What are your thoughts on verticals?

I keep reading that KBS isn't worth cellaring due to the coffee fading fast. I've only got a bigfoot vertical (because everyone does it) '10-'14 (we still haven't seen '15). I'm not big on barley wines but I'm doing it anyway.

Also started a Narwhal vertical '12-'14 and plan to keep at least one going through the time they decide to stop brewing it. May taste terrible but its' fun anyway.

 

This is the next thing to-do at quality beer bars. It feeds beer-geeks more of what they want and usually cannot get at home, it allows for premium pricing, and it sells more quantity of beer.

 

My favorite vertical tasting of all time was at bourbon distillery...tasted moonshine up through 30 years. Was amazing to taste the progression of moonshine becoming a smooth, complex, caramel/vanilla bourbon. My favorite was actually about 18 years or so. Single vineyard wine verticals can be a lot of fun too, but the agricultural factor becomes a big wildcard. I've got enjoy a couple of those now and really enjoyed them.
Beer verticals are probably third on that list. It's definitely a great reason to get a bunch of beer lovers in a room together to get your geek on and taste the curve of a beer through the years. I've now got verticals of bigfoot & brooklyn black chocolate stout going back to '08. Wouldn't trade them for Dark Lord...okay maybe that's an exaggeration. Either way, enjoy it man!

 

Well, we kept the kegs in the keg cooler while aging, so the aging process was definitely slowed from the colder temperature (we keep it around 40 degrees). The pumpkin did start to fade a little. Pumking went over a whole lot better than the Warlock; both smoothed out noticeably. It was a fun idea, but we're never doing it again. They took way too long to get rid of...

 

Verticals are great if properly maintained and cared for. Patience is of utmost importance anfd the hardest part.

 

I have a black tuesday vert going. Not sure i have enough beer friends to drink them all at the same time once I decided to open them.

 

Most will find out that aging KBS is a crime.

 

They are fun but they're better to do every other year, always seems like a waste to me to do 4yrs in a row or 6yrs in a row.

 

Cant believe no one said after doing a vertical you will usually send up horizontal.