The difference between a well made barrel aged beer and a poor one is vast. It is not enough for a brewery to simply put a beer into wood and hope it comes out spectacular.

Understanding the wood, temperature, time, and the base beer is critically important. Some brewers spend their entire careers tinkering and refining processes, learning along the way.

In this podcast, recorded live during the Craft Brewers Conference, three brewers talk about how they pick the barrels o use, how to blend, and how to tell when the beer is ready for packaging.

This is a conversation that goes deep into the science and art of barrel aging beer. It features the wood wizards from Sun King Brewery, Revolution Brewing, and Boulevard Brewing Co.

Guests

Andrew Hood began his career in the craft beer industry in 2006. He is a 2009 graduate of the World Brewing Academy through the Seibel Institute of Technology. He’s traveled around the world to learn various specialized brewing techniques. Prior to his wood and barrel managing position at Sun King Brewery, where he focuses on sour ales and spirit barrel-aged beers, Andrew worked for three other United States breweries in various areas including production management and as head brewer developing his own various beer recipes. He has assisted with Sun King Brewery obtaining medals at the Great American Beer Festival, Festival of Barrel Aged Beers, and the World Beer Cup.

Since starting his commercial craft brewing career in 2010 at Chicago’s Revolution Brewing, Marty Scott has explored nearly every facet of beer production from pub brewing, packaging, cellar operations, wort production, product and process design, quality and innovation, and wood/barrel aging. Since 2012, he’s operated Revolution’s world-famous Deep Wood Series with a commitment to quality, a penchant for developing novel metrics, and a passion for traditional, wood-focused British ales. Coupled with his brewing pedigree, his ties to the California wine industry, and partnership with Napa area cooperage Tonnellerie Ô/Creative Oak led him in 2023 to found Barrelponix LLC, a company dedicated to championing the advancement of wood applications in the greater fermented beverage industry. In addition to being a senior judge at the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB) since 2015, Marty has served as emcee for its award ceremony the past two years.

Quinn Reeder is the lead brewer and barrel program manager at Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Missouri. With over 11 years in the brewing industry — five of them at Boulevard — Quinn oversees a 17,000-barrel annual barrel-aged beer program that has grown steadily. A Missouri native, he is passionate about crafting exceptional barrel-aged beers that are both high-quality and approachable, aiming to satisfy longtime enthusiasts while welcoming new drinkers into the category. He takes pride in sourcing local ingredients and materials, bringing the spirit of Missouri into every barrel, from the beer itself to the oak and bourbon barrels used.

Hear the whole conversation on the Drink Beer, Think Beer podcast.

Or download via Overcast, Stitcher, Podcast Addict, or wherever you download shows.

This Episode is Sponsored by

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