Gin barrel-aged beer not part of your repertoire? I can take a good guess as to why. I can also provide a few good reasons why it should be. Gin isn’t traditionally aged in barrels. Lack of gin barrels = lack of gin barrel-aged beer. But recently, a few select brewers have found a way to make it happen, and hell am I happy that they did.

We’ve all experienced the benefit that comes from barrel-aging beer. Porters and barleywines have soaked in the aromas of whiskey and bourbon barrels for ages. But what about pale ales and sour beers? They’d be grossly overpowered by a bourbon barrel.

Enter Gin. Gin barrel-aging a pale ale gives it an unprecedented juniper, mint, and pine aroma, and it gives the ABV a little boost too. I don’t see anyone complaining about that. Overall, gin has a lot to offer a pale ale. So why aren’t more people trying it out?

The issue remains that gin isn’t aged in barrels. In order to age your ale in a gin barrel, you’d have to run across a small distillery that uses this uncommon practice. And that’s just what Ryan Koga of Karben4 did. You might remember Karben4 as the newest and spunkiest stop on the Wisconsin Brewery Tour, or the winner of Most Impressive at the Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest in Madison, WI. These guys have thoroughly impressed me since they opened their doors just six months ago, and they’re at it again.

During a routine restaurant visit, Ryan ended up with an empty gin barrel in the back of his truck. A few weeks later, I was one of the lucky 80 people to taste his aromatic creation. You’ve heard me gush about my feelings for his SamuRye PA before – it’s a stand-up IPA on its own. With gin barrel aging, it’s an experiment in perfection. The gin adds piney aromas and a bold taste that plays exceptionally well with the hops. I’ll be the first to say that I’m not a fan of gin, but this is a winning combination. You’d never guess that this smooth ale carries a kick to the tune of 10% ABV. With a ground-breaking experiment in barrel-aging beer in gin barrels, Ryan has hit one out of the park yet again.

A select few others have attempted this process. Notable examples include Oregon’s Rogue Ales with their John John Juniper and Portland’s Upright Brewing with several of their beers. This fad seems to be picking up the pace, so keep an eye out. Your nose and your mouth will thank you.