Oak-aged beers, part II
the dawn of a new beer style

Innis & Gunn: the inspiration

Interest in oak-aged beers is due to the remarkable work carried out by Dougal Sharp (right), former head brewer at the Caledonian Brewing Company in Edinburgh. Dougal worked alongside his father, Russell, who had helped save the brewery when it was threatened with closure in the late 1980s. Russell had previously worked for whisky distiller Chivas Regal, where he made a close study of oak ageing. The Sharps developed their beer in association with distiller William Grant. When Grants developed a Cask Reserve Scotch Whisky it bought beer from Caledonian to age some of the casks. The plan was to dispose of the beer but Grants phoned the Sharps to say that when the beer was tasted its employees were delighted by the flavours. Similarly intrigued, Dougal decided to make a commercial oak-aged beer. he left Caledonian to further his mission.

The success of Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer (6.6%) is due to the use of lightly-toasted American oak casks bought from Bourbon makers. Dougal was flying in the face of the received wisdom that American oak has so many bold, assertive, woody and tannic flavours that they will overpower the delicate character of beer.

The base beer, brewed at the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar, is made with Golden Promise pale and crystal malts and is hopped with the Phoenix variety. The beer enjoys a 77-day maturation, 10 times the average for ale. This includes a 30-day rest period in American white oak casks. American law decrees that casks used for Bourbon whiskey can be used only once. The casks are broken up and the staves sent to Scotland, where they are reassembled. Maturation takes place at one of William Grant's distilleries.

After the 30-day period in wood, the beer continues to age in a "marrying tun" where the flavours infuse and mellow, and natural carbonation takes place. It has a burnished amber colour, a dense head of foam, and a tightly beaded, Champagne-style carbonation. The aroma is smoky and oaky, underscored by rich malt, vanilla and tart hops. There is more smoky malt on the palate with orange fruit and earthy hop resins, while the lingering finish is bittersweet, with a hint of Cognac rather than whisky. The beer was launched in 2003 and made history by winning gold medals in two categories and the overall Supreme Champion prize at the 2004 International Beer Competition. Other versions of the beer - a strong IPA and a blond version, along with a spectacular beer aged in rum casks - have been produced but it's the original Oak Aged Beer that is widely available in supermarkets and has won the most plaudits. And why Innis & Gunn? They are the middle names of Dougal and his brother.

Tullibardine

1488 Majestic Whisky Ale (7%), is brewed by Douglas Ross of Bridge of Allan Brewery, now part of Traditional Scottish Ales in Stirling. Douglas is not shy of describing his brand as �whisky beer� as a result of the method of production. It's brewed from the first runnings of the mash tun at the Tullibardine distillery in the village of Blackford in Perthshire. The wort � the sugary extract � contains pure crystal spring water from the Ochill Hills. It's transferred to the brewery in Stirling where it is fermented with the same whisky yeast used in the distillery. During the copper boil, Douglas adds a light sprinkling of Saaz hops to balance the intense whisky flavours. The beer is fermented to 7% and then matured for up to 60 days in freshly disgorged American oak barrels used for Bourbon production and subsequently for Highland malt whisky.

The beer has a pale bronze colour and an amazingly complex aroma of whisky and rich fruit - pears to the fore - with vanilla and woody notes. There is juicy malt in the mouth with vanilla, wood, smoky notes, tart fruit and light hops. The finish is bittersweet but becomes dry, with ripe pears, vanilla, wood and whisky notes. Dark Island Dark Island Reserve (10%) is brewed by Orkney Brewery, part of Sinclair Breweries that also owns Atlas of Argyll. The beer is a stronger version of the multi-award winning 4.6% Dark Island. Following fermentation, it is matured in Highland Park whisky casks. The beer is dark � black/brown with ruby hints. It has a smoky, roasty, spicy and liquorice aroma with hints of iodine and quinine. Whisky notes come through strongly in the mouth with dark burnt fruit, roasted grain and hints of chocolate and coffee, developing dryness and light hop notes. It has a dry and fruity finish with warming whisky, woody notes, with powerful contributions from coffee, burnt fruit, roasted grain, liquorice, molasses and gentle hop resins.

Paradox

Paradox Islay Cask (10%) is produced by Brew Dog of Fraserburgh, created in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie. The finished beer is matured in whisky casks obtained from Islay, famous for the powerful peaty and salty aroma and flavour of such whiskies as Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig. The Paradox beer is russet brown with a peaty, oily, seaweed, roasted grain aroma with hints of chocolate and coffee. It has a big Islay peaty palate, with woody, smoky notes and a tart fruitiness reminiscent of blood oranges. The finish is peaty with developing hop bitterness, with smoky, iodine and roasted grain notes. Thornbridge Thornbridge is a small craft brewery based at Thornbridge Hall in Derbyshire and has won many plaudits for its Jaipur

IPA and Saint Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout. In the autumn of 2007 the hall hosted a seminar on oak-aged beer staged by the British Guild of Beer Writers, addressed by Dougal Sharp of Innis & Gunn. The Thornbridge brewers announced they were experimenting with maturing their Russian Stout in whisky casks and they released three versions in the spring of 2008.

Saint Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout Highland Whisky Reserve (9.4%)
has a powerful aroma of oak, whisky and berry fruits. Rich malt, oak and fruit dominate the palate while hop bitterness comes through strongly in the finish, along with oak, fruit and creamy malt.

Saint Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout Speyside Whisky Reserve (8.8%)
has creamy malt, milk drops, burnt fruit, roasted grain and vanilla on the nose, with rich malt and fruit in the mouth, with light oak, hop notes and vanilla. The finish has pronounced hop bitterness balancing roast, fruit, oak and vanilla.

Saint Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout The Islay Whisky Reserve (10.2%)
has iodine, seaweed, spices, smoked malt and light vanilla notes on the aroma. Burnt malt, tangy herbal notes, bitter hops and orange fruit dominate the palate followed by a long finish with seaweed, tart fruit, vanilla and hops.

Fuller's

The oak-aged beer sector was given a major boost in the autumn of 2008 with the launch of Fuller's Brewer's Reserve No 1 (7.7%), which is matured for more than 500 days in 20-year-old single malt whisky casks. See my report on this beer.

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