259: Gabe Fletcher of Anchorage Brewing Deals With The Devilish Details of Barrel-Aged Barleywine

Sep 15, 2022

Gabe Fletcher, the innovative founder of Anchorage Brewing, is shaking up the barleywine scene with his creative approach to barrel aging. He shares insights on mastering high-ABV brews, discussing fermentation strategies like overpitching and multi-stage barrel aging. Fletcher emphasizes the importance of choosing flavorful malts and hops to enhance complexity. He also reveals his techniques for crafting unique flavors while maintaining beer integrity, showcasing the artistry behind brewing extraordinary barrel-aged beers.

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ADVICE

Yeast Management for High-Gravity Beers

Overpitch yeast significantly for high-gravity barleywines.
Brew in multiple, stepped-up batches to reduce stress on the yeast.

ANECDOTE

Experimenting with HA18 Yeast

Gabe Fletcher experimented with HA18 yeast in barleywines but disliked the resulting esters.
He found the esters less noticeable in stouts, possibly due to the roast character masking them.

ADVICE

Malt Selection and Decoction

Keep malt bills simple for barleywines, using one or two grains like Maris Otter.
Consider a single decoction mash with simpler base malts for richer melanoidins.

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Anchorage Brewing’s Gabe Fletcher has been turning heads with barleywine since he brewed his first one 24 years ago, but that long-standing respect hasn’t dulled his sense of exploration. Today, he’s pushing limits with barrel aging by double- and triple-casking beers over long conditioning times. It takes a hardy beer to stand up to that much age, and Fletcher builds his barleywine to last.

In this episode, taken from an interview earlier this year for a story in Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, Fletcher outlines the various problems in brewing high-ABV beers, and shares the creative solutions he’s developed. Along the way, he discusses:

Fermentation strategy via overpitching and aggressive step-up batching
Embracing simple but flavorful malt
Using decoction to build flavor in more basic malts
Building a high-gravity wort
Selecting hops for flavor and not just bitterness
Utilizing multi-stage barrel aging for more depth of character
Finishing and packaging barleywine for maximum effect

And more.

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