Filling the 2 barrels at 4 Hands Brewing Company

4 Hands Brewing Company * St. Louis, Missouri

Make sure you visit 4 Hands and enjoy their amazing beers - Here is their website
Along with their "regular" beers that they have on draft, they just added a pear saison and plan on having the "non-barrel aged" version of the Bona Fide Russian Imperial Stout brewed with Goshen Espresso and Whole Vanilla Bean on draft in about 2 weeks, plus they are releasing their Double IPA War Hammer on March 3 on draft.
They are still getting their bottling line up and going, so we hope to see their bottled beers on our shelves early Spring.


Barrel Aged Beer!
I went down to 4 Hands Brewing Company today to take some pictures of them putting their Bona Fide Russian Imperial Stout brewed with Goshen Espresso and Whole Vanilla Bean in 2 barrels that we supplied.  They filled one barrel of Elijah Craig 12 Year old Bourbon and one barrel of Dry Fly Wheat Whiskey.   Same beer in each, but two different barrels and each will be bottled separately.

The front door of 4 Hands Brewing Co.

Will Johnston, head brewer for 4 Hands, filling the Elijah Craig Barrel with Bona Fide Stout

Kevin Lemp, owner of 4 Hands Brewing, absorbing the potent smell of the bourbon from the barrel

The old barrel getting filled up with Bona Fide Stout

The first barrel getting full, but it must be filled more until all the head is pushed out

Wasting good beer on to the floor...

Here is a short video of the over flow...

First barrel is full and now it is time to start the second barrel...

Same beer going into the Dry Fly Wheat Whiskey Barrel...

Kevin Lemp checking the fill and bouquet...

Barrel number two is filled up...

Stop them up and wash them off..

Cleaned and ready for storage...check out the two barrels.  They will have the same beer aging in them for 6+  months.  The one on the left held a Wheat Whiskey for maybe 2-4 years (cannot get an exact date), but the Elijah Craig held a Bourbon for 12 years (stamped on the barrel that it was filled in 1999).   It will be interesting to taste the same beer 6 months later in 2 different barrels.

Here is some foam from the barrel...

Getting moved to their resting place to be forgotten for about 6 months.  We should hopefully see the two barrels bottled this fall.

Thanks very much to Kevin and Will of 4 Hands Brewing!