Who was the 1st to put a beer in a bourbon barrel?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by dogfishandi, Jan 28, 2013.

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  1. dogfishandi

    dogfishandi Initiate (0) Jan 24, 2009 New York

    So I was just thinking after sampling a few beers, who was the very first brewer/ brewery to put beer in a bourbon barrel? What kind of beer was it? What did it taste like? After a quick google search all I could find out was that Sam Adams and goose island were ONE of the first commercial breweries to sell a bourbon barrel aged beer, but I'd like to think they weren't the very first. I could be wrong.

    So hopefully someone can shed some light on what the very first barrel aged beer was as it seems to be all the rage these days.
     
  2. Knapp85

    Knapp85 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,688) Dec 25, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I think it was Goose Island
     
  3. mellowmark

    mellowmark Initiate (0) Mar 31, 2010 Utah

    It's hard to say, but with commercial beer the popular idea is that it was Goose Island with their BCBS back in the 90's.
     
  4. founder26

    founder26 Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2009 Michigan

    not the first to put beer in a barrel, they may have been the first brewery to sell barrel aged beers?
     
  5. founder26

    founder26 Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2009 Michigan

    john from goose said himself they are not the first.
     
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  6. klaybie

    klaybie Initiate (0) Nov 15, 2009 Illinois

    I would like to think that since people drank both bourbon and beer many years ago that this was done well before GI. Surly there weren't so many generations of drinkers to come and go without thinking of that until the 1990's.
     
  7. mellowmark

    mellowmark Initiate (0) Mar 31, 2010 Utah

    Who was then?
     
  8. russwbeck

    russwbeck Initiate (0) Aug 3, 2010 Virginia

    I was always under the impression that the first real Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout was BCBS. I realize that's probably not the case, and it's more likely that BCBS was the first to really succeed, but to track down the first ever brewer to put beer in a liquor barrel? I don't think that's possible to know. Some really small craft brewer probably got the idea, tried it, spread the idea, and it became the delicious monster it is today. Just my $0.02.

    That said, I really hope somebody makes me look like an idiot and says they know exactly who did it first, because I'd really like to know.
     
  9. dogfishandi

    dogfishandi Initiate (0) Jan 24, 2009 New York

    The question remains. Google seems pretty useless on this topic...
     
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  10. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    the 50/50 guy names goose island, and i think both of them say some people did it in brewpubs before them. that said, oak barrel aging occurred in belgium and britain before the USA craft beer revolution, so it's a bit moot unless you're hung up on the spirit being bourbon.
     
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  11. dogfishandi

    dogfishandi Initiate (0) Jan 24, 2009 New York

    I'm aware they've been putting beer in oak barrels in Belgium and what not for years. I'm strictly talking about bourbon barrels
     
  12. founder26

    founder26 Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2009 Michigan


    watch at 2 minutes, I know he said barrels and not particularly bourban barrels, but still...
     
  13. MichPaul

    MichPaul Initiate (0) Jan 28, 2012 Michigan

    Where's Jesskidden when you need him?!?! :slight_smile:
     
  14. LeRose

    LeRose Grand Pooh-Bah (3,509) Nov 24, 2011 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

  15. yamar68

    yamar68 Initiate (0) Apr 1, 2011 Minnesota

    I challenge you to find a brewer that aged their beers in bourbon barrels before Goose Island.
     
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  16. sandiego67

    sandiego67 Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2008 California

    Samuel Adams Utopias which is a unique blend of liquids, some aged nearly 20 years in a hand-selected, single-use bourbon casks, actually confirms for drinkers that many of the greatest things in life are best when perfected over time.
     
  17. yamar68

    yamar68 Initiate (0) Apr 1, 2011 Minnesota

    What?
     
  18. sandiego67

    sandiego67 Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2008 California

    If Sam Adams is using 20 year old, bourbon barrel aged beer, that would pre-date Goose Island.
     
  19. yamar68

    yamar68 Initiate (0) Apr 1, 2011 Minnesota

    No it wouldn't.
     
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  20. krl2112

    krl2112 Pooh-Bah (1,682) Nov 10, 2012 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I believe BCBS was just named one of the top 20 beers of all time because of it being the first BA brew.
     
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