How to Barrel Age Beer
If you recently grew increasingly interested in learning how to barrel age beer, you’re not alone. It is a tradition that goes back thousands of years and has not died out over time.
Why?
There are so many great things about barrel aging beer, and it is relatively easy to do once you get a few tips and tricks down.
History of Barrel Aging Beer
Barrel aged beer is defined as any beer that has been aged for a period of time in a wooden barrel.
Barrel aging likely goes back as far as brewing.
Think about it.
In the earliest days of brewing, we’re talking 10,000 years ago, it was mostly women in domestic circles brewing either independently or with other women.
Women were, after all, the primary keepers of the domestic sphere, harvesting grain, cooking it, and even brewing it.
The thing is, ale yeast calls for warm weather brewing. Which is perfectly fine for most harvest months of the year, and even for grain that has been saved through the winter.
But beer quickly became a staple in most households, not just as a source of alcohol but as a source of nutrition and hydration.
There was no refrigeration, of course, for preserving food and drink, so how could one store beer?
At first, they didn’t.
They made small batches and drank them over a matter of several days before the brew went flat and sour.
But ultimately, these women realized they could brew beer ahead of time and store it for the scarcer winter months, pulling beer off the shelves to fill empty bellies and provide nourishment.
Barrels were the solution to the problem of storage.
Oak or other wood was used to make watertight and mostly airtight barrels that could age beer.
Over time, barrel aging became not just a solution to a problem but a much beloved and sought after style of beer.
Why Do You Barrel Age Beer?
Again, in the beginning, beer was barrel aged as a means of storing beer for later, before it could go bad.
But eventually, people discovered what was happening during the barrel aging process.
You see, just because the barrels were water and (somewhat) airtight did not mean that oxygen was not allowed in.
Oxygen could leech in through the wood, and as temperatures changed over the seasons, the wood would contract and expand, pushing the beer against the absorbent wood, encouraging the beer to take on the flavors in the wood.
Once people figured out this trick, they would intentionally age beer for months or even years, allowing it to sit in specially made barrels crafted out of oak or other woods or that had aged other spirits like rum, whiskey, or even tequila.
Thus, while the initial purpose of aging beer in barrels was for simple storage purposes, it quickly grew to take on a new purpose – enhancing flavor, aroma, and other characteristics of the beer itself.
Today, barrel aged beer can take on sweet vanillin flavors from the wood, smoky characteristics from spirits, and even sour flavors from the entrance of wild bacteria and yeast like Brettanomyces that find their way into the barrel.
How to Barrel Age Beer
To barrel age beer, you will first need to acquire a barrel. If you can, find a local distiller and ask for one of their barrels, maybe even in exchange for a bottle of your brew?
You can also call a local brewery and ask if they barrel age their beer. If they do, you can request they add a barrel to their order for you.
You’ll want a barrel that will hold between 10 and 63 gallons, depending on the size of your batch, but don’t go smaller than 10 gallons as it can lead to fast extraction of flavors and fast oxidation.
You want a slow process that only allows minimal oxygen.
Spirit Barrel Aged Beer
The benefits of bourbon barrel aged beer or whiskey barrel aged beer, along with any other spirit, is that they will impart those smoky, spirit flavors in subtle ways.
Be mindful though that spirit barrels tend to be thinner and more prone to leaking.
Wine Barrel Aged Beer
Wine barrels on the other hand tend to be stronger and impart great wine characters into beer, which may give your small batch an edge in the barrel aged beer market.
How Long Should You Barrel Age Beer?
You can age your beer for months or even years. How long you age will depend on your preference, so you should get really comfortable with experimenting.
Before your fill your barrel, drill a small hole in the bottom and fill the hole with a stainless steel nail, called a “Vinnie nail.”
This way, you can test your beer frequently by pulling out the nail, getting your sample, sanitizing the nail, and returning it to the hole.
It is a good idea to sample on a monthly basis.
The biggest factor when it comes to barrel aging is to sanitize, clean, and sanitize again.
This process will insure against unwanted flavors as you age, which is crucial when it comes to consistency and your ability to repeat this process if you fall in love with your batch and want to recreate it.
Best Barrel Aged Beers
Before you get started on your own barrel aging quest, give the most successful brewers a try and see which beers you might like to emulate.
Firestone Walker Parabola
Aged for 12 months in bourbon, whiskey, and whiskey rye barrels.
Great Divide Barrel-Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Aged for 12 months in whiskey casks.
Ballast Point X High West Barrel-Aged Victory at Sea
Aged in bourbon and rye whiskey casks, a full-bodied black pour.
Harpoon Brewing the Bock Hog
Aged in Spanish Oak and South American Teakwood casks with a spicy vanilla finish.
New Holland Dragon’s Milk
Aged with bourbon that still comes off sweeter than the typical stout.
Cheers!
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Sources:
- https://www.brewer-world.com/the-history-of-barrel-aged-beer/
- https://craftcartel.com.au/what-is-a-barrel-aged-beer/
- https://www.funkypicnicbrewery.com/blog/barrel-aging-beer
- https://bisonbrew.com/how-to-barrel-age-beer/
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