Poll Question: How many bottles do you typically buy?

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by leedorham, May 4, 2012.

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When you buy beer to cellar, how many bottles do you typically buy?

  1. Just one :(

    3 vote(s)
    2.9%
  2. 2

    42 vote(s)
    41.2%
  3. 3

    30 vote(s)
    29.4%
  4. 4-6

    19 vote(s)
    18.6%
  5. 6-11

    3 vote(s)
    2.9%
  6. A Case (12)

    1 vote(s)
    1.0%
  7. More than a Case

    4 vote(s)
    3.9%
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  1. leedorham

    leedorham Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2006 Washington

    For me, it's usually three; One to drink right away and two to lay down. This is mostly for money reasons. I wish I could buy more. It would make it easier to open them periodically.

    Just wondering how much people are typically putting away.
     
  2. Dope

    Dope Pooh-Bah (2,925) Oct 5, 2010 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    Usually buy 2, 1 to drink and 1 to cellar. If it turns out to be absolutely amazing after cellaring for a year or two, I'll generally buy more the next round (assuming it wasn't a one-time brew).

    Dope
     
    stoneageradio likes this.
  3. hopsputin

    hopsputin Grand Pooh-Bah (4,403) Apr 1, 2012 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    I think my ideal purchase is like 2-3 bombers, and maybe a six pack to enjoy throughout the week
     
  4. pest

    pest Savant (1,039) Sep 2, 2007 Ohio
    Trader

    Completely depends on the bottle format and if I have any experience with aging it. If I have experience aging it then I usually lay down 3 bombers or 1 sixer. If it's just an experiment usually just 1 bomber or 1/2 a sixer or four pack.
     
    stoneageradio likes this.
  5. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    Usually a mixed 6 pack or a couple of big bottles per visit.
     
  6. LostTraveler

    LostTraveler Initiate (0) Oct 28, 2011 Maine

    matters on if its easily available or limited. Often I can only get one limited, but wish I could get 2+. Many times if its limited Ill get one and save it for sometime I can share and appreciate it.
     
  7. Bluecane

    Bluecane Initiate (0) Dec 30, 2011 New York

    If I can ever afford it one day, I'd love to do this (for beers that can handle it well, like geuzes, big barleywines, big stouts, etc.):

    A) Buy 10 + however many I want to drink presently, so maybe 12-15.
    B) Do the same thing each year for each beer.
    C) From year 10 and beyond, you always have a 10-year vertical each year for each beer.
     
  8. Jake351

    Jake351 Initiate (0) May 4, 2012 Massachusetts

    One to try, one to cellar...

    If I'm disappointed with the try, then at least I can look forward to see what tincture of time can do w/ the cellared bottle...

    If I like, I may reconsider buying more at a later date.....
     
  9. afrokaze

    afrokaze Pooh-Bah (1,962) Jun 12, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    2 or 3 is usually my limit, makes it hard to build up verticals or keep them around long enough but I've grabbed 6+ bottles of a few beers once I tried them and knew they'd age well.
     
  10. goosewhisperer

    goosewhisperer Initiate (0) May 28, 2011 Colorado

    If it is something I really like, such as Stone IRS, or Parabola; I'll get a case for the storage cellar and a few bottles to drink fresh. Aged beer makes a great gift for folks that appreciate it.
     
  11. MileHighShooter

    MileHighShooter Initiate (0) Nov 23, 2010 Colorado

    Normally 3, but it also depends on the beer. If its a 1 off production, 2 or 3, one to drink right away and get an idea of the beer before buying more. If its something like a once a year production, I'll buy one to drink, one for down the road in like 10-14 months, and 1 for a vertical. That way I have had it fresh, and if it didn't do a whole lot more for me around the year mark...well, the new batch will be out so I'll buy more to drink fresh! Verticals, well, I just find them fun so with several beers I'll do that regardless of the fresh vs 1 year test. My usual vertical keepers are stouts and barley wines, especially the cheaper stuff that is easy to find and hold on to...Bigfoot, Green Flash barley wine, Samael's Ale, Alaskan Smoked Porter, so on and so forth. As cool as it would be years down the road, I just really don't get into doing whale verticals....partially because I don't have the patience lol And having like a 4-5 year vertical of say Black Tuesday or something (once there are that many vintages of course) just sounds like a big hot drunken mess of a night.
     
  12. DavoleBomb

    DavoleBomb Pooh-Bah (2,277) Mar 29, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I bought 3 cases of Flying Mouflan after having a taste of Scratch #4 (same thing) a couple years back. It ages phenomenally.
     
  13. DSlim71

    DSlim71 Initiate (0) Mar 3, 2010 New Jersey

    I usually like to get anywhere from 3-5. Some for drinking and cellaring as well as trading.
     
  14. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    Only two, one to try now one to age.
     
  15. csano

    csano Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2010 Washington
    Trader

    Most of the time, at least 3 bottles. One for now, the rest for the cellar. Sometimes I'll go higher, depending on the brewery and/or the release.
     
  16. Plenum

    Plenum Initiate (0) Apr 29, 2009 New Jersey

    For me, it depends on the beer, the bottling format, the style and my previous experience with cellaring the beer. For those that have cellared well previously, and I enjoyed them throughout the aging process, I'll get 1-2 cases every year. For those that are new to me for cellaring, then I'm only picking up 2-3 of them. I tend to buy more quantity for the smaller formats. And it also depends on how long I plan to store the beer, which is largely dependant upon the beer itself. If I plan to age it longer, I buy more of it.

    There's no one answer.
     
    MarkIntihar and claaark13 like this.
  17. mocktm

    mocktm Initiate (0) Jan 3, 2011 Virginia

    Depends...the pricier the beer, the fewer I tend to buy obviously. Also, I tend to buy more if they come in smaller formats, allowing me to open four or six 12 oz bottles instead of just a couple bombers. Ex: GI Sofie
     
    JohnB87 likes this.
  18. StoutFest

    StoutFest Initiate (0) Dec 15, 2009 Illinois

    I only buy by the case.
     
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