Bottle Collecting?
I only have a couple commemorative beer bottles which a friend gave me. I left them unopened as he advised me to.
I was just wondering if anyone else here has collected the various commercial bottles through the years? I find the Canadian "stubbies" very nostalgic now.
I buy a barleywine special release every year just to let it sit and age. When I get to 10 I'll start drinking the first one.
I used to be a huge fan of James Page beer, but then the brewery got bought and moved to Wisconsin. I don't know if it is a difference in the water or the fact that they went to a longer neck bottle, but the beer just wasn't the same.
So my friends and I all collected as much James Page from local liquor stores as possible - we had a good stash which slowly went down as we enjoyed the last bit of beer. Then we were all left with one.
We all kept that one bottle until recently when I was clear out of beer and really was wanting one - I broke down and opened it up. Thankfully it still tasted good!
So yes, I have collected a bottle, but no, I was not able to keep it around. I got too thirsty. 
I've started to age a couple of barleywines myself. I think I have one 3 year old bottle and a few younger ones. My dad on the other hand has a stash of them, and I always make him open one on a special occasion. So good.
I'm glad, I have 4 now, I was starting to wonder if they would be good after that amount of time. I have afew friends that do a similar thing with Chimay, they just date the top and take it out after a few years. The key is hiding it from yourself.
Does anybody have any Thomas Hardy Ales from years past? I got my first one last year, and it is still sitting there waiting to be opened. I am trying decide how long to keep it. I figure I will get one or two each year. I may, as others are apparently doing, pick up some other barleywines as well.
Tom Hardy's are worth an insane amount of money (the old ones 1960-80), probably a good one to keep around.
There's actually a 1968 bottle on ebay right now, from the UK, $60.
Unfortunately, my Thomas Hardy is only a 2004. I guess I will have to keep it a while!
Is it even made by Thomas Hardy brewery anymore? I thought they quit making it.