Top Barrel Aging Programs

I know this is a little off topic but is it possible to do you own barrel aging? If one could get a bourbon barrel could they transfer a bought keg into said barrel or would the carbonation be an issue? If not I don't see it being an issue from there...transferring it into some Cornelius kegs? Would you need to fill the bourbon barrel completely to get the full effect? Thanks for any answers.

 

pretty sure you would have a mess of epic proportions/ruin the beer. but I could be wrong.

 

Are you familiar with the work of any other GI cellarmen?

 

Russian River is the only barrel program that can keep barrel aged beers in stores year-round. Most barrelled beers are seasonals, or one-offs...

 

Def try and get a Black Tues. It's seriously incredible stuff! KBS and CBS are must try beers. KBS shouldn't be so hard to trade for...I've got a bottle I'd throw your way if you really wanted to try one. Don't sit on any Firestone Walker barrel aged beers...they're like the IPAs of barrel aged beers. Absolutely incredible fresh but they don't age all that well....atleast in my opinion.

 

I think Bruery, Lost Abbey, Goose Island, Firestone, Russian River, and Jolly Pumpkin as far as American breweries go. I think Cascade is on the verge of making it's way in the lineup...and possibly ruling it.

 

let's pretend I am and you are just refreshing my memory....

 

Firestone Walker

 

Hill Farmstead obviously has the best BA saisons. Haven't had Damon, but it's also highly rated. Shaun Hill knows what he's doing with barrels.
Weyerbacher is actually pretty good with them. Nothing mindblowing, but as far as value goes, fantastic. Heresy and Insanity are both around $3 a bottle.
I hope the Bruery. I'm going to have a good December with Black Tuesday, Melange 3, Fruet, Oude Tart, and their new strawberry sour Ichigo Highway lined up.
Founders is another all around winner. Backwoods Bastard is like liquified bourbon candy and KBS fresh is so freakin good.
Goose Island has to get the nod too. I recently had my first BCBS, and can't wait to try it aged. All the other treatments sound so delicious too, and to produce them in such a large quantity consistently is really top notch.

 

Cigar city by far.

Cognac sweet stout
Bandy hunaphu
Leon
Cognac church
Bourbon barrel big sound
Bourbon huna
Cognac huna
Whiskey huna
Brandy zhukov
Whiskey milk porter
Rum milk porter

And about 10 others...

All rated mid to high 4s.

 

If cigar city starts barrel aging there beers in 23 year old pappy barrels there beer will turn to liquid gold.

 

Alpine









really doesn't, but they did hit it with one beer, though, the best barrel aged beer I have tried, Great.

 

if anyone ages anything in 23 pappy barrels it will be gold

 

Thought the same thing until I had foothills BA people's porter, not impressed.

 

That sucks, sucks even more to waste those pappy barrels...

 

Even if you're discounting Wild Ales (which you shouldn't)... Jester King has made 2 fantastic barrel-aged beers... Oak-Aged Commercial Suicide English Mild (which is the cheapest barrel-aged beer EVER at $6 for 750mL, per the name) & Whiskey Barrel Rodeo.

 

Founders far and away has to have the best Barrel program here in the midwest. I wonder if people naming 3 floyds have had that barrel aged gumballhead they had a while back...

 

Travel down 131 and you may find some people who disagree, from there take 94 west and you will find worthy competitors before leaving the state. To say far and away the best in the midwest is quite the statement when they may not even be the best in the state.

All that said, yes they do great work.

 

1-Bruery
2-Cascade
3-Russian River
4-Cigar City
5-Hill Farmstead

 

Relatively affordable also.
It's no Abacus/Sucaba, but goddamn I love this brew.