Massachusetts Craft Beers Worth Collecting, Storing & Cellaring

Yesterday, we published A Guide To Collecting, Storing & Cellaring Craft Beer. Skinner's wine and beer specialist, Certified Cicerone Michael Moser helped us out with some pointers on the types of beers that are worth storing. Moser was also kind enough to collaborate with us to come up with a list of local beers that are worth storing/cellaring. We decided to break down the list by location. For Massachusetts, read on. For the rest of New England, click here.

(Note: Rare fine ales are included in Skinner's upcoming online auction from April 25-May 2!)

Samuel Adams - Utopias

The beer of all beers, this 22-28% ABV blends several batches of beer, some of which have already been aged for 20+ years. Sam only puts out about 15,000 bottles of Utopias each year, so it's limited. The approximately $200 price point might be tough to swallow, but the brew itself goes down smooth (if you ever decide to open it).

Mystic - Entropy

Call it a barley port, imperial Belgian, a triplequadruple, or a 'Boston Cognac' (similar to Sam Adams Utopias, but only about $35). Whatever it is, this is a complex beer. Entropy is fermented in four stages with four different yeast strains. The brewers at Mystic "believe that Entropy can be aged for over 20 years and will change pleasantly as it continues to mature, developing new characteristics over the years."

Night Shift - Ever Weisse

Ever Weisse is a spring sour ale aged on strawberries, kiwis, and hibiscus flowers. It's only available at the brewery (April 7 marks the debut for this vintage). Sour beers are perfect for aging in your cellar, and Night Shift thinks this one could stay good for up to 10 years. If you can't get to the brewery right away, Night Shift releases a different Sour Weisse every season.

Jack's Abby – Baby Maker

Baby Maker is a 14 percent lager wine that was fermented in stainless steel tanks and then barrel-aged for nine months. The brewers point out that aging strong beers in wood allows the flavors of the beer to smooth out and absorb the flavor characteristics of the barrels. As for the barrels, Jack's Abby relied on the same barrels it used to age its Framinghammer Baltic Porter (also a good candidate for cellaring).

Pretty Things – St. Botolph's Town

Pretty Things has a reputation for making big beers with high alcohol by volume. They've honed their craft and built a reputation on incorporating a good number of historical recipes into their brews. And while some of their heavier beers like Our Finest Regards barley wine and Barbapapa Russian Imperial Stout are pretty sure bets for aging, the inside scoop is that St. Botolph's Town, a measly 5.9% brown ale, tastes fantastic with some oxidation.

Trillium - Pot & Kettle Oatmeal Porter

Pot & Kettle Oatmeal Porter is aged for three months in American Straight Whiskey casks from Boston's Bully Boy Distillery. The dark, malty 7.5% ABV beer lends itself nicely to aging. Roasted flavors tend to mellow and smooth out over time, allowing additional layers of dark fruit complexity to emerge.