Barrel-Aged Beer Day
Fall approaches rapidly and nothing quite says fall or winter to me like drinking barrel-aged beers. And there’s no better day to drink a barrel-aged beer than on Barrel-Aged Beer Day (#BABeerDay). The day celebrates all the delicious beers created through the art and science of barrel aging.
Started by The Bruery® in 2013, Barrel-Aged Beer Day honors the people, passion and time invested in creating beautiful, barrel-aged beers. Celebrated universally, the event is held on the first Friday of every October. Hence, this year Barrel-Aged Beer Day falls on October 6th.
Each time we sip on a barrel-aged beer, we’re savoring the investment of time, energy, and capital that went into it.
Located in Orange County, CA, The Bruery and its sister brewery Bruery Terreux specialize in producing barrel-aged and experimental ales. As noted by The Bruery, “barrel-aged beers showcase a vast, and often rather intense, spectrum of flavors — from quenching sours to decadent stouts.”
Why Barrel-Aged Beers?
As pointed out by Randy Mosher in his book, Tasting Beer: An Insider’s Guide to the World’s Greatest Drink – “Stainless steel suits the squeaky-clean nature of international lager perfectly, but if you love the funky depths of a truly handmade beer, wood can offer that extra dimension… Wood contains chemicals that dissolve in the beer over time, which can add woody, oaky, and other flavors to beer… Over a period of many months, one of these substances, lignin, transforms into vanillin, which is why vanilla notes are often found in whiskey and other barrel-aged spirits… The bourbon industry uses the expensive charred-oak barrels only once for bourbon. So when emptied, they are relatively cheap to purchase. They can be great for aging beer.”
In addition to bourbon barrels, many beers are now aged in other barrel types. These barrel types include wine, rum, tequila, rye, Scotch, and even new oak or other wood barrels. The diverse barrel types introduce a range of aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel characteristics.
Every barrel offers a unique flavor story.
So Celebrate
And what better way to celebrate Barrel-Aged Beer Day than by drinking some barrel-aged beers! Grab some barrel-aged beers in your cellar or visit a brewery or bar celebrating Barrel-Aged Beer Day. While drinking these beers think about the art, skill, patience, and loving care applied in their creation. Cheers to Barrel Aged Beer Day and the passionate people who make this day so delicious!
And if you are in Orange County or nearby, I strongly recommend visiting The Bruery or Bruery Terreux for Barrel-Aged Beer Day.
