BJCP 33B · Wood Beer
Specialty Wood-Aged Beer
A beer aged in barrels that once held whiskey, rum, wine or other drinks, whose character adds to the wood and the base.
This is a specialty category, so it has no numbers of its own. Gravity, bitterness, color and alcohol are those of the base style you choose, plus whatever the special ingredient or process adds.
What Specialty Wood-Aged Beer is like
A beer aged in a barrel that previously held spirits, wine or another drink, or aged on wood with some other addition. The notes from the previous contents should come through alongside the wood and the base, in a balanced whole.
Appearance
That of the base, which is usually dark and strong.
Aroma
The base with wood, vanilla and the character of the previous contents: bourbon, Scotch whisky, rum, red wine, port or whatever it held.
Flavor
Base, wood and spirit in balance. The alcohol from the spirit comes through but shouldn't burn. No sourness or wild notes; if it has them, it goes in category 28.
Mouthfeel
Medium to full body and some alcohol warmth. Low to moderate carbonation.
Where Specialty Wood-Aged Beer comes from
It became popular in the late 20th century with bourbon barrel-aged stouts, and today breweries all over the world use all kinds of barrels.
Ingredients
A base style, often an Imperial Stout, a Barleywine or a Wee Heavy, and barrels or wood that have held spirits, wine or other drinks.
Brew it yourself
How to brew Specialty Wood-Aged Beer at home
Without a barrel, you can soak oak cubes in the spirit for a few weeks and add them to the fermenter, tasting every week. Adding spirit directly is easier to control, but the result is less integrated. You have to state the base, the wood and the previous contents; judges look for everything to integrate and for the spirit not to burn.
Food pairing
Dark chocolate, blue cheeses and caramel desserts.
Glassware: Teku glass, a tasting glass that works with almost any style.
Classic examples
- Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout
Frequently asked questions
What food pairs well with Specialty Wood-Aged Beer?
Dark chocolate, blue cheeses and caramel desserts.
Which styles are similar?
If you like it, also try Wood-Aged Beer, Imperial Stout and American Barleywine.
If you like Specialty Wood-Aged Beer, try these
Classification and statistics: official Specialty Wood-Aged Beer guidelines from the BJCP, 2021 edition. Original text by Hacer Cerveza Casera.