One doesn’t often associate months upon months of barrel aging when it comes to beer, but that is the style preference the folks at de Garde Brewing out of Tillamook, Oregon, have decided to make their specialty. With row upon row of used wine, whiskey and other spirit barrels in their vast warehouse, all filled with different variations on off beat style beers, fans and beer connoisseurs are assured there are many years of good brews in their future.
For the Chat D’Or, head brewer Trevor Rogers took an American golden wild ale and aged it in a mix of rye whiskey, Chardonnay and genever barrels for 10-18 months. What flows out of the tap is a medium-bodied, copper-colored beer with a medium head of foam. Aromas of strong oak, citrus and pine open up to tart sweet flavors of pine and lemon, all helping to shine the light on the complex menagerie of oak characters that can be dissected over numerous visits.
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