We all love whiskey. But let’s be honest: that there are moments when whiskey won’t do. Just finish a long, sweaty hike? Relaxing on the beach on a sunny afternoon? Enjoying a delicious plate of moules frites? You don’t need whiskey – you need beer.
Fortunately, you don’t have to stray too far from whiskey to enjoy a beer. Over the past decade or so, whiskey barrel-aged beers have become so commonplace it seems like virtually every brewery makes at least one, and some are known for making several. Bourbon is the most popular barrel of choice, but there’s no limit on brewers’ creativity. Rye, single malt, craft—it’s all represented, and it’s all delicious.
A lot of breweries make barrel-aged beers as seasonal one-offs, serve them exclusively in their tasting rooms, and change their offerings from year to year. But there are many whiskey barrel-aged beers that are made every year, and are distributed throughout the United States, albeit in limited quantities. Here are three of our favorites you might be able to track down:
This beer from cult favorite Portland brewery Hair of the Dog, which has been making super-strong barrel-aged beers for almost 30 years, is a barrel-aged variant of the brewery’s flagship Adam beer, an Old Ale inspired by historical recipes. Over the years, it’s been aged in a wide variety of cask types, from Heaven Hill rye to Ardbeg.
Goose Island’s Bourbon County line
From Chicago-based Goose Island brewing, the Bourbon County line of beers is a perfect example of how not all barrel-aged beers are the same. From the flagship Bourbon County Brand Stout, a bruiser of a beer that clocks in at 13.8% ABV, stronger than many wines; to Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout, made with coffee beans roasted by nearby Intelligentsia Coffee, every member of the Bourbon County line spends some serious time in bourbon barrels.
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This Russian imperial stout from Firestone Walker in Paso Robles, California, spends more time in barrels than some craft whiskeys. After a year in bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Pappy Van Winkle, Four Roses, and Elijah Craig, it takes on big, boozy bourbon flavors and a mellow mouth feel.
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