Beers have been stored in wood for centuries.  Historically, it was simply a convenient water-tight vessel.  Today, brewers are using them because the wood itself adds character to the beer, whether it be subtle notes of the wood itself, flavors created by microbes living within the porous wood, or flavor fortification from spirits or wine previously held in those barrels.  Today, barrels can be considered ingredients themselves and brewers can use them to add depth and character to their beers.

But working with barrels can is time-consuming and unpredictable.  We talk with three brewers with substantial barrel programs about how they think about barrel-aged beer.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Estrella Galicia
Estrella Galicia is an independent, family-owned brewery  in northwest Spain, founded in 1906.

Estrella Galicia Cerveza Especial is a world class lager, brewed using the finest Spanish malts, locally  cultivated Galician hops and the best brewing practices, in a state-of-the-art facility in A Coruna. Recognized around the world for quality and exceptional character. Estrella Galicia is “A beer like no other.”

Yakima Valley Hops
Looking for an easy hop sourcing experience? Yakima Valley Hops offers the finest quality hops from right here in our Valley and premium growing regions around the world. Get the hops you need when you need them, with ultra-fast shipping and awesome customer service. With a full line of liquid hop products and all your favorite varieties, no contracts are needed to brew with the best. Shop now at YakimaValleyHops.com.

• Hosts: Em Sauter and Don Tse
• Guests: Joel Stickrod, Brandon Jones, Augie Carton
• Sponsors: Estrella Galicia, Yakima Valley Hops, All About Beer
• Tags: Brewing, History, Pilsner, Lager, Stout, Spontaneous Fermentation, Wood, Barrels, Nashville

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Awesome Call by Kevin MacLeod
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3399-awesome-call
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist website: https://incompetech.com