Making Of The Symposium Ale – Promo from Hop Cast on Vimeo.

Each year, local breweries from the host city of the Craft Brewers Conference join together to craft a Symposium Ale for the conference. The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild came together to make the 2010 Symposium Ale for this year. This Symposium Ale is named Heartwood and is a blend of four different beers. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout is part of the blend, and then three beers brewed by multiple brewers from around the guild, including a Scotch Ale, a Barleywine and an Imperial IPA. All four beers were aged in Woodford Reserve barrels before being blended together and then bottled. Each attendee of the conference (including me!) will receive a bottle of the Symposium Ale.