[brwrsboo]

Has anyone tried this latest offering from NB?

[brwrsboo]

Has anyone tried this latest offering from NB?

[joe_meadmaker]

I have, although it was 2-3 weeks ago now.  I remember thinking the mouthfeel was a bit thin and the overall flavor was too sweet.  I wouldn't go as far as to say I didn't like it.  But probably wouldn't drink it again unless someone else was buying

[ethinson]

I tried it recently as a sample at the Asheville Liquid Center.  I got the 8 oz pour since it was boozy and I knew there would be more samples later on the tour.  I enjoyed it.  The bourbon flavor was somewhat subdued since it was aged on spirals rather than in barrels.  It's interesting.

[joe_meadmaker]

aged on spirals rather than in barrels

Is that true?  It seems a little deceiving to call it "bourbon barrel ale".

[ethinson]

aged on spirals rather than in barrels

Is that true?  It seems a little deceiving to call it "bourbon barrel ale".

I know, I was confused about that as well... maybe a portion of it is aged in barrels, I know NB has a massive barrel program, but on the label and their own website it says:

"A limited-edition collaboration between New Belgium and Knob Creek, Oakspire is a unique bourbon barrel ale aged with bourbon-steeped oak spirals and char from inside the barrel. Smooth notes of toffee, vanilla and caramel wrap up with a pleasantly warm finish. Oakspire: Where innovation meets tradition."

And under "Special Processing"

"Bourbon soaked oak spirals and char from more than 4,000 used Knob Creek bourbon barrels"

Maybe the spirals and char went into NB's own barrels and then the beer on top of that? It's not really clear.

[Robert]

aged on spirals rather than in barrels

Is that true?  It seems a little deceiving to call it "bourbon barrel ale".

Heard about Trillium getting outed for pouring tequila in the kegs and selling it as "tequila barrel aged?"

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[jeffy]

aged on spirals rather than in barrels

Is that true?  It seems a little deceiving to call it "bourbon barrel ale".

I know, I was confused about that as well... maybe a portion of it is aged in barrels, I know NB has a massive barrel program, but on the label and their own website it says:

"A limited-edition collaboration between New Belgium and Knob Creek, Oakspire is a unique bourbon barrel ale aged with bourbon-steeped oak spirals and char from inside the barrel. Smooth notes of toffee, vanilla and caramel wrap up with a pleasantly warm finish. Oakspire: Where innovation meets tradition."

And under "Special Processing"

"Bourbon soaked oak spirals and char from more than 4,000 used Knob Creek bourbon barrels"

Maybe the spirals and char went into NB's own barrels and then the beer on top of that? It's not really clear.

My local regional brewery, Cigar City, is using a device they call a spin bot to infuse different flavors into the beer.  I think they could put the previously used bourbon barrel staves into that and then circulate the beer through it until they extract the desired flavor.  Much faster than actual barrel aging.  Maybe that’s what Oakspire is doing.

[joe_meadmaker]

aged on spirals rather than in barrels

Is that true?  It seems a little deceiving to call it "bourbon barrel ale".

Heard about Trillium getting outed for pouring tequila in the kegs and selling it as "tequila barrel aged?"

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I did.  And their cuts on employee wages.  Those guys are in a real big PR mess.

[reverseapachemaster]

Not barrel aged but it is honest that they are using pieces of genuine bourbon barrels to make the beer. It would be deceptive if they described it as barrel aged but not deceptive to simply describe what was added to the beer.

This is different from Trillium allegedly straight adding tequila to a beer and calling it a tequila barrel aged beer. It's also illegal to fortify beer by adding spirits directly to a beer which is also a substantial difference between this NB beer and the allegations about Trillium.

[Robert]

I see this being as honest as possible.  "Barrel aged" means "aged inside the barrel," and they didn't say that.   If you say "cocoa nib porter" or "hibiscus blossom lager" it suggests that those ingredients were inside a vessel at some point.  Bourbon barrel, in little pieces, was in fact in there, so "bourbon barrel ale."  Any more precise description would not be concise enough for the main text on the label.   As long is it's in the fine print somewhere,  I'd  say it's not misleading.  I seem to recall plenty of beers "aged on wood," not "in wood."  Indeed,  the Trillium allegation is of a very different nature.  I brought it up to make, by contrast, precisely the point that NB is not being deceptive.

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[brwrsboo]

Thanks for all the info guys.  I finally drank the one I had in the fridge. I agree with some of your assessments, and disagree with others, but overall I enjoyed the beer very much.