Barrel Aging Beer: What Does It Do?

You may have noticed certain beers are advertised as barrel-aged. Most barrel-aged beers are aged in various spirit barrels, wine barrels or even just plain wooden barrels, mostly oak. But what does aging a beer in a barrel actually do? Co-owner Collin Zreet explores the history and techniques of barrel-aged beers.

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Don't Be Bitter, Have A Sour Beer

“Sour beer” seems to be fairly polarizing: you either like it or you don’t. Even fewer people really know what they are getting when they do order it, or even that there are several different varieties out there. In honor of Zwanze Day and the new traditional Lambic and farmhouse ale options available in The Back Room at Funky Picnic, we are diving further into the very broad category of “sour beers”.

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BeerCollin Zreetbeer, sour, tart
Cool Cans Across Texas

In the whirlwind world of Texas craft beer, it takes real skill to stand out. Customers don’t often think about ‘packaging design’, but they do notice a cool can. These are some of the best designs we could find across the state of Texas.

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BeerAlex Lopezbeer, cans, art
Dispelling Beer Myths: IPA

Every time you order an IPA, most craft beer lovers will love to recite to you the romantic notion of how the ‘India Pale Ale’ came to be. Not to burst anyone’s bubble, but the true story behind IPA is a lot less romantic and is really just a chain of fortuitous events. Here we will break down the common myth of the story of IPA and show how the style really came to be.

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BeerCollin Zreetbeer, IPA, hops
History of the Hamburger

When we think of American foods, one of the first that comes to mind is the hamburger. Nothing hits the spot quite like that scrumptious concoction of beef, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles, and a nice bun. In honor of Burger Week, I will take you on a journey through the creation of the hamburger and its surprisingly storied origins.

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