Hard to keep up

It has been a while and the cellar is growing. I will have to take some pics. I've gathered several Bouron Barrel aged beers. I opened my own 2005 Christmas Ale over New Years and it was really interesting. It had developed chocolate flavors and the spices had really mellowed into and interesting drink.

Well, I've added a few beers. I bought a couple bottle of Double Bastard (10.5%), a 4-pack of Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout (9%), a couple 500ml bottles of Pliny the Elder (8%), a 4-pack of Dogfishhead 90 minute Imperial IPA (9%), a Stone Imperial Russian Stout (10.5%) and a Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous (8.7%). As it turns out I also have a Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence 2007 that has been inadvertently been aging in my beer fridge.

So my problem is, there seems to be very little consensus on cellaring. One person has already told me to drink my Sierra Nevada 13th harvest (wet hop) as the hop character will fade quickly. But I'm wondering if the fresh hop grass flavor will work into something else. Also, some recommend never cellaring an IPA such as the DFH 90-min, but with 9% ABV I think it could calm down a bit with aging - but I don't know. I guess we are going to find out.

I'm now really curious about the Ommegang Chocolate, but really am interested in waiting until next winter.

The First Beers

The first beer that really got me decided to do a beer cellar was this years Stone Vertical Epic. For those who know the series it obvious I am way behind, but hey you have to start somewhere. I also picked up a couple bottles of the 13th edition of Sierra Nevada Harvest Series Wet Hop. My wife (unknowing that I was starting a beer cellar) picked my up a bottle of Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary. I also went to Trader Joe's and got two bottle of Chimay Grande Reserve and a 6-pack of Josephs Brau Winterfest Dark Double Bock Lager.

So that's my starting point. If you have any suggestions or advice, please let me know. Its the beginning of......something.

The Beginning

I'm a beer drinker and home brewer, but never really thought about keeping beer very long. Yes, my friends and I brew a smoked scotch ale that probably could be aged for years (I had one on keg for 18 months) but never really thought about buying beer and not drinking it. Then I bought a second home and turns out it has a perfect place for a wine cellar. The only problem is, I don't really drink wine, so I thought, why not a beer cellar. Well, turns out that beer cellaring (apparently not really a word) is becoming more popular these days, so this is my adventure into the world of the Beer Cellar.