Barrel exchanges are growing increasingly popular in Florida, and Jacksonville’s Engine 15 Brewing is bringing this popular idea to The River City. In the exchange, a craft brewery will receive barrels from a distillery that has previously held a spirit. That barrel will then be used to age a beer from the brewery and sent back to the distillery to house a new round of spirit. The exchange then continues and tasteful products continue to emerge into local markets.
This partnership involves Engine 15 Brewing and Marlin & Barrel Distilling of Fernandina Beach. According to the Jacksonville Business Journal, the specific barrels that Engine 15 will receive previously held whiskeys. “Engine 15 will be able to repurpose them for their beers. The barrels will then be used to create a line of whiskey and beer barreled rums. Engine 15’s partnership with the distillery will also involve the production of AppleJack, a liquor made from barrel-aged apple brandy. Engine 15 and Marlin & Barrel will be the first to market AppleJack in the area.”
While this is great news for Engine 15 fans, the article also hints at other possible brewery/distillery partnerships in the ever-developing Jacksonville area, as well as a great picture tour of the new Engine 15 Brewing Company production facility.