Wood Beer Clones
The idea of putting beer into wooden barrels is nothing new. The practice has been chronicled as far back as the mid-1400s in Europe. Beer was traditionally made and stored in wood barrels because there was not a better storage solution. However, much of the time, the inside of the barrel was lined with pitch, so the beer would not interact with the wood (or the microbes living in it.)
Today, things are heading full circle as the barrel concept is again gaining in popularity. Microbrewers are exploring the Old World methods of brewing. This is not to say such methods ever disappeared. Numerous breweries in Belgium, such as Rodenbach, have been brewing this way for hundreds of years.
In the United States, a wood barrel revolution is just getting underway. These days, when superior beer storage materials — such as stainless steel — exist, barrel aging is chosen specifically for the possibility of wood flavors being imparted to the beer, the influence of wood-borne microorganisms or factors such as the slight oxygen ingress over time. (Or, for all three.) And of course, when microbreweries open up their creative taps, homebrewers always follow. (And vice versa.) Brew Your Own tracked down five commercial microbrewers that have embraced the use of barrels and picked their brains for some choice recipes and tips for successful barrel aging.
The first thing all agree on is creating a solid base beer. As noted by the variety of recipes presented here, anything from IPAs, porters and stouts to barley wine can be aged in barrels. And of course, barrel aging is the method of choice for sour beers.
Whether you should ferment in the barrels or fill with finished beer is a matter of debate. Vinnie Cilurzo at Russian River Brewing, Zac Triemert of Upstream Brewing and Ron Jeffries Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales all ferment some of their creations in the barrels. On the other hand, Lauren Salazar at New Belgium Brewery — home to La Folie and two other barrel-aged beers — believes it’s important that the beer is truly finished and filtered or fined to remove any yeast that could continue the fermentation process in the barrel.
“You want a really clear beer to go into the barrel. Finished product — always!” she says. “You want to age in the barrel with a minimum of additional fermentation.”
“It is a pain to rack barrels, so we tend to try and get the beer as yeast free as possible,” Ro Guenzel, a brewer at Left Hand Brewing adds. “I have heard of breweries fermenting in the barrel, but I think this would be very messy and not really effective.”
But before the beer goes into the barrel, you have to decide which type of barrel is right for the final flavors you hope to achieve. Barrels can be bought new or used. Some brewers have recently begun experimenting with Chardonnay barrels, while used Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels have been employed for years. Whisky and bourbon barrels are also used frequently. Each time a barrel is used, some of the wood flavors and aromas are removed. A barrel that has been used multiple times is sometimes referred to as “neutral” because it will no longer confer any oak character. It may still be useful, however, if you want to age your beer in a container that will “breathe.” Conversely, if a strongly flavored product — such as bourbon — has been aged in the barrel, this flavor will be imparted to the beer aged in that barrel. The origin of the barrel wood is also important. French, Hungarian and American oaks all offer different flavor and aroma components.
“We want to make sure that the beer will be complemented by the oak, not overwhelmed,” Mitch Steel of Stone Brewing says. “From our perspective, the age of the barrel, how many uses it’s been through, and what was aged in it previously are all important considerations.”
One difficulty the homebrewer faces is the need for smaller barrels. Standard wine barrels hold 55 gallons (208 L). Smaller barrels are easy to find, but their higher surface-to-volume ratio means that beer can get “over-oaked,” especially when the barrel is new. But, if you are lucky enough to find small used wine or bourbon barrels, the beer most likely can age longer and pick up more subtle aspects.
Once the beer is in the barrel it’s important not to rack beer until it is finished. The beer needs to sit in the same barrel for its entire barrel-aging period. It’s also important not to peek into the barrel too often. Steele says at Stone beers are checked once a quarter, which works fine since most of these brewers state their creations age from 10 months to several years. That won’t be the case with smaller barrels, and especially newer barrels that can flavor a beer more quickly and will need to be checked a little more frequently.
Sour Beers
When making a sour beer, the microorganisms in the wood — especially Brettanomyces — and the slow “breathing” of the barrel contribute to the character of the beer. Because of this, however, you may want to have some beer on hand for keeping the barrel topped up over the long aging process.
“Patience is an important component, not only waiting long enough to let the bugs and critters do their thing, but also not getting into the barrel every day getting a sample will make a better beer,” Cilurzo says. “The pellicle that floats on the top of the beer shouldn’t be disturbed if at all possible.”
“Let happy bugs be,” Salazar agrees.
And always remember, once you’ve used a barrel to make a sour beer, every beer you put in it will become sour.
While brewing with barrels today won’t be as rudimentary as it was hundreds of years ago, the process and feeling really isn’t all that different. For many brewers, that is part of the finished product.
“Barrels are one of the last great pieces of ancient brewing equipment we use today,” Salazar says with a touch of nostalgia that complements her love of brewing. “It’s easy to get swept back in time when everything was simpler, when we respected beer and enjoyed every moment, every sip. It just feels right.”
And if everything goes as planned, every moment will be enjoyed; every singe barrel-aged sip.
