Four Roses, New Belgium Once Again Collaborate to Release Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale

New Belgium and Four Roses have once again collaborated tolaunch Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale. (Photo: New Belgium)

New Belgium Brewing and Four Roses Distillery on Tuesday announced the return of Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale, a beer brewed using a proprietary infusion method that imbues flavors from bourbon-steeped charred oak in the ale.

“We’re beyond excited to collaborate with the Four Roses team to bring Oakspire to life again in 2022,” Jared Spagnola, specialty brand manager at New Belgium Brewing, said in a news release. “Demand was so high for this beer in 2021, we spent all year collecting every last bit of Four Roses char we could so that we’d have more Oakspire in market for consumers to enjoy. Trust us, whether you’re a fan of bourbon or beer, you’ll want to get a taste of Oakspire before it’s gone.”

The beer is aged in stainless steel vessels along with a mix of oak chips from Four Roses bourbon barrels and oak spirals that were toasted and soaked in Four Roses Bourbon by a barrel maker in Minnesota.

The bourbon barrel ale contains 9% ABV; Nugget and Sabro Hops; and Pale, Munich Caramel 80, Rye and Roasted Barley malts. The brands describe the beer’s color as deep amber and its tasting notes as “notes of toffee, vanilla, caramel, and hints of coconut and dark fruit.”

“After the success of last year’s collaboration, we were thrilled to come together again with New Belgium to re-release Oakspire, created for beer and bourbon lovers alike,” said Four Roses Chief Operating Officer Ryan Ashley. “The care that New Belgium takes into brewing each beer mirrors our commitment in crafting Four Roses Bourbon. We hope that drinkers taste that with every sip of Oakspire.”

Marketed as “THE beer for bourbon lovers,” Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale will be available for purchase at select retailers across the country. Oakspire will also be available to taste at Four Rose Distillery’s Visitor’s Center in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, later this year.

New Belgium first released Oakspire in 2018.

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