Cellaring Beer?

Five O’clock in the morning is an unreasonable time to rise five days a week. Today, Tuesday, January 31, 2006, the grimness of the hour is exacerbated by the wind blowing in off the bay and the persistent cold rain it is delivering to our little bay shore community. A comfortable ride on the Sea Streak Wall Street does nothing to lift the gloom, nor does a cup of home brewed coffee. I know I owe you all another installment and I am still at a loss as to what to write about. I re-read the Ale Street News and no inspiration comes to me. It’s a gray and raw day in lower Manhattan. Wall Street at 6:35 a.m. is a dark and forbidding canyon. The line of the caffeine starved extends out the door of Starbucks; the only establishment open on my route to the office.

As usual, I am the first person on my floor. I turn on the lights, shrug off my trench coat, hang it on the back of my office door and attack the e-mail that arrived over-night. Nothing from Tokyo or London … good. No emergency projects … good. There is that issue in Miami and three meetings scheduled for today, 11:00, 12:30 lunch meeting and the 4:30… not too bad. Pay dirt!
The Dining and Wine section of the New York Times has an article by Eric Asimov on Barley Wines that I somehow missed. (It is dated 1/25/06 if you are interested… you can get it online - free subscription required). The muse strikes. Perhaps a paragraph or two on cellaring beer and we are good till next week.

Cellaring beer? What are you talking about Ed? Beer is best when fresh right? Yes generally that it is true, but there are certain beers that possess unique qualities that permit you to lay them down for extended periods with an eye toward improving them. One style that is a prime candidate for cellaring is the aforementioned Barley Wine. The higher alcohol and hopping levels give this style the fortitude to withstand the rigors of time. The sharp spiciness of the hops will soften and the caramel and toffee notes that come from the huge amount of grain used may become more vinous or port-like. I often buy extra bottles of this seasonal specialty just to set aside for future sampling. In the Times article it is noted that one of the brews sampled was Thomas Hardy’s Ale, both a 2004 vintage and a 1992 (Gasp! A 14 year old beer!). The difference between the vintages is striking. Read the article for more details. It is well worth the trouble to register. There have been past articles in the Times on other beers, including IPAs and Saisons that are also a great read.

What other beers can you Cellar? As a general rule the stronger beer styles such as Doppelbock and Eisbock also the hoppier styles such as Imperial Stout and Double Imperial Pale Ale can be laid down. Likewise, many of the bottle conditioned Belgian beers will benefit from a few years of aging.

How do you cellar a beer? Like wine, beer must be kept in a cool dark place at a constant temperature. A basement closet away from the furnace is a prime candidate. For those with the space, wine chillers can be purchased at most appliance stores for under $200. A temperature range of 50-55 degrees seems to be the ideal temperature for most strong ales; lagers will require slightly cooler temperatures. For longer term storage brewers and experts alike agree that beers should be stored upright not on their sides.

I have only scratched the surface of this topic, consider doing some additional research before cellaring any beers. Often the brewer will make cellaring suggestions right on the packaging.