To discerning drinkers, oak casks are synonymous with wine, cognac and whiskey. 

But the sight of wooden casks in craft breweries is becoming more commonplace, with brewers keen to impart earthy aromas and smooth the taste of some of their choice beverages. 

Often referred to as 'barley wine' due to their higher alcohol content (normally ranging from 9 to 12 per cent), these oak-aged brews are made from grain and not fruit, and are therefore classified as beers. 

Good barley wine takes on the flavour of the wood, like oak or chestnut, and adopts the character of the barrel's previous tenant, whether it's a fruity nose from the cognac barrel or vanilla from bourbon casks. The ageing process also smooths out the alcohol, drops some bitterness, and adds wine-like complexity because of microorganisms present in the barrels.

With Malta's drinking scene fast becoming increasingly cosmopolitan, a local craft beer importer is now banking on discerning drinkers giving their taste buds a barley wine-themed treat. 

'The Leviathan' is a special release cognac-aged Belgian barley wine produced by experimental brewery Brussels Beer Project. It is the first in the brewery's barrel-aged series.

Just like the biblical big fish it is named after, 'The Leviathan' pulls no punches, with a spokesman for importer Brewhaus describing it as “the champagne of beer”.

"I was immediately struck by the complex tastes in Leviathan and was convinced that the local market would welcome barley wine,” they said.

The modern-day barley wine movement started in the mid-1970s, when an American craft brewer travelled to England and noticed several women at the pub drinking an unfamiliar style of beer.

He learned the drink was an old-style, unpopular ale called a barley wine, associated with little old ladies unwinding after long days of shopping. The ladies went for the stronger brews!

Coming back to the US, with a market awash in lagers, he decided to brew more unpopular brews, including the barley wine which could be left to age. The movement picked up steam as drinkers began seeking different flavour profiles infused into their beers, and has continued growing to become a hot trend in the craft beer scene.

With a more complicated brewing process, a higher chance of contamination and the necessity to blend multiple barrels to achieve a consistent taste, these beers command a higher price. But why settle for plonk when you can reach for the top shelf?