In any given brewery taproom across Milwaukee, or the entire country for that matter, you are bound to find at least one barrel of aged beer to taste. For Kyle Vetter and his team at 1840 Brewing Company, barrel-aged beer is more than just a menu item. 1840’s craft is built on barrel-aged beers, the artistic blend of oak and suds defining their existence and driving their success.
Upon entering the taproom at this “Urban farmhouse brewery,” in Bay View, it’s hard to miss the ever-growing stack of oak barrels in the back of the brewery. 1840 buys new barrels from barrel suppliers like Milwaukee’s own “Barrel Broker,” (learn more at www.barrelbroker.com) where barrels often come from a distillery or winery after a generation of wine or spirits have finished aging in the vessel. Occasionally, Kyle and his team will get barrels that formerly hosted tequila or even maple syrup. In selecting such barrels, there is a method to their madness—each barrel is used as an ingredient, adding bold or nuanced flavors and aromas to recipes that ultimately manifest themselves as the suds you sip in their taproom.
The barrel-aging process lasts anywhere from a few months to a few years. Initially, because of the limited supply, the only way to guarantee a taste of the beer coming out of 1840 was to join their VIP program. For most of their first year in business, the brewery was open four days a month, three of those days being for VIP members only. The third day was open to the public, offering the leftover supply from the VIP releases.
Naturally, throughout that first year, word spread about 1840 beers—they were authentically crafted in a way nobody else was owning as their core style. Following their first release, Kyle and his team have continued to crank out flavors that craft beer fans simply cannot find anywhere else. Whether it is the endless fruit additions they incorporate or the army of barrels they cycle through their brewery, it doesn’t really matter—their beer is undeniably delicious.
Since building a rock solid reputation for killer beers along with a loyal community all in year one, 1840 has changed their model. Nowadays, they are open every week Thursday to Sunday, with Thursday being the only day dedicated to their VIP members. They are now able to offer beers to the public every Friday through Sunday for two main reasons: first of which being that 1840 started occasionally brewing beers in traditional metal tanks, which has a shorter brewing period and secondly, more and more of their barrel aged beers are reaching maturity, meaning they’re ready to enjoy!
If you run through 1840’s impressive inventory of barrel-aged beer selections since their opening, you will quickly gather that barrel-aging is an artistic process with shades of science delicately weaved in. As previously mentioned, even the barrel is an ingredient. But unlike most recipe ingredients, the barrel can be somewhat unpredictable, often yielding flavors that nobody could’ve expected. That one-of-a-kind result is exactly what makes barrel aging and 1840 so appealing—every batch is exclusive and you may never taste something identical ever again.
This is abundantly evident in one of 1840’s most recent beers, which immediately catches your eye with an alien-like blue color. “Sea Foam,” is a fruited kettle sour brewed with blue spirulina, pineapple, passion fruit and lactose. Coming in at 5% ABV, the only thing more astonishing than the colorful appearance is the irresistible tropical flavor that makes your taste buds dance for days.
Currently, 1840 has ran out of their Sea Foam supply due to an overwhelming demand for the unique beer. But don’t fret—Kyle and his team assured they will release another rendition in the near future, likely packing an even bigger tropical punch than the prior batch. While we wait, there are always plenty of new, artistic, barrel-aged releases available at their Bay View taproom.
1840 Brewing Company
324 E Ward St
Milwaukee, WI 53207
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