Drinking Whales

I used to love the whale hunting. I've been lucky enough to acquire/try many whales. With that said I've given up the hunting. While BCBS Rare and Black Tuesday and Bourbon Barrel Dark Lord and some of the more rare sours are great, I've realized that I can grab a BA BORIS and be just as happy after drinking it as I was after opening my BCBS Rare. Even if Rare was better, it wasn't by a wide enough margin to make me want to spend 3x as much and hunt six stores to grab one. As for drinking the whales I have, I tend to always try and share it with others who will appreciate it. Doesn't necessarily have to be a special occasion, but just in the company of others who like good beer. It's more about the sharing for me than anything else.

 

I usually save them for holidays (birthday, christmas, thanksgiving, etc.) or when family is in town

but more often then not by myself on a Friday/Saturday or a day the broncos are on!

Tend to blow through them during football season

 

Pappy van winkle dark lord. When we bought it came to the agreement of birth of a child, getting married or divorce. Pretty good for being hammered at dark lord day

 

Yeah. But you're brian4beer.

 

Seriously though...I bought about 10 bombs. Literally drank them within a week and BIFed 2 of them. If it's good drink it while you can.

A beer like that needs to be drank fresh. It was perfect.


If ain't no whale either.

 

FWIW I've consumed all of those by myself, except for GREAT. That beer still eludes me but then again I haven't tried trading for it. Beer is to be consumed. I like to open certain bottles with people who have them on their Wants list or with my friend who aren't really into craft just to blow their minds.

 

for awhile I didn't want to drink any of my beers to build up a nice stash, now that I've acquired some beers that I've been wanting to try, i've slowly been going through and pulling bottles out here and there and drinking them..this is why I traded for them or waited hours in line at a brewery or store to get them!

 

I like to think I hold on to them for special occasions, but I am realizing that as I acquire more "rarer" beers that I better have one outstanding life full of special occasions, because I could never drink this much beer in such sporadic intervals.

On another note, there is so much delicious beer that I would put at Whale status that is readily available most of the year (which I know doesn't count it as a whale), it's not easy to sit on stuff anymore, you have to consume, or at least I have to, cuz I cannot drink it all, there is too much good stuff out there I have a hard time getting to drink it all.

 

I've done some trading, but I lack start-up capital. I can really only get whalez seasonally when Abrasive is in town... though I'm currently in talks with someone to get some Heady by sending over my left foot.

 

Though I would really like to get into trading for stouts. I just can't get tradable stouts.

 

Every year my best friends and I take a 10 day or so trip together in early August. Almost all my whales get consumed before, during, or after this trip. Cantillon is the lone exception (my best friends aren't big fans; some friends, right?). I save it for get togethers with my fellow lambic-loving cousin.

 

I once converted a Miller Chill into a Black Tuesday in under 7 trades...

 

If this is true, please walk us through the chain.

 

I open them during bottle shares or for special occasions.

 

What about Parabola? How long?

 

Here's a question that straddles the borders of the cellaring and trading forums - if I cellar something common like Expedition long enough - can I trade for fresh whalezes?

 

Kill whales like Capt. Ahab. Beer's for drinking.

 

You wouldn't believe the amount of garbage I had overflowing in my closets and refrigerator. I finally saw the light and drank or gave it away and vowed to never chase "rare" beer from that point. From time to time, someone will give me something limited or share with me, but that is the only time I have something like that these days. I find more pleasure in buying and drinking fresh beer from my area.

 

Ill get a couple drink them and save 2-3 for a couple years. I'll Just get them fresh the following year if I'm tempted

 

Garbage! AH! I definitely like to drink local brews but with rares, for me its all about the hunting. Gathering a nice cellar collection (they will never see the light). Just part of the hobby. But to each their own