In this special episode, two 2023 gold-medal-winning breweries discuss their methods and approaches to making wood-aged sour beer. First up is Kyle Vetter, founder of 1840 Brewing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose kriek-inspired "I Don't Want To Wait" won gold in the fruited wood- and barrel-aged sour beer category. He hits on the details behind how the beer was made, including:
- using oak as an ingredient not just a vessel
- building body with alternative brewing grains
- selecting barrel stock to best support fruit
- preparing fruit and aging over six months
- selecting Brettanomyces strains
And more.
Then, we're joined by Joel Stickrod and Spencer Longhurst of Nashville's Barrique, who talk through the methods behind their gold-winning Wet Hop Strata 2023, including:
- open-top fermentation in wooden barrels
- building a blending library with four schools of wood-aged beer
- using high loads of unmalted Tennessee wheat
- brewing with aged Cascade hops
- long-term aging on wet hops
- building compelling blends of old and young beer
And more.
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