Why the predominance of bourbon barrels for barrel aging?

1850 gallons at a time.

 

Hell yea!

 

Jägermeister’s ingredients include 56 herbs, fruits, roots and spices including citrus peel, licorice, anise, poppy seeds, saffron, ginger, juniper berries and ginseng.[6] These ingredients are ground, then steeped in water and alcohol for 2–3 days. Afterwards, this mixture is filtered and stored in oak barrels for about a year. When a year has passed, the liqueur is filtered again, then mixed with sugar, caramel, alcohol and water. It is filtered one last time and then bottled

 

Seriously, my frat boy Jaeger days are behind me (more or less) but I'd like to try a Jaeger barrel aged beer

 

Why?
Have you tired the Belgo Anise IRS? wretched.

 

It's Availability

Lots of Bourbon in the US

BrewDog age everything in Scotch casks cause that's what's available

Australian brewers use a fair amount of wine barrels

 

I love that beer

 

Cognac Barrels are where it's at IMO, and this is from a man that loves his bourbon.

 

Sounds like something Mr. Calagione would dream up

 

I think there are way more beers aged in bourbon barrels than whiskey barrels. That's why most BA beers say "bourbon barrel aged".

 

Whisk(e)y is a broad term for the style of liquor and the standards for barrel usage does vary by the type of whisk(e)y. In the US, to be labeled Bourbon or Rye, the liquor must be aged in new, charred oak barrels. There is no second use for these distilleries. Many distilleries in Scotland have contracts with American distilleries for their barrels and use them to age their Scotch.

 

You could try some Braunschweiger Mumme (Jaegermeister -- and my wife -- is from the Braunschweig area). Described as "a wholesome drink, brewed from wheat malt, boiled down to a third of its original quantity, to which were added oatmeal and ground beans, and after working quite a number of herbs and other vegetable products, including the tops of fir and birch, a handful of burnet, betony, marjoram, avens, pennyroyal, wild-thyme, and elder-flowers, and a few ounces of cardamum seeds and barberries . . . Fill up at last and when 'tis stopt, put into the hogshead two new-laid eggs unbroken or crackt, stop it up close, and drink it at two years end." Don't know what types of barrels are used (I'd guess it's oak), and I've never tried the stuff myself. My in-laws all say it's pretty dreadful....

 

As mentioned it's availability, which in turn points to the true reason: price. After talking to several breweries on this subject it seems bourbon barrels can be obtained for around $50-100/ea. Rum and the like are closer to $400+ with higher shipping in most cases and miniscule availability. I want to say that when I asked specifically about Calvados barrels the brewer told me he had looked into it but they cost $900-1000. And again, not many are out there to begin with...

 

Here's a barrel aging you rarely see (sauternes): http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/8264/59394

And another (shochu): http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/697/7728

 

Have you moved on to Chartreuse? The VEP Green is one of the greatest fluids I've consumed. Well deserving of the name "elixir of life."

 

Availability, price, character, source of Oak... Wine makers tend to use their barrels for at least three turns...the barrels are retired once deemed 'Oak neutral'. Of course depending on how the barrels have been handled there is always a potential of 'critters' being resident.

French, Hungarian and American Oak wine barrels vary greatly in price (and quality of Oak). Wine barrels are plentiful and can be found easily on www.winebusiness.com/classifeds. Prices range from $20-600+ The French stuff sells quite high.

Cognac, Rum, Brandy, and more. Rum and Brandy are usually aged in used bourbon barrels. Used until oak neutral.
Rum comes back from Caribean and not cheap either. Cognac is compelling but expense is high and results vary.

Tequila barrel aged beer....no!

Bourbon/Whiskey/Rye Barrels are one and done 99% of the time. Once emptied they have to be moved off the property quickly and there are brokers that do nothing but process orders for those barrels.

 

I just drank a Brandy barrel barleywine, Sleepin with Shaggy, last night and it was amazing. (thanks evilc).

 

ISO: Jager barrel Imperial Stout FT: all inhibitions and self control.

 

Thinking about cracking my Revolution rum barrel aged barleywine tonight.

 

Straight to Ale's burgundy barrel RIS is excellent. The cognac version is also excellent.