To add additional flavors to their beers, brewers sometimes age them in casks that have held other alcohols. Soaked in the wood, a small amount of this first alcohol, often whiskey, bourbon, or rum, becomes part of the beer. But in the realm of draft beers, there are not only these sweet, high-alcohol beers with vanilla and caramel scents! Some brewers use casks that have held red or white wine for a completely different result, tannic and sparkling.
Faust, hoppy
Photo courtesy of Hopfenstark
9.33% alcohol
A complex beer from the Microbrasserie Hopfenstark in Lavaltrie, composed of a blend of fresh Faust with the addition of one third Faust, aged for 12 months in 12 year old Widow Jane Bourbon casks. Light caramel flavor, a hint of smoke and a dry finish.
Quadruple, Pie Braque
Photo courtesy of Pie Braque
10% alcohol
The Quadruple of Microbrasserie Pie Braque in Jonquière is inspired by beers brewed according to the tradition of the Trappist fathers. Aged for two months in red wine casks, this dark ale has a slight residual sweetness reminiscent of honey while being spiced with a peppery or slightly burnt note.
Raspberry and chokeberry sour, Microbrasserie du Lac
Photo courtesy of Espace Houblon
6.4% alcohol
Brewed by Microbrasserie du Lac in collaboration with Espace Houblon, this sparkling beer with red fruit aromas and an intriguing orange-pink color is long aged in several different casks following the tradition of Flemish red beers.
Small heavy bourbon, Le Castor
Photo courtesy of Le Castor
11% alcohol
Made from 100% organic ingredients, Wee Heavy Bourbon is a dark ale with malty flavors that is matured in Heaven Hill bourbon casks. Inspired by a trip to Scotland, this beer has been brewed by the brewers at Microbrasserie Le Castor in Rigaud since their inception 10 years ago.
Haskap Still Life, Robin – Natural Beer
Photo courtesy of Robin, Natural Beer
4% alcohol
Made with 100% Quebec ingredients, Nature Morte Camerise from Robin – Bière naturelle microbrewery in Waterloo is a light beer with a taste of red fruits. Aged in red wine casks, macerated on a bed of haskap and fermented in a can, this beer blend evokes the tannic and spicy side of wine and cider.
Porter Baltic Special Edition 2022, Three Musketeers
Photo courtesy of The Three Musketeers
10.5% alcohol
Brossard’s classic Baltic porter with chocolate and vanilla flavors from the Three Musketeers is presented here in a version that has been aged in bourbon and brandy casks for 6 months. This extra strong black lager, brewed with Quebec malt, has a shelf life of 3 to 5 years.
Old branch, the trunk
Photo courtesy of La Souche
10.22% alcohol
La Vieille Branche is an aged version of Jeune Branche beer brewed by Microbrasserie La Souche in Stoneham. Aged for 18 months in wine and whiskey casks with wild yeasts, it presents complex sweet, bitter and spicy flavors and a dry finish.
Bourbon Imperial Stout, Jukebox
Photo special collaboration, Geneviève Quessy
11.5% alcohol
Imperial Bourbon Stout is brewed by the microbrewery Jukebox in Montreal and is a very drinkable, very dark beer. This extra strong beer is refined in bourbon casks for 8 months, which gives it an intense taste of roasted malt and dark chocolate as well as sweet aromas of vanilla and molasses.
Apple Mixture, Maltstrom
Photo courtesy of Maltstrom
5.8% alcohol
Aged for 12 months in several different casks, including a Riesling cask, the blond apple blend with fine bubbles from the Maltstrom microbrasserie in Notre-Dame-des-Prairies is a beer fermented on white wine marc, to which wild apple juice picked in Lanaudière was added.
The Stovepipe, Pardue Barn
Photo provided by Grange Pardue
10.5% alcohol
Produced by La Grange Pardue microbrewery in Ham-Nord, La Pipe d’Poële Dry Stout is the result of a beer blend that has spent 11 months in bourbon casks, giving it flavors of caramel and vanilla.