A short time ago, I was introducing my friend Chris to the ways of whiskey when he asked me a question I never heard. Chris, an avid beer drinker, asked if the barley used in whiskey making was the same as that used to brew beer. I told him that to my knowledge, the strains of barley used for whiskey were very different, but I would do some research.
Chris did not know it, but he was ahead of the curve. Recently, several distilleries have introduced beer malts into the traditional whiskey mix while others have taken to making whiskey directly from commercially available beer (or from commercial breweries). There are several things driving this decision. There is currently a boom in the whiskey market and boom leads to innovation. Distillers all over the world are trying to find ways to distinguish their product from everything else out there. A few years ago, wine finishes were all the rage. This led to some wonderful experiments that paid off (Glenfiddich 21 aged in rum casks) and some that did not (Glenmorangie Burgundy Finish). This also opened up the market for all the French Oak varieties (Glenlivet, The Macallan, etc.) that I so love.
For a handful of micro (or craft) distilleries this innovation is completely economical. The distilleries are so small that they lack the capability to produce the beer necessary to make whiskey.
So, you may ask, what do these whiskeys taste like? Well, like anything, there are some hits and some misses. Bushmills 1608 (made with crystal malt) gets good reviews and I can personally attest to the quality of Glenmorangie’s The Signet. The Signet is partially made from chocolate malt and offers a very complex and wonderful experience that goes very well with dark chocolate or a good cigar. Charbay makes an American whiskey with pilsner beer. Unfortunately, at $325 a bottle, I doubt that I will get to try the results and further doubt that it would be worth the absurd cost (it’s three years old and aged in stainless steel!). Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey has a local brewery make their beer, but I’m not sure what kind of malt is used. The results, I can say, are uninspiring. This is one of the blandest whiskeys I’ve tasted. Since I tasted Stranahan’s at a large tasting event, in between some bourbon heavy hitters, I would be willing to give it another shot (so to speak).
So, there you have it, the results of my malt research. The beer malt trend is so big that it made Malt Advocate‘s ‘What’s in Store For 2009’ list. So far, the results are somewhat expensive (except for Stranahan’s) so your best bet is to find them at a tasting event, but I hope you get to try them. Experiments can be pretty tastey. Thanks for the inspiration Chris.
-Matt
