Which of the two Four Roses Barrel-Aged Beers is Our Favorite?

Beer fans look forward to the annual release of Black Ops Barrel Aged Stout from Brooklyn Brewery, which is aged in ex-Four Roses Bourbon casks. Though I love basic stouts more than Russian Imperials or barrel-aged iterations, I still love all stouts, and this is a great one. That a Four Roses barrel is used for that extra aging is a bonus.

Created in 2007 as a "secret" holiday gift for staffers, the "secret" got out quickly enough that it became a commercial line extension in 2008. When offered a 16-ounce sample of it this year, I didn't hesitate to accept.

In 2018, New Belgium Brewing created its own Four Roses Bourbon barrel-aged ale and named it Oakspire. I'd never heard of it until I was offered a press sample, and logically, I accepted and began planning a taste-off between the two beers. To ensure I had a delicious whiskey reference point for the contest, the Black Ops can arrived with a 375ml bottle of Four Roses Small Batch. My kind of cold-weather press samples!

Some details on how these beers get their bourbon accents

According to New Belgium's website, Oakspire uses charred oak chips collected from used Four Roses barrels and combines them with toasted oak spirals that are soaked in Four Roses’ bourbon. But since brewers are clever and industrious, the crew at New Belgium constructed a series of custom stainless-steel vessels to hold the charred oak and wood spirals. They then infused the high-rye base ale with bourbon and oak notes by moving the beer through those holding vessels.

Brooklyn Brewing's website shares a decidedly simpler flavor infusion process for Back Ops. "Supposedly this vintage of Black Ops is aged for months in Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon barrels. Such a beer would combine big chocolate and coffee notes with a rich underpinning of vanilla-like oak."

And since that's all they say about that, let's get to the tasting!

Oakspire

On the nose, the bourbon influence isn't perceptible, but its yeast and fruit notes are not only terrific, they make me crave great pizza. On the palate, this is a classic ale with a small dose of oak. But had I not known about its infusion process, I doubt I'd have picked up on much else than the wood influences. When it comes to actual bourbon influence, this is a light touch.

Black Ops

On the nose, there's no question that oak and whiskey aromas are present, and especially wet oak, but neither dominates the abundant roasted malt notes that form the character of this imperial stout.

On the palate it's rich-rich without being cloying or stomach filling. If you sip this one over 30 minutes and maybe even 45, it will share much more of its flavor creation story.

Four Roses Small Batch + Each Beer

To give the bourbon a fighting chance, I tasted it first, then followed with each beer.

FRSB + Oakspire

Tasting the whiskey and following it with beer did not work. Neither tasted great in that order. But once switched around to Oakspire + FRSB, I liked it much more as a nod to a beer-and-a-shot-like combo. Finishing with the bourbon itself leaves it even more silken than when sipped on its own.

FRSB + Black Ops

This is a fantastic combo, one that I'd like to do at a pairing dinner with grilled pork, beef, sausages or vegetables. Flipping it to Black Ops + FRSB, the whiskey doesn't stand a chance. The deep and rich malt character takes hold of the palate and doesn't let go. If it weren't 1:42 p.m. on a workday, I might crack an FR single barrel–just for the sake of science–to see if that backs the beer off, but there's a lot of workday left to indulge in such a boozy adventure.

If I were to choose which beer I liked most, it's Black Ops. The bourbon barrel influence is more profound, and the beer is just so wonderfully rich. Though the barrel influence on the Oakspire is there, it's not as influential. But it does add some softness and roundness to an otherwise pleasantly spicy ale. Both beers, though, are high-quality pours that are worthy buys. Check 'em out if you can find them.