While we do have a super-secret Zipps Cellar of beer (we bring them out for cellar sales), it can be a fun hobby to have your own cellar of beer! What’s important for your cellar is to make sure you’re holding on to beers that will age well, and that your cellar is cooler and kept at a consistent temperature (50-55°F), and dark enough. Essentially, you want to store your beer somewhere where it will never be disturbed until you retrieve it. If you’ve got a basement, usually a shelf somewhere in an unlit area makes for a great cellar!

The other part is making sure you’re aging a good beer. Typically the best beers to age are higher alcohol, or are unfiltered so it has yeast present that will develop in the bottle. Most IPAs aren’t great to age because unfortunately, hops tend to develop a cheesy flavor over time,. Fulton Worthy Adversary is a great place to start your collection. The four pack size makes it easy to hold onto a few and drink a few every year and observe the mellowing out of the booziness as the malt character shines through after a few years.  Belgian styles are also excellent to age as the yeast character only grows over time. Ken from Borealis Fermentery suggests holding onto Speckled Ghost Abbey Ale for 6 months or more for the yeasty spice to round out. If you enjoyed the wild funkiness in Surly Misanthrope when it was fresh, cellar a bottle for a few months or more and watch the brettanomyoces work its magic and build up more and more funkiness after a few months or even a few years.

The main thing is cellar beers you really like and bring them out once and a while and share with friends!