New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, Colorado) has officially announced that Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale, a Limited Edition offering brewed in collaboration with Knob Creek Distillery (Clermont, Kentucky), will begin hitting shelves and taps in mid-September 2018.

Brewed to showcase “Knob Creek and New Belgium’s shared passion for innovation and dedication to hard-earned flavor”, Oakspire is “an entirely new style of bourbon barrel ale” that employs the use of “a steel, missile-shaped vessel” that New Belgium’s engineers created to act as “a delivery system where Knob Creek Bourbon-soaked oak spirals and char from used Knob Creek Bourbon barrels [mingle] with – and [add] robust flavors to – New Belgium’s high rye ale.”  Thanks to this new technique, the beer is allowed to pick up “sweet brown sugar and caramel notes” from the char and “flavors of oak and spice” from a “custom blend” of oak spirals that were “toasted in varying degrees.” This all results in a “beautiful, full-flavored” Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale (9% ABV) that boasts “notes of caramel, vanilla and toasted oak.”

“We could have simply barrel-aged some ale, or rested beer on barrel staves, but that wouldn’t have given us the amazing freshness and flavor of Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale,” said Ross Koenigs, Research and Development Brewer at New Belgium. “Our Brewhouse team likes to say that we didn’t just develop a custom extraction technology, but rather, a beer-flavoring ‘missile,’ and we’re thrilled to present our newest, innovative venture with the launch of Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale.”

Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale will officially release in mid-September and hang around as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Special Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, and throughout the rest of New Belgium’s nationwide distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale from New Belgium Brewing

Release – Limited/Special, mid-September 2018
Style – Rye Beer
ABV – 9%
IBUs – 20
Malts – Pale, Munich, Caramel 80, Rye & Roasted Barley
Hops – Nugget & HBC 472
Yeast – Ale
Special Ingredients – Knob Creek Bourbon soaked oak spirals & char from used Knob Creek Bourbon barrels
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.newbelgium.com/beer/finder/