Long Term Cellar Candidates

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by maximum12, Mar 24, 2018.

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  1. maximum12

    maximum12 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,686) Jan 21, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I have seen a few folks around here drinking insanely old beers & it's one thing in my beer experience that I have not done yet. And I'd like to.

    First, where does one find these crazy-old beers? I know some people may have bought a beer in 1979 & stored it since, but sadly, my cellar does not reach back close to that far.

    Second, what current/recent beers do people have experience with that age gracefully past 5-10 years? While I'm in it for the experience, I'd be a bit disappointed to open a beer I'd been hanging on to for decades only to find it tastes like swamp water.

    Any thoughts on these or any related questions are apprecitead.
     
    #1 maximum12, Mar 24, 2018
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  2. Eddiehop

    Eddiehop Pooh-Bah (2,122) Jun 28, 2014 Texas
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    My buddy was gifted a 99' bigfoot which he said he's cracking next year for the 20 yr anniv. I cant imaginr ahay may be groeing inside the bottle :grin:

    I consider 3-5 yrs sufficient age to really impact some of the higher abv stuff...and the abv definitely plays a large role in cellaring.

    Personally, I like the way Barleywines age better than big stouts or sours. They tend to get better with time.
     
    #2 Eddiehop, Mar 24, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2018
  3. youradhere

    youradhere Initiate (0) Feb 29, 2008 Washington

    I’ve acquired mine several ways- you can find 10-20 year old bottles in shops around here, they bring them up from time to time; you can trade for them which I’ve done, you are basically trading top tier for top tier- meaning I traded some rare cantillon and lost abbey for my 81 Thomas Hardy’s and 15 year old Westy along with some others; half of my cellar had just gotten that old on its own, which is kinda cool.

    I recommend signing up for some beer clubs from Bruery, Lost Abbey, or any other brewery that does super high abv releases. Buy a case of Dogfish Head 120 this year and forget about it. Buy a case of the new Thomas Hardy’s if it seems like it is cellar worthy. Gouden Carolous blue is something you should buy yearly. It will cost you money- it costs us all some cash as anyone knows this hobby ain’t cheap.
     
    #3 youradhere, Mar 25, 2018
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  4. BenHoppy

    BenHoppy Initiate (0) Nov 15, 2017 Michigan

    Can't go wrong with J.W. Lee
     
    #4 BenHoppy, Mar 27, 2018
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  5. maximum12

    maximum12 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,686) Jan 21, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I just bought two bottles earlier this week to kick off my long-term experiment. There's a store near me with bottles of the Harvest Ale & others going back to 2011 or a bit further, so I can get a head start!
     
    #5 maximum12, Mar 27, 2018
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  6. BenHoppy

    BenHoppy Initiate (0) Nov 15, 2017 Michigan


    2007 & 2002 were fantastic if you can find them.
     
    #6 BenHoppy, Mar 27, 2018
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