How to Find Rare Craft Beers
Fair and Festival
Auctions are one of the venues to pursue for that rare craft beer taste and experience. Ambiance and hor d’oeuvres aside, a live auction featuring craft beer lets the buyer get up close and personal with other aficionados and the eclectic brews. Limited releases, hard to find brands and private collections are often donated for fundraising. Two bottles of the superbly aged barley wine Dave by Hair of the Dog brewery sold for over $4,500.00 at a charity auction several years ago. Only 12 bottles were released in 2012, the Oregon brewery has not announced when they will release the next batch of the soft to the palate, lush tasting brew. Experience Skinner Auction House in Boston, Massachusetts, if possible. The company began accepting craft beer on consignment in 2012 and now hosts connoisseurs throughout the year at traditional live or timed, online-only bidding opportunities. Additionally, the live auctions are streamed online in real time allowing craft beer enthusiasts to sign on and bid from anywhere. Previews of the available selections are posted online prior to the live auction allowing participants to browse before the event. Two bottles of 2007 Sam Adams Utopias, the “Extreme Beer”, was the first lot of craft beer sold at a brick and mortar auction house, Skinner ended the bidding at $488.00. This limited edition rich, dark beer is noncarbonated and served at room temperature. John Pye Auctioneers in the United Kingdom also arranges online craft beer auctions in partnership with The Flipping Good Beer Shop. Browse the internet for other auction houses and web sites to assist in finding a funky 2000 Hanssens Artisanaal Oudbeitje Lambic or 1989 Cantillon Brabantiae. Explore, bid and enjoy!
