“Oak” On The Water
By Kraig Torres at March 1, 2010 | 12:22 am | Print
Most foodies are able to describe the affect of oak on their favorite wine varietal. Chardonnay, for example, becomes decadent and buttery with lingering bitterness. Or, in a word, “oaky.” Your neighborhood beer connoisseur will tell you that wood aging will play similar tricks on your favorite beer styles. Better yet, brewmasters track down used barrels from whiskey, port, and even, yes, Chardonnay, to make some extremely interesting concoctions to tease your palate. From Allagash to Weyerbacher, so many brewers are wood-aging their beer that the tree in your back yard may be in jeopardy. Sit back and enjoy the view through the trees as we travel the world in a barrel.
The concept of barrels in brewing dates back to the Middle Ages. Back then, beer was barrel-aged by necessity. Oak was most common and is today the most widely used wood for both beer and wine barrels. The advent of steel made the brewing process both cleaner and easier. Even today, the barrel is almost exclusively used outside the actual brewing process — more as a flavoring device than a true fermentation vessel. Scottish brewers, in particular Innis and Gunn, are credited for repopularizing oak barrels for flavor. The past couple of years have seen a significant number of U.S. brewers sporting wood…barrels in their beermaking operations.
The Scotch have three standout oak-aged beers that should be a part of any wood-flavored beers. The aformentioned Innis and Gunn Scotch Ale is a yardstick example of the classic Scotch Ale. It has a strong caramel malt backbone with little detectable hop profile, a beautiful wood-rounded finish. Brewdog, the three year old brewery, has a series of its Paradox Imperial Stout in various liquor casks, including Bowmore, Macallan, Glen Grant, and Speyside Whiskey. All are subtly different but share the soft oak finish and delicious taste. Perhaps my favorite, however is the Harviestoun Ola Dubh series — their Old Engine Oil in Highland Park single-malt Scotch casks of various ages. What is remarkable is the difference in taste between the base beer, the classic aggressive roasty stout, and the incredibly smooth beers that come out of the casks. They come in 12, 16, 18, 30, and 40 year-old Scotch cask varieties. The 40 year Ola Dubh is often ranked among the best beers in the world.
The rest of Europe holds their own with oak. BFM, out of Switzerland, has a series of exciting oak-aged beers, most notably his Abbaye St. Bon Chien. It has a slightly sour Flemish taste with complex malt arrangements and interesting add-on ingredients. Each year is a different recipe, down to which wine cask he ages the beer in. The brewer often changes casks mid-fermentation to adjust the flavor of the beer. The Belgian brewer Petrus also cask-ages their Pale Ale for a fresh twist on the classic style. Oak has even invaded Italy, which produces the Dolii Raptor (the barrel thief) and Panil Barrique — a Flemish sour.
Closer to home, Allagash has probably the broadest selection of oak-aged beers. For a different take, I recommend the paired set of Victor and Victoria. Both are aged in white wine casks — Chardonnay for Victoria and Sauvignon Blanc for Victor. Both will appeal to the wine-lover in your family that turns his or her nose up at beer. They also produce another of my all-time favorites: Curieux — a bourbon-aged Belgian-style Tripel. It is the beer equivalent of Bananas Foster, with fruits, caramel, spices, and bourbon swirling concert. Finally, their Interlude is aged in French Merlot barrels giving it a distinct flavor of plum and mushroom. This is one exotic and delicious brew.
Dogfishhead also does some impressive barrel-aged beers, including the Palo Santo Marron, a brown ale aged in Paraquayan hardwood. This is another roasty, malty beer with an aggressive finish of caramel and vanilla.
Weyerbacher brings us another before and after story with their Old Heathen Imperial Stout, which, after oak aging, metamorphs into Heresy. It has a remarkable smooth finish with belies its 8.2% abv, with notes of vanilla and coffee over a deep base of cocoa. They also produce Insanity, their Blithering Idiot barleywine aged in bourbon. This one is not for the faint of heart, at 11.1% abv you might get drunk just smelling this delicious concoction.
Light or dark, wine or liquor, there is probably an oak-aged beer out there that fits your palate. Next time you buy a beer, ask yourself —can I handle the wood? I know you can.
Kraig Torres is the Chief Hophead at Hop City Craft Beer and Wine, Atlanta’s only craft beer specialist. Hop City carries over 1,500 different beers, 1,000 wines and home brewing supplies. Hop City is located at 1000 Marietta St in the Brickworks complex – at the corner of Marietta St and Howell Mill Rd, next to 5 Seasons Brewery. 404-350-9998 www.HopCityBeer.com Hop City Craft Beer and Wine is proud to be Citysearch’s Best Wine Store in Atlanta for 2009.
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