New Belgium Brewing and Four Roses Bourbon announced the 2021 release of Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale – a beer brewed using a custom-built, proprietary infusion method which pulls flavors from bourbon-steeped charred oak and marries it with a malty amber ale. 

First released by New Belgium in 2018, Oakspire became a favorite among beer and bourbon lovers alike.  This year, the brewery collaborated with Four Roses Bourbon to invent a brewing process that would represent the absolute best of both beverages.

To create Oakspire, over the course of a year, Four Roses collects charred oak chips from inside their bourbon barrels as they are emptied. These oak chips contain caramelized wood sugars, which add notes of brown sugar, caramel, and toffee, and add color to the whiskey while it ages. Next, a barrel maker in Minnesota toasts a custom blend of oak spirals which are then soaked in Four Roses’ bourbon.

Meanwhile, New Belgium’s brewing engineers construct a series of custom, stainless steel vessels to hold the charred oak and wood spirals. New Belgium’s high-rye base ale then circulates through the vessels during maturation, infusing the flavor from the charred oak and bourbon-soaked spirals, resulting in a one-of-a-kind bourbon ale with a cult following. 

The beer is brewed with Pale, Munich, Caramel 80, Rye and Roasted Barley, then hopped with Nugget and Sabro. The resulting ABV is 9%.

Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale is available for purchase at select retailers across the country.  For more information on Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale, visit newbelgium.com.