EPOCHAL BARREL FERMENTED ALES

This month we have a trio of unique barrel-aged ales from a brewery that focuses on a style of ale that was popular in the late 19th century: Stock Ales.  While pale ales have always had a young fresh style, there was a time when these beers would also be brewed for the express purpose of aging.  Originally a way to take advantage of cheap grain prices, they would brew large amounts of ale from cheap malted barley and put them in large vats to sell later when barley prices went up, allowing them to charge more for the beer than the younger pale ale designed for fresh consumption made from the more expensive grain.  While a little rough young, these beers will soften and become more palatable with age, usually around a year, eventually leading to some acquiring a taste for the older ales.

Epochal originally started as a hobby.  Gareth Young fell in love with both philosophy and brewing, initially pursuing a career in abstract academic philosophy while homebrewing on the side.  Slowly, Gareth became disillusioned with the grind of academia and in 2015, after winning the national UK homebrewing championship and receiving a £5,000 cash prize, he took the plunge and pursued brewing professionally.  Utilizing a combination of local barley, mixed fermentation, and extended aging in oak, Gareth makes distinct ales that combine the best of modern craft brewing with traditional techniques. Gareth’s background in abstract academic philosophy is apparent in Epochal’s house style: from the esoteric names of the beers to the approach of updating old traditions, and the bewildering knowledge of brewing heritage that complements the modern techniques at the brewery. Each beer is unique, complex and carefully crafted—rooted in the past yet firmly in the present.

Slàinte! 

Plumpjack Wine & Spirits