New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
HE’S CRAFTY
BREWER IS ROLLING UP MAJOR PRAISE FOR HIS BARREL-AGED STOUTS
When Jason Stein became a craft beer fan, he was quickly drawn to the dark side. “There was an array of dark beers coming out of Michigan when I was in college that really kind of gravitated me toward barrel-aged stouts,” he says.
He fell in love with beers such as Goose Island’s Bourbon County and Black Note from Bell’s Brewery, varieties that had been aged like wine in whiskey and bourbon and other barrels from distilleries. During the aging process, the barrels’ intense flavors seep into the beer, adding complexity and richness of tastes.
Several years later, living in New York City and working at a public accounting firm, Stein began homebrewing and writing about beer as a freelancer for publications such as Paste and Hop Culture. Once again he was drawn to dark and barrel-aged beers. “I purchased bourbon barrels from Kings County Distilling which is out of Brooklyn,” he says.
He tweaked his recipes and sought advice from friends and professionals he
knew in the industry, honing his craft. A few years back, he was approached by one of the owners of Twelve Percent Beer Project in North Haven, a brewing collective consisting of about a dozen breweries that share a facility but operate as separate brands and businesses. Stein launched Timber Ales out of Twelve Percent Beer in 2019.
Two years into that venture, Stein is making a major splash with his brewing prowess both in Connecticut and beyond. Last year he was named New Brewer of the Year by RateBeer.com, beating out
brewers from across the globe for the prestigious honor. His brewing has also been featured in Forbes.
The reason for this praise becomes clear after a recent sampling. A coffee stout called Morning Shakeouts was brewed in collaboration with Marlowe Artisanel Ales, which also brews out of Twelve Percent Beer. It has a rich velvet mouthfeel with a drinkable smoothness and none of the coffee bitterness that can make some coffee stouts unappealing. I instantly fell in love with it and wanted to get more to keep on hand at my home.
Another strong entry is the Fields of Fall, a seasonal beer brewed with pumpkins and conditioned on cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla beans.
These dark beers may get him the most press and be his focus, but Stein is no slouch when it comes to other styles. Insomniac & Daydream and Surrounded by Silence are both hazy New Englandstyle IPAs with a pillowy mouthfeel that left me craving a couple of four-packs.
As for the secret behind the success of his barrel-aged stouts, Stein says he tries to let the barrel do its job. “I always want to strive for a non-adjunct, barrel-aged beer, so not putting in any coconut or vanilla or anything that would take away from what that barrel is showcasing when beer is added into it,” he says.
However, letting the barrel guide the flavor requires skill and patience. “None of these beers are designed to really be in a barrel less than a year,” he says. “You really just have to kind of pay attention to hear what the beers are telling you.”
Connecticut Magazine.