Goose Island’s John Laffler is expanding into a former Chicago auto-body shop and will quadruple the size of their barrel program in 2012.
Just around the corner is Laffler's newest space: a former auto body shop Goose Island recently took over to expand its barrel program as part of brewmaster emeritus Greg Hall's plan to develop more high-end, sour beers.
"We already have the largest barrel program of a brewery in the U.S., so we'll be quadrupling it this year," Laffler said, adding the program produced 1,200 to 1,500 barrels last year.
Laffler said this type of brewing is relatively recent, with wine barrels in use for about six to eight years and bourbon barrels for 10 or so years.
"Breweries don't do this, not on this scale, because there is so much unknown," Laffler said. "You're always trying to be on the cutting edge of what you know and what you don't know. That's where interesting things happen and where cool beers come out of. But it's kind of nerve-racking.
Full Story from Chicago Tribune
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