324: GABF Gold! Barrique and 1840 Brewing Discuss 2023 Gold Medal-Winning Wood-Aged Sour Beers

In this special episode, two 2023 gold-medal-winning breweries discuss their methods and approaches to making wood-aged sour beer. First up is Kyle Vetter, founder of 1840 Brewing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose kriek-inspired "I Don't Want To Wait" won gold in the fruited wood- and barrel-aged sour beer category. He hits on the details behind how the beer was made, including:

using oak as an ingredient not just a vessel

building body with alternative brewing grains

selecting barrel stock to best support fruit

preparing fruit and aging over six months

selecting Brettanomyces strains

And more.

Then, we're joined by Joel Stickrod and Spencer Longhurst of Nashville's Barrique, who talk through the methods behind their gold-winning Wet Hop Strata 2023, including:

open-top fermentation in wooden barrels

building a blending library with four schools of wood-aged beer

using high loads of unmalted Tennessee wheat

brewing with aged Cascade hops

long-term aging on wet hops

building compelling blends of old and young beer

And more.

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