Barrel-Aged Clone Recipes
Temptation clone
(Russian River Brewing Company)
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG =1.064 FG = 1.012 (going into the barrel)
IBU = 28 SRM = 4 ABV = 6.7%
“When we fill the used Chardonnay barrels, we only add Brettanomyces in with the beer as we are filling the barrels. The acidity comes from the bacteria that are floating around our barrel room. We add no Lactobacillus or Pediococcus to the beer because our barrel room is so alive with this stuff. When we make the final blend post barrel aging, we then blend in some Beatification to bring the acidity up if necessary. To achieve the acidity as a homebrewer, you’ll need to add some Lacto and Pedio.”
— Vinnie Cilurzo
Ingredients
12 lb. 6 oz. (5.6 kg) 2-row pale or Pils malt
10 oz. (0.28 kg) wheat malt
3.8 AAU Styrian Golding hops (90 min)
(0.76 oz./22 g of 5% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Sterling hops (30 min)
(0.56 oz./16 g of 8% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Sterling hops (0 min)
(0.56 oz./16 g of 8% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1214 (Belgian Ale) or White
Labs WLP550 (Belgian Ale) yeast
Wyeast 5112 (Brettanomyces bruxellensis) or
White Labs WLP650 (Brettanomyces bruxellensis) yeast
Wyeast 5335 (Lactobacillus) or White
Labs WLP677 (Lactobacillus) bacteria
Wyeast 5733 (Pediococcus) bacteria
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 154 °F (68 °C). Boil for 90 minutes. Ferment at ale temperatures. Fine beer post fermentation. Add a 1 pint Brettanomyces bruxellensis starter. At Russian River, we get the Lacto and Pedio from the air or blending post barrel aging. For homebrewing purposes, add a 0.5 pint (240 mL) Lactobacillus starter and a 0.5 pint (240 mL) Pediococcus starter. You can also try to culture them from a bottle of Temptation. Age for 12–15 months. Bottle condition or force carbonate. Remember that if you are bottle conditioning, you’ll need to add more sugar than normal, probably 1 cup of sugar per 5 gallons (19 L). This is because the beer has lost all of its CO2 during the barrel aging. It is as still as wine when it comes out of the barrel.
Extract Option
Reduce Pilsner malt to 1.38 lb. (0.62 kg). Add 2.5 lb. (1.1 kg) Briess Light dried malt extract and 4 lb. 12 oz. (2.2 kg) Coopers Light liquid malt extract. Steep grains in 3 qts. (~3 L) of water at 154 °F (68 °C) for 45 minutes. Rinse with 1.5 qts. (~1.5 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water to make 3 gallons (11 L), add dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, stirring in liquid malt extract for final 15 minutes of boil.
La Roja clone
(Jolly Pumpkin Brewing Company)
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.062 FG = will vary
IBU = 25 SRM = 21 ABV = around 7%
“This one of our signature beers, if you will. It is loosely based in the Flanders sour red tradition.”
— Ron Jeffries
Ingredients
8 lb. 5 oz. (3.8 kg) blend of Pils and pale malts
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) malted wheat
1 lb. 4 oz. (0.57 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
13 oz. (0.37 kg) crystal malt (120 °L)
0.50 oz. (14 g) black malt
1 lb. 2 oz. (0.51 kg) dextrose (added to kettle)
4 AAU Hallertau hops or other noble hop (60 min)
(1.0 oz./28 g of 4% alpha acids)
4 AAU Hallertau hops or other noble hop (30 min)
(1.0 oz./28 g of 4% alpha acids)
Wyeast 3763 (Roeselare Ale) blend
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 154 °F (68 °C). Boil for 60 minutes. Ferment at ale temperatures, then rack to barrel for aging.
Extract Option
Omit pale and Pilsner malts. Add 1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Muntons Light dried malt extract and 4 lb. 14 oz. (2.2 kg) Muntons Light liquid malt extract. Steep grains in 4.6 qts. (4.4 L) of water at 154 °F (68 °C) for 45 minutes. Rinse with 2.3 qts. (~2.2 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water to make 3 gallons (11 L), add dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, stirring in liquid malt extract for final 15 minutes of boil.
Darth Porter clone
(Stone Brewing Company)
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.076 FG = 1.019
IBU = 63 SRM = 51 ABV = 7.3%
“Don’t be afraid to use a barrel that has already been through many uses. There is more to the barrel aging process than extracting wood and bourbon, brandy or wine flavors.”
— Mitch Steele
Ingredients
13 lb. 10 oz. (6.2 kg) Pilsner malt
12 oz. (0.34 kg) chocolate malt
8.0 oz. (0.23 kg) Caramunich® malt
8.0 oz. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (90 °L)
4.0 oz. (0.11 kg) black patent malt (or Carafa® malt)
13.5 AAU Perle hops (60 mins) (1.5 oz./43 g of 9% alpha acids)
6.5 AAU Hallertau hops (30 mins) (1.0 oz./28 g of 6.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (15 g) Hallertau hops (15 mins)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager yeast)
or White Labs WLP820 (Octoberfest/Märzen Lager) yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 154 °F (68 °C). Boil wort for 60 minutes. Ferment at ale temperatures, then rack to barrel and age six months to a year (or more). Pull samples from all of your barrels every few months and taste them.
