I have noticed this a lot, and just have gotten around to asking the question. Why is there a higher ABV for beers when they are barrel aged vs. the base beer. Is it because the brewer's add extra yeast to cause further fermentation in the barrels....(wait, me thinks exploding barrels, so no.) Is it live yeast still in the beer? Doubt it... (maybe a small amount, but again exploding barrels). I highly doubt it picks up residual alcohol from the barrel (if that's even possible). So why the difference in ABV??? I truly hope it's not due to a different base beer, because that would make every BA vs. Base beer tasting null and void if the ABV was different. Help me out here, o knowledgeable BA's.
Although I'm no expert, my guess is that water slowly leaches out, leaving a slightly higher concentration of alcohol.
The beer will definitely gain abv from aging in the barrel. There is residual alcohol pickup from the spirit soaked into the wood and a gain of up to 2% can be seen. There can be over a gallon of spirits soaked into the oak. Evaporation of water from the beer can also occur. Some base beers for BA beers are different as they are brewed specifically for BA.
They don't actually use barrels at all, they just pour some bourbon right in with the base beer and get it directly to market.
Well, you just opened my eyes to a multitude of reasons for the difference in ABV. Never knew that much alcohol could soak into the wood. I'm curious if it would catch more alcohol from something like scotch barrels since they are used more than once than bourbon.
There can be as much as a pint of liquor left over in the barrel when the brewery receives it, no hidden yeast or magic wood.
Pretty much what everyone says. BA beers served where they are sourced are quite another thing altogether to in the flavor cos its notes and their order in prominence will change over time and can do so in as short as a few hours. I was amazed at how some BA's would change from tasting them in the morning to tasting them again later in the day. Sometimes it was a different beer altogether. Either double fist your order and set it aside as the second beer, or cup it like a fiend and breathe deeply and hork up those smells and warm it like you would your hands on a cold day while it comes up to the right temperature. BA beers really are shy at pour temperature and I think they are basically a waste of money if they get consumed at anything below 55f. Your patience will be rewarded with them. They can pick up anywhere from a mild 1 - onwards of 3 and 4% and possibly more in the abv depending on the barrel and more importantly how fresh it is coming from the distillery.
I always wondered why Foothills ba people's Porter is so low. This site actually lists the ba version with a lower abv than non ba.
At room temperature and normal pressure for an alcohol-water solution, the vapor phase concentration of alcohol willl always be greater than the liquid phase concentration of alcohol (until about 95% alcohol). This means that you cannot increase alcohol concentration in the liquid beverage through evaporation (i.e. "Evaporation of water from the beer..." to increase alcohol content is physically impossible). The result would always be the opposite.
I guess the Bourbon County beers are the most puzzling to me, since they are all supposed to be BCBS with some flavoring or aged longer, but the ABV of all are lower than just regular BCBS. Rare spent 23 months in barrels but is only 13.0%?? I know there is variance in the barrels, but if it is the same beer in the same barrels with nothing more than coffee added, why does it come out at 14.0% vice 15.0%?
That's easy - every barrel is a living organism and what it chooses to do with the beer is completely up to it's own damn preference.
Hmm.. This base on what? As far as I know, "Evaporation" of alcohol from the beer occur more easily? Or am I wrong?
Humidity makes a huge differnce. When you are talking bourbon, high humidity will decrease the alcohol and low humidity will increase the alcohol. I would imagine the same would be true for beer.
Many things in this world prefer to exist in a state of equilibrium, wood is no exception. When you are barrel aging in spent spirit barrels there is a constant exchange of liquid. The wood will release the spirits and take in beer. As you replace the less alcoholic beer for more alcoholic liquor you will undoubtedly see an increase in abv in the beer.
and some practical considerations: higher ABV beers are less likely to get infections. They have bolder flavors that can stand up to the wood or whiskey from the barrel. They are also easier to market at higher prices. The economics of storing beer in a barrel and having it take up your real estate for a year is what one would consider a highly value-added product. Brewers need to see some money returned for all their hard work and I think that's easier to market as a higher ABV beer.
The term generally refers to the loss of wine or distilled spirits from oak barrels. The concept may also apply to beer but it is certainly a borrowed term.
Checkout Speedway and ALL variations. 12% baby ! They're all 12%! Miracle!!! ( or they don't test them, ever. )
