Starting a Cellar

Fun project. Every time you go on a beer run buy an extra bottle or something affordable that's cellerable. Soon you will have a few cases and I tend to find when I have a decent amount of stashed away it's easier to not touch.

 

This is great advice.

I try to buy a 4 pack of cellerable beer on my beer runs. This way I can drink a couple save a couple and build up my stash.

 

IMO Drink that Mexican cake for Christmas.
Imperial Stouts, barleywines are a good start to cellar.
Bells Expedition Stout
Brooklyn Choc stout
Dogfish WWS/120
St Bernardus ABT12
Chimay Blue
Trappiste 8 and 10
Ten Fidy
BA Narwhal
Rum aged Pumking
Allagash triple
Bigfoot barleywine
are a few I have in cellar

 

After browsing this site I considered cellaring beer, But I realized I drink beer entirely too often to be able to start and maintain a cellar. Plus the space under my stairs in 68*F so I'd have to figure out a way to lower the temp and stabilize it.

 

My biggest mistake was only buying one of a beer. If you can, buy two or more so when you are tempted you still have one more. My favorite to cellar that is widely available here is Bells Expedition Stout, it ages nice and comes in a six pack.

 

^
This

 

The one I would add that is easily acquired, when released, is stone russian imperial stout which ages fantastically and is like $7 a bottle.

 

When is that one released ? So I've been looking for it prematurely ?!

 

as others have said buy 1 and drink 1 to see how it changes with age... its easy to cellar some brews 10-fidy ,narwhal Brooklyn chocolate stout Bigfoot are all easy to obtain and age great

 

Stone IRS. Releases on tax day (or that week leading up or afterwards). The name of the beer makes it easy to remember. Enjoy!

 

A 4 pak of Brooklyn chocolate stout here is $9 so figure the cost and rarity of Topping Golaith to compare

 

If you are new to aging beers, start with cheap ones, i.e. Bigfoot, Expedition. If you don't like the results, not a big loss.

 

I am not a cellaring expert by any means; however, generally speaking, my biggest disappointments have been cellaring big ticket beers (think Dark Horizon, KTG, etc.) and my greatest pleasures have been from shelf beers (e.g. Old Stock, Samichlaus, Chimay, Rochefort, Brooklyn Black Chocolate, Oerbier). I think where you need to be most conservative is with the nuanced beers - coffee, fruit, spice, etc. (high abv and sours inclusive). While a year or two can be the sweet spot for some beers (I like BCBS with 2 years on it to smooth out the alcohol heat), it can be the kiss of death for others. As previously mentioned, if you can afford multiples of something, that is the route to go; however, that's not always feasible given rarity and price. In these situations, it's good to try to spread the love out amongst your tasting group so you can test bottles out over time - each person takes turn popping a bottle from their cellar. Another helpful element to consider is periodically monitoring reviews, especially for one-offs, to see what's happening.

 

I opened a 2012 Unibroue Trois Pistoles today and it was fantastic. I would say most of their brews (but especially Trois and La Fin Du Monde) are great candidates for cheap cellarable choices. Though more costly, Expedition is a must in any cellar. Cases worth IMO

 

The best way to stay patient, in my experience, is to cellar relatively common beer. @Jwale73 has the right idea. Limited beers (usually those where you can only obtain one) tend to create the most heartache: "Do I drink now? Do I cellar for later" (Hint: The answer is almost always "drink now.")

Instead concentrate on creating verticals of seasonal beers worth cellaring. Bell's Expedition, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Founders Imperial Stout, and Stone Russian Imperial Stout are all fine examples. Relatively cheap and easy to obtain when in season and perfect for creating verticals given their track records. And since they're so easy to obtain, you'll always be able to have extras on hand to drink now and maintain your patience.

I don't give advice, but I'll throw one thing out there. Beware the "accidental cellar." There's my "intentional cellar" of things I mean to age, which only about 30 bottles or so. And there's the "accidental cellar" of beer that I bought over the past year, which includes an additional 50 bombers and 50 bottles. Most of it is ageable, but it's far more beer than any sane person can manage. I'll be spending much of 2015 drinking down all of this beer.

 

I knew it was April, but I didn't realize there was an intentional reference. Ha!

 

Great info guys! I just bought a wine cellar and am also trying to figure out what is worthy and worthwhile to age. i am sure the info is out there a few hundred other places, but any recommended temps for STOUTS (55?) and SOURS?

thanks!