Maybe you’ve been inspired to start your own beer cellar so that at some point in the future you can open up some special beers and share them with friends. Adam Avery, president and brewmaster of Avery Brewing, has been cellaring and aging his own beers, as well as sampling extensive vintages of other brewers’ beers, for decades. Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® interviewed Avery for our premiere issue (Spring 2014) to gather his thoughts on how to store beer, what to expect from aged bottles, and the best ways to enjoy the experience of cellaring craft beer.
1. Choose the right temperature.
For me personally, I like to keep my beer cold. I think that creates the best opportunity to oxidize in the “right” way and not in an accelerated way. All my beer (sour and non-sour) is stored in the 40°–45°F (4°–7°C) range. There is some fluctuation—never warmer than 45°F (7°C) and never colder than 38°F (3°C). I tell people to put it in the coolest spot in your house or buy an extra refrigerator and do it in a refrigerator.
2. Store upright.
We don’t use corks, and you don’t have to lay the bottles down because of the kind of cap that’s on there.