Easy-to-find beers to start your cellar

I wrote a detailed guide outlining everything you need to know in order to start your own cellar and begin aging beer. Not long after that was released, I began receiving messages from people asking "what are some beers I can easily get to start my cellar?" That's why I decided to put together this list of easy-to-find beers that won't break the bank.

This list isn't by any means comprehensive, and some of these beers may be harder to find depending on where you live, but these are typically breweries and beers accessible to most people that also have a good track record of aging well. 

If you're buying these beers, I'd recommend purchasing a 4 pack if available, but if not, at least 3 bottles so you can build out some verticals and do side-by-side comparisons throughout the years. More details on how to store your beer can be found the comprehensive guide I wrote.

I'll update this post as I come across more options, so if there are any beers you think should be on this list just let me know! 




Founders Brewing

Founders KBS

 

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS)
12% | Stout - Imperial / Double Coffee
Imperial stout brewed with coffee and chocolate and aged in bourbon barrels.

Breakfast Stout
8.3% | Stout - Oatmeal
Brewed with flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, and Sumatra and Kona coffee.

Backwoods Bastard
11% | Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Scotch ale with smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts, a bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark fruit.

Old Curmudgeon 
9.8% | Old Ale
Old ale brewed with molasses and a focus on malts, then oak-aged.

 

Dogfish Head

World Wide Stout

 

World Wide Stout
18% | Stout - Imperial / Double
Dark, rich, roasty and complex imperial stout.

120 Minute IPA
18% | IPA - Imperial / Double
Unfiltered IPA continuously hopped with high-alpha American hops throughout the boil and then dry-hopped.

Olde School Barleywine
15% | Barleywine - American
Barleywine fermented with dates and figs.

 

Sierra Nevada

Bigfoot Barleywine

 

Bigfoot
9.6% | Barleywine - American
American barleywine with an intense flavor palate and a deep reddish-brown color.

 

Bell's Brewery

Expedition Stout

 

Expedition Stout
10.5% | Stout - Russian Imperial
One of the earliest examples of the Russian Imperial Stout in the United States. A huge malt body is matched to a heady blend of chocolate, dark fruits, and other aromas.

North Coast Brewing

Old Stock Ale

 

Old Stock Ale
12% | Old Ale 
Old Stock Ale is well-designed to round out and mellow with age. It's brewed with classic Maris Otter malt and Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops, all imported from England.

Old Rasputin
9% | Stout - Russian Imperial
Produced in the tradition of 18th Century English brewers who supplied the court of Russia’s Catherine the Great. It’s a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish.


 

This list will be updated over time, so please feel free to send me your suggestions! Don't forget to read through the guide I wrote to get more details on how to start curating your cellar.