Barrel-Aged Beer Discovery: Cellar 3 & Kilowatt Brewing

If you’re not a big drinker of barrel-aged beer, then we’ll be the first to admit we are with you on that one. San Diego and the rest of the country have been seeing a steady increase in the sales of barrel-aged beers so we wanted to know what all the hype was about. Turns out, the increase in barrel-aged beers can likely be attributed to two major reasons. One reason is the recent surge in popularity of Bourbon and the second reason is a more sophisticated palate amongst beer drinkers (yes, that means you!). Bourbon’s increase in sales has left plenty of empty barrels floating around ready to be repurposed and what better way than filling them with delicious beer. The rise of craft beer has left more people willing to pay a premium price for beers that are stronger, more unique, and more complex in flavors than ever before. In other words, this is a very exciting time for barrel-aged beer and the perfect reason to begin our exploration into the totally awesome craft of barrel-aged beer.

Why Age in Barrels?

The main purpose of barrel aging is to impart the unique flavors of the wood. The purpose of using a barrel that already had something previously stored in it, is to try to take on some of the flavor of what was once in that barrel while still getting the flavors from the wood. This helps to elevate the complex flavors of the beer even more. Some of the most common examples of repurposed barrels are: bourbon, wine, or other spirits. Brewers can use wooden barrels (typically oak) or toss wood chips, spirals, or cubes into their conditioning tanks. When aging in wooden barrels, the insides of the barrels are usually charred to increase the woody flavors in the beer.

Brewing Barrel-Aged Beer

Brewing barrel-aged beers takes time, money, and space. All three of these things can be seen as a drawback for small craft breweries, yet more and more are diving into the world of barrel aging. Some other concerns that breweries face are: aging in wood increases the odds of contamination, you’re never quite sure what you’re going to end up with (results are unpredictable), and even if you end up with something great, it can be very hard to replicate it since no two barrels are alike.

Is it worth the fuss?

As difficult, expensive, and long of a process as barrel aging may be the results are definitely worth it. Our love of craft beer is rooted in our desire to try new things. We’d imagine many craft brewers find joy in pushing the boundaries of beer and our taste buds to the limits to help us discover new flavors. Craft beer lovers are obviously on board to try these complex, sometimes funky, often mind-blowing barrel-aged beers, and  are willing to pay for something new.

There’s a lot of great barrel-aged beer circulating around San Diego right now. Check out these local barrel-aged brews we got my hands on that helped me fall in love with barrel-aged beers…but don’t wait too long to pick up your own bottle because once they are gone, they are gone!

Ochre Frumento – Green Flash Brewing Co. Cellar 3

Part of their Cellar 3 Barrelmaster’s Reserve series, Ochre Frumento is a barley wine that’s been aged for a combined total of 6 years. 4 of those years in brandy barrels, then the last 2 years in bourbon barrels. There are only 600 bottles produced, and at 17.5%, it has the highest ABV of any Green Flash beer ever released. We recently featured this beer in our cooking segment on San Diego CW6 to make our Deconstructed Barrel-Aged Peach Cobbler. This is such a unique beer, with rich flavors of caramel and toffee. It’s absolutely decadent, which is probably what made us jump straight to dessert. This beer is also yet to be released to the public. Green Flash has set the release date for 9/17 at their Cellar 3 location in Poway and will be sold on a first-come-first-serve basis with a limit of 2 bottles per person. Talk about exclusive! So get it while it’s hot — this will be a good one to sip on as the weather cools off, and is great for pairing with all of your favorite fall-inspired desserts!

Natura Morta Boysenberry – Green Flash Brewing Co. Cellar 3

Cellar 3 is producing some groundbreaking beers, and their Natura Morta series is no exception. We’ve taken a particular liking to their bright-and-fruity Natura Morta Boysenberry. Aged in red wine barrels, it has a gorgeous crimson-colored hue with an earthy sediment at the bottom. Tart berries are at the forefront of this twist on a Belgian-style saison with some underlying spice and very little sweetness. The addition of Brettanomyces also gives this beer a slightly funky flavor and the ABV is a modest 5.5%, making it a great end-of-the-summer refresher. If you like kombucha or have a soft spot for sour beers, then this is one you’ve got to try. Great all by itself or try it in our Raspberry Beer Compote recipe! Not a fan of Boysenberries? Try Cellar 3’s Natura Morta Cherry variety and sub in cherries instead of raspberries to make a delicious compote to go with gourmet cheese spreads or to top your morning pumpkin-spice waffles or even cinnamon french toast this fall!

Barrel Aged Binary Orbit – Kilowatt Brewing

A stout with a punch! This beer was aged in both Grenache wine barrels and Pinot Noir barrels. Decadent and warming at 9.2% ABV, this beer is a great one for sitting by the fire and cozying up in a leather chair with a good book. Flavors of chocolate, espresso, toasted malts, toffee and caramel flood your palate while ending with a slight bitterness. It’s fantastic paired with a creamy cheese like triple-cream brie or a rich blue cheese.

Barrel Aged Belgian Strong – Kilowatt Brewing

We can’t get enough of this beer! A wheaty Belgian with notes of spices and caramel, is taken to the next level aged in Pinot Noir French oak wine barrels. At 8.8% ABV this beer is more approachable than some of the other barrel aged beers and great for people just getting introduced to barrel-aged beer. We love the subtle, yet refined flavors the barrel aging process lends to this beer. It has notes of apricot, caramel-like sweetness, candied orange, and a subtle earthiness. Pair it with a good Dutch gouda or other hard, salty, robust cheeses and be sure to throw in some sliced apples or grapes. This beer will convert even the non-Belgian beer lovers! Bottoms up.

Check out some more amazing barrel-aged beer Killowat produces here in San Diego by checking out their Website and social media pages: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Green Flash – Cellar 3 is also producing some amazing barrel-aged brews, so check out what they’re serving up right now on their Website and follow them on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram