Beers to Age: A List

[tanstaafl2]

So, my collection of beer has multiplied greatly over the last year and is now encroaching on my wine collection. The problem has become where do I keep all this beer? Unlike wine, for which I have wine racks and a wine cooler, my beer has largely accumulated in the standard case-sized cardboard box. Since I have well over a hundred bottles, I can say I have several of these boxes stacked on top of each other in a rather disorganized fashion. And while my wife has absolutely no issue with the beer itself, the boxes are a great source of aggravation for her. I’ve looked at buying additional wine racks for the beer, but these pose two problems: (1) unlike wine, the preferable method for storing beer is upright and (2) wine racks may accommodate bombers, but I have yet to find one that can hold a 12oz bottle safely.

Additional wine coolers are out of the question as I simply don’t want six of these things whirring away in my basement.

Where is everyone else keeping their bottles? Is anyone aware of a beer storage system?

An older post so don't know if you are still looking for something. I was looking for some bottle storage recently, mostly for spirits but a few beers as well, and found this at the Container Store. Other places may have it as well.

Intermetro basket shelves

Basically you can build a shelving system with these basket shelves and adjust as needed to fit what ever size bottle you are storing. I put a thin sheet of playwood on the bottom cut to size and it seems to work well and provides security to your bottle in case you bump the shelves. In the past on open flat shelfs I was always afraid one bottle would fall and cause a domino effect onto the cruel concrete floors below. Talk about alcohol abuse!

Not a great picture but hopefully you get the idea.

[thayes1c]

I just opened a 2005 Mirror Mirror from Deschutes. It was wonderful, good toffee notes and a nice sherry like flavor to it. I replaced it with a bottle of the Stoic from Deschutes and a bottle of the XXIII Black Butte.

[Hassouni]

A few 2007 and 2008 Trader Joe's Vintage Ales (brewed by Unibroue), and also one bottle of Gouden Carolus Cuvée van de Keizer 2006, and 2-4 bottles each of the same for every year from 2007 to 2011. Not sure when I should open them....

[KD1191]

Boon Oude Gueuze Mariage Parfait 2005. many. drink a bottle each week because it's delicious, still easy to get, and is relatively affordable.

Had a 2004 the other day, and I was tickled to see a "Best By" date on the bottle for sometime in 2028.

As a whole, it was on the high boundary of my tolerance for funk...like some really ripe cheese.

[tanstaafl2]

Trying to build a small collection of beers to put away for a while to see how they do. Noted the discussion suggesting IPA’s and American barley wines might not be a good choice. Any thought on whether any of these would not benefit from a bit of age?

Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock 8.2% ABV (regular, 2004, 2006)
Cockeyed Cooper Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine 11.1% ABV (Uinta Brewing Co.)
Karmeliet Tripel 8.4% ABV
Midas Touch Ancient Ale 9.0% ABV (Dogfish Hand Craft Brewery)
Mikkeller Black 17.5% ABV
Nøgne Ø #500 Imperial India Pale Ale 10.0% ABV
Rodenbach Grand Cru Ale 6% ABV
Sierra Nevada Sierra 30th Anniversary Ale 9.2% ABV
Widdershins Oak Aged Ale 8.8% ABV (Left Hand Brewing Co.)

Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue) 9% ABV
La Trappe Oak Aged Isid’or 7.5% ABV
La Trappe Oak Aged Quad (Batch 6) 10% ABV
La Trappe Quad 10% ABV
Trappistes Rochefort 10 11.3% ABV
Westmalle Dubbel 7% ABV
Westmalle Tripel 9.5% ABV

Any value to putting the sour lambics on the shelf awhile? One post above suggested they could handle a little time.

Drie Fontenien Oude Kriek Lambic 6% ABV
Drie Fontenien Schaerbeekse Kreik Lambic 6% ABV

A few others I have but that I hadn’t specifically given thought to aging. Should I reconsider?

Aecht Schlenkerla Märzen Rauchbier 5.4% ABV
Delerium Nocturnum 8.5% ABV
Hennepin Seasonal Belgian-style Ale 7.7% ABV (Brewery Ommegang)
Lagunitas Bavarian Style Doppel Weizen 9.0% ABV (Lagunitas Brewing Co.)
Boon Framboise Lambic
Lindemans Framboise Lambic
Timmermans Framboise Lambic

Yes, I confess I do like the framboise lambics! Would like to try the Cantillon Lou Pepe Framboise but haven’t seen it around here. Or any Cantillon around here for that matter.

I would also love to try the Cantillon Blåbær pictured above! Is it even still produced?

I see some other interesting suggestions in this thread I will have to look for.

[tim e]

Orval ages quite well. I recently had my last bottle from 2007 and it was great.

[tanstaafl2]

Yes, it seemed likely that the stronger Trappist ales were bottle conditioned and would do well on the shelf for a few years. I am less sure of some the US made beers and how well they might do.

[Vooon]

I have currently one beer on storage, a Dark Horizon Third Edition by the Norwegian brewery Nøgne Ø. (If you speak french it is pronounced Neugné Eu). Their first edition was a gold winner at the World Beer Cup in San Diego in 2008, I remember it went for outragous amounts of money on Ebay due to its popularity. I think they say it can be stored for ten years at least.

They also made a Red Horizon and a Sweet Horizon both which I believe can be stored for a long time.

Nøgne Ø is supposed to be big in the US, but I don't know where it's available - but I know that the brewery exports a lot more of their beer than they sell in Norway. Some of their beers never even end up in Norwegian stores due to the demand from abroad. I can understand it as it is an excellent brewery.