When aging your beer in a barrel, the beer will absorb some of the various chemical compounds present in the wood, such as lactones (which provide floral aromas and flavors, and sometimes even coconut), phenolic aldehydes (vanilla), and the simple sugars (caramel).
Simply so, can you age barrel-aged beer?
Barrel–aged sours and rauchbiers are lower ABV but can age beautifully. Beers that shouldn’t be cellared: Any beers with hop-forward characteristics, such as IPAs and Pale Ales. Most lagers and session beers are also poor candidates for aging and should be consumed fresh.
Furthermore, how is barrel-aged beer made?
Lambics are fermented and aged in wooden barrels similar to those used to ferment wine. The microflora from the wood contribute to a spontaneous fermentation and brewing activity was concentrated on the colder months of the year to avoid spoilage.