Thursday, January 12, 2006

A Good Uplifting Story

This is the story of the beer that was brewed to be thrown away, - until someone tasted it!

It all starts with whisky company William Grant & Sons who decided to make a whiskey matured in old beer casks called Ale Cask Reserve. The beer was brewed to treat the casks after which it was thrown away!

One day, Dougal Sharp, Innis & Gunn's managing director, got a call from the brewery to say that "The guys on the shop floor were raving about this beer". Sharp put together a taste panel from among the brewers who gave it nine out of nine! Sharp then decided to brew it commercially. He got hold of old sherry and bourbon oak casks in which the beer matured for 30 days after which the beer was transferred to a 'marrying tun' that allowed all the subtle flavours picked up from the casks to blend and smooth together in perfect balance. The beer stays in this vat for 47 days. That's a total of 77 days maturation for this beer.

The beer, Oak Aged Beer comes in 2 strengths; 6.6 ABV and 7.7 per cent. And of course, as is the case with all good British beer, it is designed to be drunk at or above room temperature which would make it a winter warmer alternative to mulled wine. I'm going to get myself some of this for the weekend.

1 comment:

:P fuzzbox said...

That sounds like a great brew. If I can find some, I will have to give it a go. Thanks for the heads up on the interesting beer story.