Extract Option
Omit Pilsner malt and add 3.25 lb. (1.5 kg) Briess Light dried malt extract and 5.75 lb. (2.6 kg) Weyermann Pilsner liquid malt extract. Steep grains in 3 qts. (~3 L) of water at 154 °F (68 °C) for 45 minutes. Rinse with 1.5 qts. (~1.5 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water to make 3 gallons (11 L), add dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, stirring in liquid malt extract for final 15 minutes of boil.
Grand Cru clone
(Upstream Brewing Company)
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.087 FG = will vary
IBU = 30 SRM = 6 ABV = around 9.0%
What’s the secret to making a good barrel aged beer? “Good wood, great beer, a little imagination and lots of patience.”
—Zac Triemert
Ingredients
13 lbs. (5.9 kg) Weyermann Pils malt
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) Weyermann Wheat malt
11 oz. (0.32 kg) Belgian sugar
11 oz. (0.32 kg) honey
5 AAU Liberty hops (60 mins) (1 oz./28 g of 5% alpha acids)
4 AAU Saaz hops (30 mins) (1 oz./28 g of 4% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Saaz hops (0 mins)
White Labs WLP500 (Trappist Ale) or
Wyeast 3787 (Belgian Trappist Ale) yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 149 °F (65 °C) for 75 min. Boil for 100 minutes. Ferment at ale temperatures. After primary fermentation, diacetyl rest for two days, then cool and filter. After filtration, add the beer to a well-used 5-gallon (19-L) barrel with 50 g Brettanomyces anomalus (or substitute White Labs WLP645 (Brettanomyces claussenii) bacteria) and 50 g boiled malt extract. Let the beer mature for a year or more depending on your individual taste. However, please note that a new 5-gallon (19-L) oak cask will not work for this application. New wood and high surface area to volume ratio will significantly overoak the beer.
Extract Option
Omit Pilsner malt. Add 2 lb. 4 oz. (1.0 kg) Briess Light dried malt extract and 6 lb. 10 oz. (3.0 kg) Weyermann Pilsner liquid malt extract. Steep grains in 3.8 qts. (3.6 L) of water at 149 °F (65 °C) for 45 minutes. Rinse with 1.9 qts. (1.8 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water to make 3 gallons (11 L), add dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, stirring in liquid malt extract for final 15 minutes of boil.
La Folie clone
(New Belgium Brewing Company)
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.062 FG = 1.015 (or lower)
IBU = 20 SRM = 17 ABV = 6.0%
“Never turn your back on (the barrels). They like to change on you and right when you think you know what one will do, it does the exact opposite.”
—Lauren Salazar
Ingredients
9.75 lbs. (4.4 kg) 2-row pale malt
1 lb. 5 oz. (0.60 kg) Munich malt
1 lb. 5 oz. (0.60 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
10 oz. (0.28 kg) unmalted wheat
5.7 AAU Cantillion Iris hops (60 mins) (or any neutral hop)
(1.9 oz./54 g at 3% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale),
Fermentis Safale US-05 or Danstar Nottingham yeast
Wyeast 3278 (Lambic blend) or
White Labs WLP655 (Belgian Sour Mix 1) blend
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 154 °F (68 °C). Boil for 60 minutes. Ferment with neutral ale yeast at 75 °F (24 °C), then rack to barrel and add sour blend. Aging time is totally up to the barrel. This is where years of tasting and blending come in handy. If you want to blend, try ~ 20% of a sweeter (younger) barrel, ~30% of a nice mild sour barrel and ~50% of a well established “tour gripper” with nice oak notes (cherries, horse blanket, etc). (Young usually means ~ 1 year, mid range ~2 years and grippers are 3+ years.) But there are no rules here. Do whatever works for you.
Extract Option
Omit 2-row pale malt. Add 1 lb. 14 oz. (0.85 kg) dried malt extract and 4 lb. 10 oz. liquid malt extract. Steep in 4.8 qts. (4.6 L) of water at 154 °F (68 °C) for 45 minutes. Rinse with 2.4 qts. (2.3 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water to make 3 gallons (11 L), add dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, stirring in LME at end of boil.
Poor Man’s Barrel Option:
Don’t have the budget (or room) for a barrel? Try this “poor man’s” method of emulating some of the aspects of barrel aging. Conduct your primary fermentation in a bucket or ferment the beer with ale yeast, then rack it to a bucket — adding any “bugs” that may be called for. Buckets are more permeable to oxygen than barrels are, so let the beer condition in the bucket for only about 3 months, then rack it to a carboy for the remaining conditioning time. Two weeks before racking, take 3.0 oz. (85 g) of oak cubes (French oak, medium toast) and soak them in wine. Use Chardonnay for the Temptation clone, Pinot Noir for La Roja, Cabernet Sauvignon for Darth Porter and Burgundy or Meritage for Grand Cru and La Folie. Change wine every 3 days to lessen the intensity of the new oak. Add cubes when beer is racked to carboy.
