New Belgium And Four Roses Collaborate On Bourbon Beer

New Belgium Brewing and Four Roses Bourbon today announced the highly anticipated 2023 release of Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale – a pioneering, and highly distinctive beer brewed using a custom-built, proprietary infusion method which pulls flavors from bourbon-steeped charred oak and marries it with a malty sweet, deep amber ale. Featuring new bold, premium packaging, Oakspire is back in its tastiest rendition yet.

First released by New Belgium in 2018, Oakspire quickly became a favorite among beer and bourbon lovers alike. This year, seeking to up the ante with innovation and world-class bourbon flavors, the brewery collaborated with Four Roses Bourbon, known for their smooth, fruit forward and slightly spicy bourbons, to invent a brewing process that would represent the best of both beverages.

“As we bring back our collaboration with Four Roses, Oakspire returns with new packaging that offers the consumer a premium experience,” said Jared Spagnola, Emerging Brands Manager at New Belgium Brewing. “Every year as we approach the holidays, we look forward to Oakspire season. Whether you’re a beer or bourbon fan, it’s the perfect complement for slowing down with family & friends.”

How exactly are those signature flavors extracted? To start, 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 world-class 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 stunning, one-of-a-kind bourbon ale with a cult following.

“Four Roses and New Belgium make for great partners because we both are committed to our craft and our own processes, and New Belgium’s innovative approach brings the result of our individual crafts together perfectly,” said Four Roses Chief Operating Officer, Ryan Ashley. “Oakspire takes a different approach from the traditional bourbon barrel ale that brings the rich Four Roses flavor notes forward in quite a remarkable way.”