Say the word beer to somebody who lives in the USA and it will bring to their mind the image of a mass produced and highly advertised product by one of a few large breweries. What most people don't realize, though, is that if this mass produced product were to be compared to wine, it will be on about the same level, quality wise, with a Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill or your generic wine in a box.

If you were to learn about the beer available all over the world, you would find many different styles, a rich cultural history, and more depth and complexity than wine. As with wine, beer connoisseurs will seek out special releases, gather together for beer tasting events, do vertical tastings with different vintages of the same beer, and cellar beer to let it gain additional complexity as it matures.

There are only a few select styles of beer and wine that meant to be aged. Most of the beer and wine that you buy at the local store are best consumed fresh. But if you find the right style, and it was made and bottled to be aged, then you can cellar beer just as you would wine, and enjoy the depth and complexity that blooms from a well aged mature beverage.

Having a beer cellar is not uncomon, although there are many more people with wine cellars so that has become the social norm. But beer cellars do exist on many different levels. There are people all over the world seeking out world class beers to age and enjoy once they reach thire prime.

Some people are more insane than others.