All About Beer Magazine

I recently gave a presentation at the National Homebrewers Conference in San Diego on aging beer on exotic wood, which covered Spanish cedar—they use it to construct the humidor boxes to age cigars and they also use it in the construction of cigar inserts. I also discussed lemon and grapefruit wood aging in the Dos Costas Oeste project we’re doing in collaboration with The Bruery out of Placentia, CA. [“Two West Coasts,” since both breweries are on the west coasts of their respective states.]

Do the woods have some of the character of their respective fruits?

They do, but they’re muted. One of the things I like about them is that they can add tart and sour flavors to the beer without actually having to use wild yeast like Brettanomyces or Lactobacillus bacteria, so you don’t have to worry about infections in the brewhouse, or having to isolate things. And the pick-up time is much shorter. It just gives you a few more options without having to get stressed and pull your hair out.

I know that cedar is traditional in sake aging. Apart from Dogfish Head using palo santo wood, I haven’t heard of anyone experimenting with other woods besides oak. Are you a lone pioneer?

I’m pretty sure there are other people that are using this wood. The Hitachino classic ale is not the same wood—that’s actually cedar. What we use is called Spanish cedar, scientific name Cedrela, but it’s actually a type of mahogany. I don’t know of anyone else using it on a commercial level. But last year’s NHC [National Homebrewing Competition] winner came down here to our brewery and we gave him wood spirals and he ended up winning for his Spanish cedar-aged IPA.

What does Spanish cedar add to a beer?

You get white grapefruit, cedar wood, white pepper, a slight clove note and more nuances. You have to taste it for yourself. Those four are the main flavors.