Like many, Chris Weld recently bought some Sam Adams beer. Unlike anyone, he bought 12,000 gallons of it. That’s because Weld, who founded Berkshire Mountain Distillers in Western Massachusetts in 2007, is going to distill it.
Boston Beer Company, which pro-duces Samuel Adams, effectively launched the craft beer revolution when brewer Jim Koch founded it in 1984. Popular though the brand may be today, it only accounts for one per cent of the US beer market. Weld bought two styles: Samuel Adams Boston Lager, the flagship brand, which distills with a light floral aroma thanks to the hops, and Cinder Block, a hearty, smoky rauchbier. The Lager will go into eight year old Buffalo Trace barrels. Virgin Bourbon barrels and extreme beer barrels will be used to age the rauchbier. Weld expects there will be 1000 nine litre cases when the whiskey is ready. He’s not promising, but he expects launch in 2015.
Boston Beer Company, which pro-duces Samuel Adams, effectively launched the craft beer revolution when brewer Jim Koch founded it in 1984. Popular though the brand may be today, it only accounts for one per cent of the US beer market. Weld bought two styles: Samuel Adams Boston Lager, the flagship brand, which distills with a light floral aroma thanks to the hops, and Cinder Block, a hearty, smoky rauchbier. The Lager will go into eight year old Buffalo Trace barrels. Virgin Bourbon barrels and extreme beer barrels will be used to age the rauchbier. Weld expects there will be 1000 nine litre cases when the whiskey is ready. He’s not promising, but he expects launch in 2015.