Off Color Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos 4Pk

Off Color Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos 4Pk is a mezcal barrel-aged gose-style sour ale from Off Color Brewing in Chicago, Illinois, at approximately 4.8% ABV. This limited variant takes the brewery’s beloved Beer For Tacos® recipe — already a cult favorite among sour beer drinkers — and layers on smoky, agave-driven complexity from time spent in mezcal barrels.
Quick Facts: ABV: ~4.8%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Mezcal Barrel-Aged Gose  |  Brewery: Off Color Brewing
Production & Heritage
Off Color Brewing operates out of Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, founded with a focus on brewing historically inspired and experimental styles that fall outside the mainstream craft beer conversation. The base Beer For Tacos® is itself a unique construct: it is blended from two separate beers — one fermented with a Belgian yeast strain and spiced with coriander, the other fermented solely with Lactobacillus — then refermented with fresh lime juice. The grain bill includes Pilsner malt, wheat, flaked wheat, and oats, with Nugget hops, Pink Himalayan salt, and coriander rounding out the recipe. For this barrel-aged variant, the blended beer undergoes additional maturation in mezcal barrels, imparting smoky, earthy character that fundamentally transforms the final product.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: Bright, zesty lime greets the nose first, followed by a light saline minerality and a distinct waft of wood smoke from the mezcal barrels. Underneath, subtle coriander spice and faint wheat sweetness round things out.
Taste: The entry is tart and citrus-driven, with lime juice and lactic acidity commanding the palate. At mid-palate, the mezcal barrel influence emerges — smoky, slightly earthy, with a dry agave-like undertone that melds with the Himalayan salt’s gentle brininess. A light wheaty sweetness provides just enough backbone to keep the acidity in check.
Finish: Crisp and dry, with lingering smoke, salt, and a squeeze of citrus that fades cleanly. The finish is surprisingly short and refreshing for a barrel-aged beer, encouraging another sip rather than demanding contemplation.
How to Drink Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos
Pour cold into a tulip glass or wide-mouthed tumbler to capture the smoky aromatics alongside the bright lime character. This beer is built for drinking fresh and cold — it rewards direct, uncomplicated enjoyment. For cocktail-adjacent serves, try a Michelada build using this as the base beer, where the existing salt and lime amplify the classic template. It also works beautifully in a Beer-garita — blended with a splash of tequila and fresh citrus for a hybrid drink that plays off the mezcal barrel notes. A Shandy variation with grapefruit juice highlights the beer’s tartness while softening the smoke.
Best For
Pairing with a taco night spread — carnitas, al pastor, or fish tacos especially
Introducing a sour beer enthusiast to barrel-aged experimentation
Summer cookouts where smoky, tart, low-ABV refreshment is ideal
Gifting to craft beer collectors who seek limited Off Color releases
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos taste like? It delivers a tart, citrus-forward gose profile — lime, salt, and lactic sourness — layered with smoky, earthy character from mezcal barrel aging. The result tastes like a crossover between a classic margarita and a campfire-kissed sour ale.
How does Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos compare to the regular Beer For Tacos? The regular Beer For Tacos is a clean, bright, lime-and-salt gose designed for straightforward refreshment. The barrel-aged variant adds a pronounced smoky dimension and additional dryness from the mezcal barrels, making it more complex and less purely citrus-driven.
Is Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — at roughly 4.8% ABV it is sessionable enough to drink on its own, and the mezcal barrel complexity rewards slower, more attentive sipping compared to the standard version.
Where is Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos made? It is brewed by Off Color Brewing in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Off Color is known for historically rooted and experimental beer styles that deliberately fall outside conventional craft trends.
What foods pair well with Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos? Fish tacos benefit from the lime and salt mirroring a classic squeeze of citrus; carnitas or smoked pork shoulder echo the beer’s barrel-driven smokiness; ceviche shares the bright acidity; grilled street corn (elote) pairs with the salt and coriander notes; and dark chocolate with chili plays off the smoky, tart finish.
What sizes does Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos come in? This release is available as a 4-pack, typically in 12 oz bottles or cans, consistent with Off Color’s standard packaging format.
Is Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos worth the price? It positions as a specialty, limited-release barrel-aged sour, which places it at a premium above the standard Beer For Tacos. For drinkers who value the intersection of mezcal-barrel smoke and bright gose character, it represents a distinctive experience that is difficult to find from other breweries.
Why Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos?
What sets this beer apart is the production method itself — blending two separately fermented beers, referementing with lime, and then aging in mezcal barrels is a multi-step process few breweries attempt for a sub-5% ABV ale. The mezcal barrel component is not an afterthought; it reshapes the beer’s identity, adding smoke and terroir that transform an already distinctive gose into something closer to a drinkable cocktail. Off Color’s reputation for brewing outside the lines gives this release credibility as a genuine experiment rather than a gimmick. For anyone who has worn out the standard lime-and-salt gose template and wants something with more dimension, this barrel-aged expression delivers exactly that.