PHOTO: JEFFERY HALVORSON KNOW YOUR BARREL The top and bottom of the barrel are called heads, and the staves are the bilge is a bung hole, which can be plugged with a bung. Rust is NOT an acceptable flavor in beer.TIPSFROM THE PROS The metal pieces wrapped the long, thin, curved pieces connecting them. around the staves are called hoops. Joints to connect the staves have to be carefully created. A new barrel will probably leak when first filled with liquid. Liquid causes the staves to swell, and then the barrel becomes watertight. The bulge in the middle is called the bilge. In the middle of GET WOOD P Company brewer John Egan said thatrofessional brewers use barrels in avariety of ways. Former Stone Brewing Most barrels used in brewing are made from oak, but the wood stronger beers such as Old Guardian Bar- can be either French, American (the two most common sources), leywine, Imperial Russian Stout, and Double Austrian, or German. Using barrels to impart a unique character to beer is a Bastard Ale do well in bourbon barrels. modern invention. As mentioned earlier, using wood used to be a matter of necessity; Those barrels add complex flavors of vanilla, it was the most easily available material that worked. Also, barrels used to be lined maybe some booziness of bourbon, and even with different materials to prevent the beer from absorbing flavors from the wood. It coconut. Brandy barrels have a less intense is no longer necessary to use the challenging material of wood, so why do modern character, perhaps from being used a few brewers go old school? previous times, and they work well with beers Brewers have many reasons for using barrels to condition beer, but the most like Stone Smoked Porter, Pale Ale, or even obvious is to develop interesting and complex flavors that would not otherwise be Double Bastard Ale. present. When using new oak, the beer can become quite oaky in aroma and flavor. Other brewers supported the idea of using This beer might require blending with non-barrel-aged beer. If a barrel has already big beers for wood aging, like barleywines been used for beer, the oak character imparted will be less. Flavors of vanilla, and imperial stouts. Scott Vaccaro of Captain caramel, even a toasted or roasted character are possible, depending on which Lawrence Brewing Company suggests aging barrel is being used. strong, dark beers to blend with the oaky In addition to new, unused oak barrels, brewers also use barrels that previously flavors. Steve Breezley of Avery Brewing held wine or spirits. Some brewers primarily want the flavors of the oak, while others Company focuses on beers mostly over 9% want the flavors of the previous contents of the barrel, such as bourbon, rum, other alcohol, including a Belgian-style quadrupel, whiskeys, or wine. Perhaps you have tasted a bourbon-barrel stout with those dark and The Beast, a monstrous, 16% alcohol fruit notes, maybe a hint of char, along with a light, sherry-like oxidation. Wine barrels beer. Both Captain Lawrence and Avery will produce a less intense character than a liquor barrel. But I have had beers aged in Brewing Companies also use barrels in the red wine barrels, and the flavors of strong, red wine were apparent in the beer. production of sour or wild beers. :59
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