CA Governor Jerry Brown Decides Barrel-Aged Beers Are NOT Spirits

Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed a bill supported by Democrats and Republicans that ensures certain microbrews will be licensed, regulated and labeled as "beer" throughout California.

The measure applies to beers aged in wooden barrels that previously held wine or other spirits, a Belgian-style brewing process that the state’s craft beer industry has embraced with gusto.

The bill’s sponsor, the California Craft Brewers Assn., feared that because the beers receive some of their flavor from the alcohol in the wood they could be considered distilled spirits — and thus taxed at a higher rate.