These posts highlight a story from the past, mine for now, it originally was produced for Sand and Pine for December 2022.

The days are getting shorter, there is a briskness about the air that wasn’t present at the beginning of November and the decorations are everywhere. It’s the return of the holidays and for brewers it means we can take a break from the IPA fanatic pace and focus on something a little dark, richer, and just perhaps a bit more on the boozy side of the equation.

At Hatchet Brewing we have been playing with a barrel aging program for the first time. I am a big believer that in making beer it is a combination of Art and Science. Working with barrels falls firmly into more of the Art side of the equation. Barrels can be bought new, but far more often we get them second hand from another producer. Bourbon and whiskey manufacturers are the most common source for barrels, but they could have been used for rum, mescal, tequila, wine, or heck even maple syrup even made a recent appearance at a broker house. If you get the barrel fresh from a distillery often you may get the ‘Angel’s share’ or a wet barrel. A wet barrel still contains some of the original product aged in the barrel. This always makes the brewery staff happy because we can conduct a ‘quality’ inspection of the origin of the barrel and see what character will likely emerge from the barrel. And yes, I mean drink a sample. First use of the barrel you have the character of the spirits that have resided in the barrel before our use, on further uses while the spirits will have faded the toasted oak character becomes more dominant. 

Each barrel has its own unique character that will emerge over time. Time is an important factor in barrel aging a beer. The beer absorbs the barrels character, this happens through as the barrel is exposed to temperature variations that causes the wood to draw the beer in and out. While a fresh barrel the spirit character may become evident in a short time, further uses require months for the condition to become apparent. 

This process is a big commitment for a smaller brewery. It requires specialized equipment to prepare and fill the barrel for use. The barrel takes up space in the brewery that could be put to other use. Lastly is the cost. Used barrels start around $150 but rapidly increase if the barrel comes from a highly sought distillery. Then there is the cost of making a high gravity beer which will have typically a lower yield per batch than an average beer like a pale ale. It’s a bit of a gamble for a brewery that typically takes two or three weeks to bring a batch to market, to make an investment that won’t be returned for months or even a year.

Larger breweries dedicate entire buildings to barrel programs like Wicked Weed in Asheville or Goose Island in Chicago. Black Friday, while known for early morning shopping deals for TVs or other bargains, for beer lovers they will often line up for the limited release of Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout. This beer release has gotten to be so large that they need to source barrels from 4 different distilleries.

So as we were planning to dip our toe into a barrel program, when a friend offered us some barrels that he had finished using. We took advantage of the whiskey barrels that we have filled with a Winter Warmer. Winter Warmer isn’t a formal style but a range of ideas. It has a wide range of ABV (alcohol by volume) between 5.5-10%, usually on the darker side, and often is spiced to help warm you during the winter months. In our case we made this ale with honey I have from Combat Farms. This honey goes into Hatchet’s Combat Honey ale, but I wanted to make something that could really showcase the rich flavor and higher alcohol. Beside the honey notes there is a rich malt character with hints of vanilla. It will be going on tap in early December.

This was just the start of our barrel adventures. Now I am working on Death Machine Belgian Tripel and paired it with a Rum barrel. Death Machine is a golden ale that has a light body and drinks deceptively smooth. It hides its 9% abv well with spicy and banana notes. I think it will finish having a Banana Foster like character with notes of butter and vanilla from the oak, plus just a hint of cinnamon. Plus of course a good dose of rum. As we finish off the Winter Warmer in January expect the barrel aged Death Machine will hit the taps.

So watch this Winter to see what barrel aged beers make it to your favorite beer destination, they may be more pricey than your regular pint, but they are worth the expense. Happy Holidays!