Beer wanking:- cellaring beer like wine

Vintage Beer? Aficionados Say Some Brews Taste Better With Age : The Salt : NPR:

"There is a huge subculture of people in the beer industry with cellars who are squirreling away bottles, just like with wine, to keep for years," says Patrick Dawson, a beer writer and the author of Vintage Beer, which was released in March.
But a beer aging in a bottle, which is virtually airtight, is affected by no material additions — just the effects of time.
Most beers are not suited for aging. Light pilsners, pale ales, IPAs and most other styles with low or moderate alcohol levels will only deteriorate when stashed in a cool, dark place. Deschutes Brewery's assistant brewmaster Ryan Schmiege — a beer collector himself — says beers that contain lots of hop are generally intended to be consumed fresh, not stashed away to age.
"Hop compounds break down rapidly," Schmiege says, and losing the aromatic qualities of a carefully brewed IPA, he says, "is tragic."
For a beer to benefit from aging, there are several basic prerequisites. First, it should be strong — at least 8 percent alcohol by volume. Alcohol acts like a preservative against a beer turning stale or skunky. Virtually all beer bottles display the alcohol content.
Sweetness, from residual sugar that didn't ferment during brewing, also helps, as the sugars develop malty, caramel-like overtones. Smoky-flavored beers, as well as those affected by souring yeasts or bacteria, can also do well in the cellar. Sour beers, a popular brewing method, are easily found at many beer stores, as are smoke-flavored brews.

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