Revolution’s Barrel-Aged Beers Move to Cans
08.10.17
Aug. 11, 2017 — CHICAGO, IL — After several years of sales in 22 ounce bottles, Revolution Brewing is moving its sought-after Deep Wood Series of barrel-aged brews into 4‑packs of 12 ounce cans. Over three months from November to January, Revolution will release eight different varieties of strong beers aged in bourbon, rye and cognac barrels with expected retail pricing ranging from $25 to $35. The new packs will be sold first at release parties at the Tap Room (3340 N. Kedzie Ave.) followed by a market-wide release of some brands the next week at select beer stores.
“We are making this change to give consumers better value per ounce compared to the bomber and bring down the container size so it is more suitable for individual enjoyment.” notes Jim Cibak, Revolution’s Head Brewer. “Most people aren’t looking to drink 22 ounces of barrel aged beer one sitting, so now we can give them 4 cans to enjoy when they feel like it and also share with their friends.”
The first three beers to be released are Deth’s Tar, a 14.8% ABV imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels and two variants. Café Deth which is steeped with coffee beans and Deth By Cherries which is being packaged for the first time and will be exclusively available at the Tap Room.
In September, Revolution will install a new 40-head can filler and seamer which is currently being built by KHS USA in Waukesha, Wisconsin. This is part of a $2M upgrade to the canning line underway to improve quality and increase capacity. A flash pasteurizer is also being installed to ensure the quality of the barrel aged beer, which spend an average of one year aging in wood barrels. “Barrel-aged beer is the pinnacle of the brewer’s art and our brew crew has invested a lot of time to build a great program with some very special beers coming this winter” notes Cibak. “We are also excited to include VSOD (Very Special Old Deth) as part of December’s release, a version of Deth’s Tar that has aged two years in the barrel and will come out in December.”
For more details, check out Josh Noel’s piece in the Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/…
Deep Wood Series FAQs
1. What beers are part of the 2017 Deep Wood Series and when will they be released?
- November 17th & 18th — Deth’s Tar, Cafe Deth, Deth by Cherries
- December 8th — Ryeway to Heaven, VSOD
- January 12th — Straight Jacket, Mineshaft Gap, Double Barrel VSOD
2. Will the 2017 Deep Wood Series be widely available?
All 8 Deep Wood beers will be sold at the Revolution Production Brewery (3340 N. Kedzie Ave.). Distribution plans will be communicated during the week following each release party.
3. Where will Deep Wood Series cans be available for purchase?
All Deep Wood Series beers will be released at the Revolution Tap Room, followed by limited distribution of Deth’s Tar, Cafe Deth, VSOD and Straight Jacket to select retail accounts.
4. Will there be a release party for each of the release dates for each Deep Wood Series?
Yes. We will be releasing all 8 beers over the course of 3 release parties
5. What size cans will the Deep Wood Series beers be packaged in? How many cans come in a pack?
All Deep Wood beers will be in 4‑packs of 12 ounce cans.
6. Why did Revolution decide to make the switch from 22oz. bottles to cans?
We are making this change to give consumers better value per ounce, compared to the 22oz. bottle, and to bring down the container size to accommodate individual enjoyment.
7. What will the cost be?
At the Revolution Tap Room, costs will range between $25-$35, depending on the beer.
8. Why do the barrel-aged beers cost more this year?
While the price is higher for the package, we are providing a significant improvement in cost per ounce for our most familiar Deep Wood Series beers: Deth’s Tar, Ryeway to Heaven, and Straight Jacket. Additionally, the new format and price allows us to provide up to 4 consumption occasions per package, instead of 1.
9. Why are there two days for the Deth’s Tar release party?
We decided to add a second day to the Deth’s Tar party to help spread out the crowds and make everyone’s experience more enjoyable. Adding a weekend day will also give our fans outside of Chicago a better opportunity to attend the event.
10. What if you run out of a beer after the 1st day of Deth’s Tar?
We will be allocating half of our Deth’s Tar and variants to each day to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to purchase.
11. How long will each Deep Wood Series beer be available for?
Availability will be determined by the turnout at the release parties. We are unable to guarantee how long each beer will remain available for sale.
12. Is there a purchasing limit at release parties?
Purchase limits will be determined at the time of the release.
13. Will the release parties have draft-only variants?
Yes. Draft-only variants will be announced the week before each release party.
14. Will the same variants be available for both days of Deth’s Tar?
Yes. Will will allocate quantities of each variant for both days of the Deth’s Tar release.
15. Are the recipes of any Deep Wood Series beers changing?
No.
16. What size cans will the Deep Wood Series beers be packaged in?
12 oz cans, sold in 4 packs
17. Will the new packaging affect the taste?
We expect quality to increase with the move to cans since we can fill them with less oxygen or TPO (Total Package Oxygen) in the package.
18. Will the change of packaging affect the shelf life of Deep Wood Series?
All of our Deep Wood Series beers are already aged for 6–24 months before we package and sell them so they do not need additional aging and we do not recommend saving these for beers for years. Drink them! With the move to cans, we expect the quality and shelf life to increase since we will fill the cans with less dissolved oxygen than our 22 oz. bottle filler.
19. Will pasteurization affect the shelf life of the Deep Wood Series?
Pasteurizing these beers is a new adventure for us, but we believe it is the right thing to do to ensure extended quality for these beers that age in wood for months. The flash pasteurization method we are using should not significantly affect the taste and will increase the shelf life of the beer.
20. Will cans affect how the flavors evolve over time?
We have tasted many beers aged over a year in cans and have not tasted any major flavor changes other than the beer aging normally. Again, we do not recommend long-aging of these beers as they have already been aged 6–24 months in the barrel and are ready to drink now.