Four oak barrels…in my kitchen!

But these aren’t just any oak barrels. These are four oak barrels that aged Kentucky Bourbon and then maple syrup before aging a beer from Founders called Old Curmudgeon, an “Old Ale” (similar to barleywine which I talked about a few days ago) that is part of their regular line up. The end result is called Curmudgeon’s Better Half (formally known as Kaiser Curmudgeon but never bottled) and it’ll be released in 750ML bottles on the 13th of February.

If the idea of beer aged in barrels is new to you, you’re missing out. The barrels highlighted here were used to age bourbon before beer, but bourbon is one of many things aged in oak barrels before beer. Here are a few others: red wine, white wine, cognac, tequila and rum.

Why aged beer in used barrels? Oak barrels on their own add flavors of vanilla, oak and roasted flavors and when the barrels age bourbon or other fermented beverages, they take on some of the flavors and characteristics and then that is passed on to the beer. Here are a few of my personal favorite barrel aged beers: Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout and Canadian Breakfast Stout, Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout, Mikkeller Cognac Aged Black Hole and Port Brewing Company Older Viscosity. Enjoy!

Cheers!

I think it’s safe to say that most of the general public is well aware that most wines can greatly improve with age. I know several people who not only age wine, but have custom temperature controlled wine cellars to do so, but did you know the same goes for beer?

Like wine, not all beer improves with age. Some, in fact, are only best when consumed within a few weeks of being bottled. And no, I’m not talking about the BMC’s (Bud, Miller and Coors). The beers that are great for aging advertise it right on their bottles. Take Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout, for example: “Ages Up to Five Years” is printed right on the front of the label. I recently had a bottle of it from 2007 and 2011. The 2007 was absolutely amazing while the 2011 lacked the characteristics and maturity that the 2007 had even though it was “fresh.”

Another fun thing done by those who cellar beer is “vertical tastings,” where they take one specific beer that comes out as a release each year and taste four or five different years of that beer to compare how the exact same beer changes over time and usually in a very positive way. Some beer lovers even have their favorite vintages of a specific beer.

Lastly, if your a wine connoisseur you know that the ideal temperature for aging red wine is around the 55 degree F mark. The same goes for aging beer,  so make a little room in your wine cellar and start a new collection.

It’s a whole other fun side in the world of beer…and I love it!!!

Cheers!

Stronger than most beers with fruity, nutty and malty flavors, barleywines are a fun beer to sip on and enjoy on a cold winter’s day. The name barleywine comes from being made with grain instead of fruit and because it can easily be as strong as wine with an average abv. (alcohol by volume) of 8-13%.

Here are a few examples of some barleywines that aren’t too hard to find: Fuller’s Vintage Ale,Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine, and Stone Brewing Old Guardian.

Featured barleywine here: Doggie Claws from Hair of the Dog Brewing Co., Portland, OR

Cheers!