Oskar Blues Brewery’s barrel-aged series returns in 2021 with BA21 Volume 5 (13.3% ABV). This gigantic bourbon barrel-aged stout, infused with a custom coffee roast and premium vanilla, is now available for a limited time in select markets on draft and in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans.
In 2020, Oskar Blues introduced BA20, a series of limited release barrel-aged beers infused with ultra premium ingredients. Brewers experimented with innovative flavor and barrel combinations with Volumes 1-4 from bourbon, almonds and vanilla to rum and pistachios. BA21 carries the project into 2021 with Volume 5 leading the charge and additional entries to follow in the fall.
For Volume 5, the Oskar Blues team worked alongside Corvus Coffee Roasters in Denver to hand select a custom coffee blend featuring three distinct roasts to supercharge the massive bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. Then they went all-in adding premium vanilla beans to enhance the chocolate and vanilla notes found in the coffee. The result is a supremely well-rounded barrel-aged imperial stout with toasty oak, roasty coffee and smooth vanilla.
“This is the most well-rounded barrel-aged beer we have ever produced,” said Sara Laurenti, Director of Brewery Operations for Oskar Blues Brewery. “The charred oak bourbon barrels we used naturally infused the imperial stout with vanilla and roasty flavors over a nine month rest time. We selected a coffee roast to amp those flavors up and vanilla beans to take it over the top.”
Continuing the tradition established with BA20, Oskar Blues collaborated with an independent artist to create unique can designs for BA21 Volumes 5-7. Roman Rusinov (romanrusinov.com) lives in Brevard, NC, just a few miles from Oskar Blues’ easternmost brewery. His designs feature eccentric vehicles combining McGyver-like backwoods engineering with the outdoor sports Oskar Blues is obsessed with. BA21 Vol. 5 shows a mountain-ready, bike-packing unicycle tricked out with a telescoping fishing rod and plenty of space for beer.
“The task for me behind BA21 was to highlight beer ingredients using my so-called scrap-tech style of illustration,” said Rusinov. “These sketches show some odd piece of machinery or transportation that is sprinkled with some crazy add-ons like snow tracks on a moped. There is nothing like getting your art on a beer can.”
BA21 Volume 5 is now available in select markets for a limited time in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans. It will be available in cans and on draft at Oskar Blues taprooms in Colorado and North Carolina. More information on BA21 Volumes 6 and 7 will be released in the fall of 2021.
Terry Bunch
Raymond
