A lot of people talk about cellaring big beers, but not enough folks do it right. If you’re aging stouts (or barleywines), a few things I’ve learned over the years:
Store cool, dark, and consistent — fluctuations kill nuance.
Avoid IPAs — hops fade fast. Keep those fresh.
Look for high ABV (10%+) — the complexity only gets better.
Avoid waxed caps if you don’t want to battle them with a knife every time.
Some of my best pulls have been after 3–5 years. The chocolate softens, the roast mellows, the booze smooths out—it’s magic. Anyone else aging bottles long-term? Or have a story of a cellared beer gone wrong? Let’s compare notes.
