Brewing beer proved more enticing than practicing law for Patrick Rue, founder of California’s The Bruery. Upon graduating from law school, the award-winning homebrewer chose to jump into the (then) risky business of brewing. To make matters even more difficult, he chose to focus on 750ml bottles of Belgian-style beers rather than packaging formats or styles more familiar to American beer drinkers.
But time, and a growing sophistication in American beer drinkers, worked in his favor, and today The Bruery is known for creative and boundary-pushing beers primarily aged in wine and spirits barrels. Some of their most well-respected and highly-rated beer never makes it to store shelves, sold instead through their three-tiered society program (modeled on similar programs pioneered by wineries), but that hasn’t stopped their barrel-aged imperial stouts such as Black Tuesday, Gray Monday, and Chocolate Rain from winning awards and drawing huge crowds at the rare-beer festivals where they’re served.
So what beers does Rue, the eighth certified Master Cicerone, grab when he’s not drinking one of his own? Here’s the six pack he assembled.