Fantastic Beer Whales and Where to Find Them

Tally-ho, Top Shelfers! It’s Tony Rehagen, your guide through the wilds of the beer world. Avid drinkers are always on the hunt for the next big thing: the newest small-batch bourbon, the latest cocktail concoction. On the high seas of hops and barley, the preferred game is the rare and wondrous beer whale—highly rated, highly sought-after limited releases popular among both quaffers and collectors.

The term “beer whale” is not an official label; there’s no definitive endangered species list. And a beer whale can be any style of beer from a limited-release barleywine to a year-round hazy IPA that’s only sold in one state or region. But this time of year, when brewers are cracking open their cooperage, it’s open season on trophy bottles of barrel-aged stouts. (And skip to tip No. 5 below to learn about the latest and greatest ones.)