things for an extended period of time. When I buy Deschutes beers with a "best after" date on them, I never have an issue waiting for that date to come. Patience is a virtue.

 

I do hesitate for about 10 seconds before I crack my last Heady on hand, then I remember:
1) it is only beer
2) I will get more

 

Gave in and drank the only Sahatie I had during a tasting evening and wish I would have saved it for myself, one of the best beers I have tasted in a while, I will now seek more at $30 a pop and hold on to at least one for a while

 

Just as an update, I bought 5 bottles last night, 1 for the cellar (OEC Zymatore Cuvee Angelique), and 4 to drink now (AtG London Balling, Struise Cuvee Delphine, Almanac Blueberry, and Biscotti DeCicco), so I had to update my list/schedule. I ended up drinking one of my 3 Zombie Dusts last night and not the OEC Tempus. Thus, tonight I will have an Elevated IPA and Saturday night my BA Speedway.

 

No, dude! I completely know what you mean. My girlfriend was like, "you buy all this beer and you never drink it."

For instance, I think about opening something good on a random day and I am like, "no, this day doesn't warrant this beer." And then I on special days like a birthday day, I don't want to open the beer, because I think, "I will just get super drunk and puke it up, or it will get me 'started' way too quickly."

I totally know what you mean and I am trying to get over this.

 

If you're saving it for a special occasion then open it with no regrets and enjoy, if you can't pick the special moment then that's a different issue
Did you save yourself for marriage?
Open them up, there's plenty out there

 

Drink it. I have been burnt too many times by "Aging" a beer I was hoarding then it not being nearly as good as I remember. Brewers put beer out when it's ready and tasting great. Only on rare occasions do they tell you to keep it then follow their rule. Otherwise more often then not you are getting an inferior product then what they worked so hard to make all because of your anxiety to pop that whale, brah. That's not respectful to the guy or girl that poured their talent and craft into that beer.

 

Yeah - depends on what we're talking about. I've got a couple hundred beers in my cellar - and as years pass, the ones I am comfortable drinking, get drunk... the others remain. Now I've got a cellar full of whales - King Henry, Blendiculous 1, Portuguese Brandy BA Dark Lord, verticals galore - just about every rare Founders you can think of. It's weird - and I hate it honestly - to look at a bottle of beer and think, "I just saw this sell for $200 online." That certainly makes me want to wait for the absolute right moment to pop the cap.

That being said - I've got a tasting coming up in a few weeks that features verticals of Dark Lord & The Abyss. I'll open a whale or two for that.

 

There is no work/stress/hassle in my acquisition or enjoyment of beer. Z E R O.

 

I used to be this way when I first started trading because everything that came my way was rare- that is none of it was available to me in Texas. One day I looked in my cellar closet and realized I had 150+ bottles of meh, because as you advance in trading you realize that Wake n Bake, for example, isn't worth saving or some rare gem, just gotta drink em.

One way I've broke through that old hoarders mentality I had was to limit my trading, form regular trade partners, and find a cool group to share with. That way I don't have some uncontrolled build up, I can get and trade good stuff and I don't have to look around and realize that I'm the only one that knows that some beer is awesome, because we've enjoyed whaelz and dolphins and rarities as a group, thereby we can all bask in that glory. I've ticked so many more good beers and met so many more cool people because of a switch in mentality. The right occassion is everyday.

 

Sure, I have cellared a few beers for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, etc. but I have never avoided drinking a beer because I was afraid that I might never get the opportunity to try it again. The whole point of a craft beer is to provide enjoyment to the consumer. Maybe the bottle looks pretty, but that's about all you will get out of it unless you drink it.

This past summer I travelled to Maine and got to try Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA for the first time. Since DFH doesn't distribute to my area (I had to drive 5 hours to get within their distribution range) and the beer happened to be amazing, I decided to pick up a few six-packs. Although I knew I likely wouldn't get to try the beer again after the sixer's were gone, I went ahead and drank them up anyway. The reason? I wanted to enjoy the incredible flavours the beer had to offer and there is only one way to experience that.

Just my two-cents on the topic, but I think that denying yourself the privilege of enjoying a beer because of fear that you might not have it again is silly. Unless the beer is discontinued, there's always a chance to enjoy it once again.

 

I'm much more apprehensive about opening it because 9 out of 10 times its not early as good as I hope it will be.

 

I buy beer to drink, not to stare at it.

 

If 9/10 things are not nearly as good as you hope they will be then either your standards or too high or your trades/cellar/purchases, well, are not very good.

That would be a disappointing approach to beer.