Why Aren't There More Barrel Aged Lagers?

You do know that the German word for "store" is lager? Lagers are aged at cold temperatures. Now if you are curious about aging lagers in bourbon barrels or something like that why would you do it?

 

@rocdoc1 basically beat me to it. Contemporary barrel aged beers are typically aged in barrels that previously contained spirits (and sometimes wine). Would the residual flavors from these previously used barrels benefit a lager? Hmm, maybe the darker lagers could benefit from this?

The only barrel aged lager that I have had (more specifically the only one I can recall as I type this) is a Barrel Aged Baltic Porter (which is a lager) from Cape May Brewing Co. I discussed this beer in a past New Beer Sunday thread. They decided to use a Port Barrel; below is a snippet from my NBS post:

"A rich and silky smooth Baltic Porter, carefully fermented with our house lager yeast, we’ve created a delectable brew for your holiday season. We cold conditioned this brew for a month before we laid it to rest in freshly-emptied port wine barrels, bringing forth a well-rounded body with strong aromas of the port barrels’ presence on the nose. A hint of acidity creeps in to add a depth of balance, Port Barrel-Aged Boughs of Barley is our holiday treat for you.”



https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-782.634227/#post-6803641

I enjoyed drinking this beer; IMO the Port Wine Barrel made a positive flavor contribution.

Maybe another lager style which could benefit from barrel aging is a Doppelbock? Maybe some BA will post on this topic?

Cheers!

@CapeMayBrewCo @brianhink

 

Schell’s makes a BA lager that is outstanding, IMHO. Miss that beer lots after moving away from Minnesota.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/417/154833/

 

According to your link: "Retired (no longer brewed)" and the last BA review is from 2015. I guess this beer did not sell well enough for Schell?

Cheers!

Edit: this beers is still listed on the Schell's website but listed as "Limited Edition" whatever the heck that means?

https://www.schellsbrewery.com/our-beers/cave-aged-barrel-aged/

 

For the uninitiated, Schell's has been brewing a limited series of Cave-Aged Barrel-Aged beers. Their latest, Number 7? Is a Baltic Porter.

I had their Doppelbock a few years ago and it wasn't bad, but the barrel-aging took a little away from that true, smooth, cold-stored lager character.

 

I've had a few oak-aged lagers, a Helles and Czech Dark lager from HF aged in oak puncheons, and a couple foeder-aged lagers from Trillium on draft. The oak was neutral in those beers I believe and didn't previously contain any spirits or wine. I'm not sure if I've had a spirit or wine barrel-aged lager besides a strong or dark one like Baltic Porter or maybe a bock style, but I wouldn't be surprised.

 

The August Schell’s Cave-Aged Barrel-Aged No. 6 (Baltic Porter) reads tasty:

“Taste is equally complex, with all of the flavors from the aroma, especially the blueberry and tobacco. The oak is prominent as well. A great beer for sipping by the fire, enjoying it like a great cigar. Only slightly bitter toward the end (which is likely from the oak, not the hops), with a dry finish. The aftertaste is the oak / tannin, blueberries, and tobacco.

This is one flavorful, delicious beer.”

@MNAle

Cheers!

 

I have some Troegenator beers in my cellar right now but I have never tasted this beer barrel aged (I have never seen it before). When I clicked on your link they list this as being available by the bottle at the Troegs Tasting Room. Is this beer a Tasting Room exclusive?

Cheers!

 

This place does barrel aged lagers or different sorts. Great brewery.

https://www.halfhoursonearth.com/

 

Isn't there a really popular lager that's beechwood aged? They used to use barrels, but I think they just use chips or staves now. I assumed the OP's ellipsis was saving him from typing - in barrels

 

I forgot about Budweiser Reserve Black Lager. They're ahead of the curve on this one



https://www.brewbound.com/news/anhe...serve-black-lager-collaboration-with-jim-beam

 

Aging milder beers in spirits barrels tends to create a beer that tastes way stronger than it actually is. It also kills any subtle malt of hop flavors that there might be. It's why you don't see Irish reds, pale ales, blonde ales, etc. in barrels very much either. Most beers that are aged in spirits barrels tend to be big stouts, barelywines, etc.
The vast majority of lagers and lager styles lean in the milder direction. Doppelbocks, Baltic Porters, and Eisbocks as the only styles generally considered suitable. 2 of those 3 aren't even necessarily lagers and none of them are super common in the US, where barrel aging mainly occurs.
Those are the main reasons, but they do exist. BA Baltics are definitely around. The Framinghammer line being pretty famous examples. There are places that play around with milder styles, too. Fringe example, but my local pub (Bull & Bush in Denver), has made a BA schwarzbier that was only in whiskey barrels for a short time. They've done similar things with wine barrels and a pils, too. Both were interesting, but kinda illustrated why it's unusual at the same time.

 

Lagering beer requires cold storage.
Two things that are expensive and in short supply at every small brewery -
Time and refrigeration. That is one technical reason.

Lagering and ageing are basically the same, but the terms are not used interchangeably.

• Lagering implies cold fermentation with a lager yeast and subsequent cold crashing and then cold storage. This produces the characteristic lager profile. Most evident in the Pils variety of lager but also important in Bock styles. Among others. The primary purpose of lagering is to reduce the presence of any flavors not associated with hops and malt.

• Ageing implies just that. Beer that is given extended time in a barrel. With oak, spirits barrels, etc. Typically at cool but not cold temperatures. A certain amount of oxidation may become evident. The beer is most often higher ABV and can tolerate the handling.

"Lager" beer is, as previously stated, aged beer. It is not a great candidate for ale style ageing, but of course brewers are always looking for something different, and we do see aged lagers from time to time.

Hope this provides some useful background.

Cheers

 

It sold like crazy - my local in Mankato, had to limit purchases to a 6er. They’re produced seasonally (fall, IIRC), and they’re up to #6, I believe. I had #3 and #4 and really enjoyed them. Sent a couple out in NBS BIF’s, I believe. I know I sent one to @WesMantooth.

 

Local brewery does wood aged lagers that are awesome.

my thoughts is that not many breweries do lagers so that limits the availability. Also, the time to lager/barrel age takes a lot of time and space. Why do that investment when you can just brew an imperial stout throw some ungodly amount of vanilla in it and sell it at a premium? Breweries could also be concerned with out it will sell.

 

Cerebral brews in foeders so that's cool. But I digress, I have had BA doppelbocks and BA Baltic porters that were killer, but they are rare.