Barrel aged beers are becoming more popular all the time, most breweries now having at least one example in their lineup. However historically, beers were stored in barrels out of necessity. Johnny Horn talks us through the history of storing and aging, with focus on British beer.
Brewing has always been a seasonal practice. Prior to the mid-19th century, brewers were subjected to greater limitations than they are nowadays. Fermentation temperature was much harder to control and therefore ambient temperatures played a greater role in the ability to brew. In particular, for Britain and Northern Europe, brewing was limited during the warm summer months as wild yeast and bacteria could thrive at these temperatures, spoiling the beer in days or weeks.
Another important reason for storing beers was that the barley can only be harvested twice a year (summer and winter harvests). In order to utilise the freshest crop of barley and mild Autumn or Spring temperatures, it was historically March and October which were known as the optimal months for brewing beers. The beers brewed at these times were deemed to be the best quality, and were made in large quantities to be stored, providing a year round supply (Cornell 2010, 157). Traditional breweries in Belgium still practice this seasonal brewing schedule.
Throughout Europe, the styles of beers produced for keeping, differed greatly. In Britain, strong malty old ales/stock ales were stored in wooden barrels in the cellars of public houses and breweries. During this period of storage and maturation, wild yeast and bacteria living in the porous wood of the barrels would slowly take effect on the beer, consuming residual malt sugars and producing a desirable tartness and acidity. Commercial examples which retain this acidic element include Thomas Hardy’s Ale, Gale’s Prize Old Ale, Greene King’s Strong Suffolk and Samuel Smith’s Y
orkshire Stingo.
Storing beer in 200+ litre wooden barrels is usually outside the range of most homebrewers, though authentic stock ales can still be created on a homebrew scale. Plastic vessels can be used for aging beer as they roughly replicate the oxygen transfer achieved from a good barrel – so long as they are properly sealed and are left with minimal headspace (Tonsmeire 2014, 216-8). Oak chunks can be also added to these vessels to mimic the wood character provided by barrels. If an authentic acidity or tartness is desired White labs Brett Claussenii (WLP 645) or Flemish Ale (WLP 665) can be added along with the oak chunks.
Long maturation is often beneficial for beer, as it can reduce certain off flavours present in young beer such as acetaldehyde (green apples), diacetyl (buttery) and hydrogen sulphide (sulphur) as they are metabolised by the yeast (Scmidhausler 2000). Additionally, the slow oxidation of beer in can contribute positive flavours such akin to sherry and sweet tobacco (de Piro 2005). Aging also allows the slow conversion of harsh alcohol flavours into fruity esters (Peddie 1990). All the ingredients for producing an old British stock ale are available at our website.
Bibliography
Cornell, M. 2010. Amber, Gold and Black: The History of Britains Great Beers. The History Press: Gloucestershire
de Piro, G. 2005. Beer Flavors #4: Oxidation (staleness). http://www.professorbeer.com/articles/oxidative_staling_beer.html
Peddie, H. 1990. Ester Formation In Brewery Fermentations. Journal of the Institute of Brewing Volume 96, Issue 5, 327–331
Scmidhausler, G. 2000. Brew Your Own. Asking the Age-Old Question.
https://byo.com/stories/issue/item/150-asking-the-age-old-question
Tonsimeire, M. 2014. American Sour Beers. Brewers Publications: Colorado
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