Sankt Gallen Releases Rum Barrel-Aged Imperial Chocolate Stout “Nine Lives”

Sankt Gallen has produced what is claimed to be the first rum barrel-aged beer in Japan. A year ago, they filled a barrel with their Valentine seasonal-release Imperial Chocolate Stout (8.5% abv) and are now preparing the aged version of it for keg-only release at bars which normally carry their products. Its first tapping was at a Feb. 25 event at La Cachette in Tokyo, Kagurazaka.

This is a beer to get excited about. ICS is a rich, strong imperial stout that achieves chocolate flavors solely through the use of malt, without any additives. When fresh, it is surprisingly hoppy and also strong, and so it makes a perfect candidate for aging in the barrel. The brewer mentions that the barrel adds hints of dried fruits as well as rum to the chocolate flavors. (For more on chocolate beers in Japan, click here)

While a number of craft brewers in Japan have been experimenting with small-batch barrel aged beers over the past few years, their number is still quite limited. This is partly because of the difficulty of getting used spirits or wine barrels here. Wouldn’t it be nice if such beers were produced in greater numbers, and in greater amounts so they are a bit easier to find once they are released? We can only hope! (Information from Nihon Keizai Shinbun, Feb 23, 2018.)

from Prof. Mark Meli, author of Craft Beer in Japan: the Essential Guide