We live in a world of instant gratification. Need a ride? Uber is there at the swipe of your phone. The drive to rent a movie? It’s hard even to recall in this era of instant movie streaming. And letting your friends know about that awesome DIPA you just had? You can tell not only them but the whole world within seconds via social media. We’re used to not waiting for things, constantly channeling our inner Veruca Salt (from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), “I don’t care how; I want it now!”
So it may seem a bit odd that more and more beer drinkers are starting to cellar beer at home, waiting patiently for years for their barleywines to mellow and their guezues to soften. For many though, the most difficult part isn’t deciding which beers to squirrel away or even when to open that special bottle; instead it’s having the willpower to not start cracking them open a few months in.
Regardless whether it’s impatience, lack of cellar space, or even weak willpower, beer cellars just aren’t for everybody. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the complexity of a finely aged beer. It just so happens that there’s a segment of ever-growing beer-centric bars and restaurants that had the foresight to begin cellaring beers years (or in some cases decades) ago on site.
All it takes on your part is to simply mosey on in, shell out the (sometimes hefty) premium for the few years’ worth of overhead the purveyor dedicated to aging that bottle, and sit back to enjoy what many had to pine away after for years. Instant, delicious, gratification.
So while nearly every self-respecting beer bar now has at least some semblance of a cellar, only a select few have been doing it long enough, and with the actual know-how, to really be considered a “vintage beer bar.” Next time you’re planning a beercation, consider including one of these world-class joints.
Brouwer’s Café (Seattle, Washington)
Owned by the same folks as the legendary Bottleworks bottleshop, Brouwer’s (pictured at top) brings that same gusto and knowledge of vintage beer to their restaurant. Their cellar philosophy? Rely on direction from the brewery regarding whether a beer is cellarworthy and how long it can age. “We let them decide what’s best for their beer,” says Cellarmaster Lucas Gonczy. Their website is regularly updated and details which of their more than 400 different vintages are available, a rarity among vintage beer bars.
Kulminator (Antwerp, Belgium)
When owner Dirk Van Dyck first started aging beer for his bar back in the seventies, little did he know that it would later inspire thousands of others to follow suit. This tiny bar (pictured above), tucked into the cobbled backstreets of medieval Antwerp, houses one of the deepest and most renowned beer cellars in the world. The bottle list is a massive tome, containing beers going back more than three decades. Beercations are often based around paying homage to this great locale, but be forewarned, the opening hours are very sporadic, only cash is accepted, and the seating is very limited.
Brick Store Pub (Decatur, Georgia)
At Brick Store Pub, the focus is on the beer. There are no TVs and no BMC (Bud/Miller/Coors), and the tap list is a star-studded representation of selections both local and abroad. Throw in the cellar list—a damn impressive one at that—on every table (no secret handshake required), and you’ve got the destination beer bar that is Brick Store. And how does General Manager Todd DiMatteo decide what beer makes it into the cellar (pictured above)? “Of course, it’s beer we already enjoy.” Order that splurge bottle with confidence.
Gramercy Tavern (New York, New York)
Winner of four James Beard awards, this Michelin-starred restaurant (pictured above) is a powerhouse in the culinary world. And while they may be better known for a stellar wine selection, their beer list, which features a compact, but incredibly well-chosen, vintage-beer component, will wow any beer geek. Plus (at least by NYC fine-dining standards), they’re downright affordable. Per Beverage Director Juliette Pope, “I want to keep them accessible so that guests will take a leap of faith away from wine and booze and into the vintage-beer arena.”
Monk’s Kettle (San Francisco, California)
Many might first think of the fabled Toronado bar when it comes to vintage beer in the City by the Bay. But they’d be remiss to overlook the smaller, but very thoughtfully selected cellar list, at the nearby Monk’s Kettle, particularly because Monk’s Kettle is known to cook up some fantastically good grub. Any vintage-beer lover knows that vintage beer just begs to be paired with food, giving the Kettle an edge when it comes to delivering the full experience.
Akkurat (Stockholm, Sweden)
When owner Stene Isacsson opened Akkurat in 1995, he forever raised the bar when it comes to vintage-beer selections. The vintage menu (separate from the normal bottle list) contains an astounding 600 beers. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, the bottles listed will leave even the most jaded beer nerd’s jaw on the floor. Narke StormaktsPorter or nineties-era Cantillon? Sure, no big deal. While the prices may initially seem a bit high to visiting beer tourists, considering the painfully high cost of alcohol in Sweden, most bottles (outside of a few uber-rare ones) are a relative bargain. Isacsson’s attitude? “We really don’t look to make money on the vintage beers. I see them mainly as advertisement and good will.”
Ebenezer’s Pub (Lovell, Maine)
This barn/pub/restaurant located alongside a golf course in middle-of-nowhere Maine does not look like it houses the deepest cellar in America. In fact, most might pop in expecting to have a lite beer and burger but would instead find a lineup of beer that renders anybody that knows anything about vintage beer speechless. It’s America’s highest-rated restaurant per RateBeer users, and—if that wasn’t enough—Co-owner Chris Lively was just granted Knighthood by the Belgian Brewer’s Guild. Yes, you should go there.
PHOTOS FROM TOP: +RUSS, MIKE CLARK, COURTESY BRICK STORE PUB, MAURA MCEVOY