I am often asked by reporters about what I think were the top trends in beer for the past year, and what are likely to stand out in the year to come. And in this case, I think it’s the same trend…
Barrel-Aging!
The conditioning of beer in wooden barrels has been around for a long, long time, obviously. But it’s use for specific effect reached a new peak in 2009, as brewers by the dozen poured their beers into barrels that had previously held everything from wine to brandy, whisky to port. Sometimes it was good, and sometimes it was very bad, but it was undeniably one of the hottest trends in brewing in 2009 and I’m guessing it will only grow hotter in the year to come.
Blogging at World of Beer 
This was one of my favorite trends. Barrel aged beers are still tragically difficult to find when I want one, so I hope the trend continues and we reach a time when there is always an option or two available on the shelves of my local stores.
Happy Holidays!
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