What is the hype behind barrel aging?

The right choice of previously used barrels with the right choice of base beers can produce a blending/melding of flavors which captures the best of both with few or none of the disadvantages. E.g., poorly done you taste too much of the Bourbon. Done well the Bourbon contributes to the complexity of the flavors without dominating. Simply adding Bourbon to the beer won't get you the oak and other flavors contributed by the barrel during the aging of the beer.

Similarly, RR Temptation is aged in white wine barrels that produce a complex mix of flavors that is to my tastes more than either the beer or the wine alone and so a whole new/different balance of flavors.

Clearly if you are not a fan of Bourbon or wine the effects won't work for you. But they do work for lots of other people.

 

+1 to drtth. I like scotch but backwoods bastard just steals some of the flavor and mends it with the beer. It's quite delicious

 

I used to think like that when I was first getting into craft...

To me, when done well, it adds another layer of complexity and does not mask the base, but adds to it...

If it's still around, you should come back and read this thread in a couple years. I bet it gives you a chuckle.

 

Being new to craft doesnt have anything to do with it. Does a person not have a right to have their own pallets? I hate barrel aged anything too.

 

It is a fashion trend too - the big bold flavors are attractive, hence half the top 20 are barrel aged stouts (and most of the rest are IPAs...). I personally like them, but they are getting a bit overdone. I agree with previous posters in that when done poorly, all you get is the barrel.

 

It had a lot to do with it for me...that's all I was saying...my palate adjusted. So did my ability to spell palate.

My guess is OP might change his mind at some point...if not, that's cool too.

 

Wow, someone is pretentious much? I know how to spell palate, clearly my "smart phone" doesn't.

 

Most of the barrel aged beers I love come on pallets...

 

I mean, who likes flavors such as a dark sour being complimented by vinous red wine notes and oak tannins. Disgusting. Why are we adding cacao nibs to beer? Vanilla and fruit? Hell, why are we using all these different sort of hops? I don't like some of them anyways! Stick to one and be done with it. Same with malt. Too many choices and flavors. The Reinheitsgebot is too complicated, lets just steep a hop cone in water and call it good.

 

I think he was obviously joking with you. You should take a nap and come back tomorrow cuz you sound mad. But you are right about one think. It isn't for everyone. And the other fellow is also right. Sometimes palates need to develop.

 

I want to punch myself in the face. Thank you grammar ****.

 

But that's the complexity of different beers. And many like it. It shouldn't be just one way IMO

 

Yeah, a nap sounds nice. I'm not mad, just didn't like what he had to say. Especially saying that someone can't simply NOT like a barrel aged brew unless they're new to craft.

 

Plenty of people like bourbon (and other whisk(e)y), wine, coffee, and a crazy variety of other flavors. If you want "beer that just tastes like beer" then pick up a German lager and call it a day. For me, I love the vanilla notes that good whiskey barrel aging can add to a beer, the peat notes that good whisky barrel aging can add, the wide variety of excellence to be found in wine-barrel aging sours, etc. The only beer style that I don't actually care for is pilsner -- so I guess I'm the polar opposite of the OP.

 

Yeah I think it comes down to it's just not for everybody. But that also means it never will be. Some people palates develop. Some just like some stuff and don't like others and that never changes. For instance I live chocolate. And when I had southern tier chokolat I thought it was just delicious. But if you don't like chocolate you might not like chokolat. That doesn't mean you won't like any beer with chocolate in it. Don't judge a style on one beer. There are definitely bba beers that are more boozy than others.

 

BTW do you have iPhone? Cuz I have android and it corrected palate correctly.

 

It's because drinkers enjoy them!