Why the predominance of bourbon barrels for barrel aging?

I hope you didnt waste a good scotch, but thats for another forum

 

I've experimented with a few drops of bourbon, few drops of scotch here and there. I put Balvenie Double Wood in an Old Rasputin the other night, wasn't terrible but I could see how aging in a scotch barrel would be a bad idea.

 

Besides the relative freshness and availability of the bourbon barrels I think the popularity of the taste derived from the bourbon barrel aging is more accepted by the consumer, thus the demand is created for the brewer (although the tail wagged the dog to start with).

I've had beers aged in rum and brandy barrels, and some in "whiskey" barrels that are not specifically stated to be bourbon barrels, and hands down the bourbon flavor is more desirable to me as a match for the beer's malt flavors. And I don't think I am alone.

 

Being very familiar with the world of Bourbon, Scotch and beer, you offer a very factual explanation. Well done.

 

could you name some of these "whiskey" BA beers you consider lackluster? as drtth and i have alluded to, there is a lot of variability as to how barrels are treated before filling with beer and also brewer preferences on how to label/market a beer that for all intents and purposes could still be called "bourbon barrel aged" but chose not to.

 

It probably is if you don't like the taste of scotch. Unlike bourbon, scotch isn't sweet or strongly oaky; it tastes like whisky. If you don't like that flavor, sure, it's not going to be good in your beer.

Scotch is too expensive and the flavors are too subtle to be wasted going into beer. You might as well just use a blended canadian whisky.

 

Local availability plus preference for bourbon barrel flavor in American beers = predominance of bourbon barrel aging.

If you look around the big wine areas of the country you'll see a lot of wine barrels put to use, albeit often in beers other than stouts. Where there are craft distillers of non-whisky products you'll find barrels of rum, tequila, etc. being put to use in beer.

 

huh? there are many beers aged in scotch barrels, and some are quite good. meanwhile i think BA BORIS is at least as good or better than BORIS Royale (crown royal barrels).

the "preference" is kind of a chicken/egg paradox. since most bbl-aged beers are bourbon barrel, those are the flavors that most people associate with "good" barrel aging.

 

Scotch and scotch barrels are not the same thing.

 

ah, my fault. just realized you were discussing the "dousing" method. that said, the method is often misapplied by most. for a 12oz serving of beer, one shouldn't add more than 3 or 4 tiny drops of spirit.

 

The peat qualities from a scotch barrel tend to give an overly phenolic medicinal character rather than the smokey one you would want. I have yet to have a good beer aged in a scotch barrel. It is possible but I wouldn't do it. Especially considering you have to bring in the barrel from overseas it is a waste of time.

 

vast majority of scotch barrels are from unpeated or minimally peated malts

 

Fair enough, but then I don't see the point of using them. Most scotches also use spent bourbon barrels. Why even bother if we can just use the bourbon barrels to begin with?

 

perhaps some people like certain scotch whisky characteristics, but w/o the heavy vanilla and corn sweetness that bourbon often gives. to each their own...

 

That Fraoch Vintage Cask was freakibg unreal! One of the most amazing and unique beers I've ever had.

 

To the OP, having tasted both BBA & SBA beers and various Bourbons & Scotch whisky I would say it would be harder and less pleasing to age American style beers in Scotch barrels. Vanilla, coconut, oak fit a lot easier into American brews than phenolic, heather, peat, bandaid, heather, honey do.. at least by my logic.

The majority of the reason is probably economical as well. And no, cannot say that I've ever read or heard of beer being aged purposely in whiskey barrels before the 90's rolled around less than two decades ago.

 

I dug it too, saw your review also, just had it... very enjoyable. review added.

 

Johnny Walker is a blend. They take the single malts from a number of distillers and mix them to fit their desired taste. Johnny Walker does not produce their own Whisky - think of them as an intermediary.

 

It's just an example... by no means am I a Scotch expert had to throw out a familiar name...

 

or a gueuze blender