Bierschnaps

[jocko]

I've found only a handful of posts on this, and none recent. 

We are considering making a bierschnaps.  We are also a brewery, so this could be quite easy when we have an issue with a beer (oxidation, etc) and turn what might otherwise be dumped into a product.  I did this experimentally and it was quite nice.  

Anyone doing this commercially?  Most concerned about public reception.  Might be better off just making neutral out of it if it's just going to sit there.

 

[38°]

We make a Bierschnaps. From a reception standpoint some people love it, some hate it. Beer fans almost always try it. We always put some oak age on it, either wine or whiskey barrels. In our experience the best bierschnaps come from minimally hopped dark beers. They usually turn towards a scotch flavor profile. If you're using a variety of beers, you're going to end up with a variety of products/flavor profiles.

I'd be afraid the hoppy bitterness will translate into your neutral if you go that route.

End of the day it's a small batch corner product for us that allows interesting conversations about our brewery partnerships.

[SlickFloss]

You will likely find the terpenes in the hops that make beer so great will also make certain distillates inaccessible. Most of them are potentiated in concentration of final solution and can be tricky to deal with. Using a barbet column or an AB Column with the right vent set up helps but most people will not be able to address.

As an aged whiskey product for distribution it can be tough especially super hopped, but as a cordial liqueur etc not as difficult especially when supported with proofing water sugar and other flavorings

cheers

slick

[Brewstilla]

I've had great success distilling and barreling lightly hopped dark beers like stouts and porters that end up more in the malt whiskey realm. Also our sister company brewery has a very successful double IPA that we distill and age in our used cooperage for a year or so as an annual release that is sold out before it is bottled. Not my cup of tea but certainly has a following, mostly beer folks. I left 15 years of brewing because I was sick of brewing IPAs and here I am haha. When distilling double ipa, the amount of oils that come off in the heads and early hearts is absurd, and makes the oils coming off early in gin look like a joke.  

[Workpress]

This is a product that we make and sell in our tap room, in a white and barrel aged version, our mixologist pushes boilermakers and some other custom drinks that work with the weird botanical and hop notes. There are those who love it, like some old school Germans and others who don't. This spirit is hit and miss...

 

cheers

Workpress