Barley Days Brewery Oak Aged Sugar Shack

Barley Days Brewery in Prince Edward County have announced,  via a press release, that they have joined other OCB members in barrel aging one of their products.

Joining other OCB breweries like Black Oak (Ten Bitter Years in Oak Bourbon barrels), Grand River (Oak Aged Sour), Trafalgar Brewery (Oak Aged Rye - 2008), Cameron's, Great Lakes Brewery (Winter Ale, Devil's Pale Ale, a Belgian Saison (yet unnamed), and non-OCB members like Amsterdam (Boneshaker IPA, CJM Brown Royale), Barley Days filled an American oak barrel from The Carriage House Cooperage with maple syrup and their Sugar Shack ale for maturation.

According to the press release, Barley Days added a twist to the mix. The American oak barrel being was steamed before it was filled, which will impart more subtle oak flavouring.

“You don’t want the oak to overwhelm the taste of the beer,” says Nichols. He believes this steamed barrel will be the perfect complement to the richness and maple notes of Barley Days Brewery’s Sugar Shack Ale.

“It’s about going back to our roots [in beer brewing],” says Nichols.

The ale will stay in the barrel until it is ready for bottling, sometime after the middle of March. It will be sold as a special premium release and will only be available at the brewery.