Bourbon Barrel Ale - This is a general style that describes any beer that has been aged in a used bourbon barrel. The bourbon that has soaked into the wood during the bourbon making process seeps into the beer that is aging in this used barrel, giving it notes of the bourbon that it previously contained. The charred oak also usually gives the beer a character of vanilla and caramel. The original style of the beer will determine how much of the bourbon and oak character is displayed by the beer. Example: KY Bourbon Barrel Ale.