Buying beer store "aged" beers.

It's worth a shot, IMO. Also, note the dust and age to the owner and see if they can knock off 20 - 30% (start high enough and they may give you 15%.) As long as they're not charging an arm and a leg for "aged" beers, then I say go for it (avoid anything overly hop-oriented though.)

 

Found a Chimay Bleue last night that was bottled in 2008. Bought it immediately. Was very good.

 

My local store has Stone RIS 09-12 in the cooler and Old Guardian back to 08 believe. I think only $6 a bomber.
I scoop up a few here and there.

Cold box vs. shelf makes a big difference.

Cheers!

 

Absolutely. I've done it plenty of times.

 

On a whim, I'd be tempted to try an aged hoppy beer. Say a Pliny bottled in 2008. Would it be overly-caramel? Flat and undrinkable or just mellow and lifeless?

 

A store by me has a few 2008 Rogue Imperial Porters that have been sitting in the fridge. My buddy bought one and it tasted good fine.

 

I've bought aged baltic porter and imp stouts off the shelf that were very good.

 

I know what store you're talking about! Walked in there after dinner with a friend was pleasantly surprised with their stock. Ironically walked out with a Cocoa Mole lol

 

I got a 2006 WWS off the shelf last fall and it was phenomenal. It was my only time having it, but I'd say it's worth a shot, especially with such a big beer.

 

I'd definitely go for the WWS.

 

Older WWS seems to come out every so often. A store near me gets shipments - new to them of 2 years old or more fairly regularly.
If a store is unintentionally aging beer - it's just old, I'll pass. Another store will put away cases of beers that are known to age well, and pull them out occasionally. For store tastings or to put on sale. There is a small upcharge for that, but being these guys know what they're doing and do cellar property, it may be worth it to some.

 

Get all you can! I have a place near me that now sells beer that they've cellared and charge more for.

 

I found a store with a couple of '08 Fullers Vintage Ales, bought em, drank em. And at the same store they have a good amount of 2010 Old Rufians. I bought two. They are all in the cooler, so no worries. I would pause if the beer has been exposed to sunlight and high temps.

 

I like to check out little neighborhood corner liquor stores just for this reason. I know a store that still has almost a case (started with 2 cases...been whittling them down myself) of 2009 Bigfoot. They also had batch 4 Consecration. Another store had batch 5, and another batch 6. Woot! Instant vertical with a bigger store carrying the (then) new batch 7. Good chance some guys at Vail Big Beers festival will bring some 1-3 this year, so we can have a nice 8 (or 9 by then) tasting.

I will always check around these small shops for stuff like NC Stock Ale, Boulder Killer Penguin, Avery Samael's...stuff like that. It is almost always in the cooler, nice and dusty. Only once have I been able to snag a discount for that "old dusty beer" lol.

Even better is when you find these small shops that for some reason or another, got some really great beers, either by mix up or the distributor gave them a few or just said you should carry these...I've seen Parabola, Cantillon, stuff like that. Rare, but occasionally it does happen.

 

There is a store in Maryland that has a small section of aged stuff. (bigfoot, wws, various mikkeller beers) I'm on the fence about this practice. It's one thing to not have it sell, it's another to purposely hold it in the back with the intent of selling it for more money.

 

Don't wander into the trading forum section then...

 

I bought 6 or 7 store "aged" '09 WWS and they are pretty damn tasty!

 

That's what I look at first. The antics that go on in the ISO:FT get me through the work day.

Sometimes I feel a little guilty for not having paid some sort of admission to the clusterfuck.