May 28, 2008

Mad Squirrel Disease

This past weekend I decided to finally get a bit more organized with the beers that I have been hiding away in the basement. I rearranged them, grouping them into different segments and adding them to a small spreadsheet for easier tracking and what not. After compiling the data I had on the beers (brewer, vintage and quantity) I reviewed what the spreadsheet was spitting back out at me. Shock and awe quickly followed.

Now, I know that I certainly don’t have a portfolio of beer as extensive as many folks out there, but 92 individual bottles of beer sure as hell is a lot, especially when I thought I had maybe half of that to begin with. The first question to pop into my mind, of course, was, “Where the hell did all of this beer come from?” Does my basement have a magical beer cellaring fairy? Sadly, no it doesn’t.

I knew that I had been putting away a bottle or two with just about every trip to the store, but it never occurred to me that the bottles were adding up so quickly. I’m both pleased with what I have and a little dismayed. I mean, hell, this is a lot of beer (for me and my wallet). So, in an effort to slow the hoarding nature that I have somehow developed, I’ve put myself on a bit of a moratorium with regard to the cellar. It sucks, but I need to stem the influx of tasty goodness.

Oh yeah, just in case any one is curious, this is what is holed up in the basement:

So there you have it. If any one else shares in my sickness, how are you (if at all) coping with it?

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