Barrel Aged

Founders KBS Doubled Oaked added to series

Founders KBS Double Oaked joins the Kentucky Breakfast lineup this spring.

Founders KBS Double Oaked is a robust addition to Founders’ Kentucky Breakfast Stout lineup, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout arriving in spring 2024.

READ MORE: FOUNDERS KBS SERIES

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Posted in Coming Soon, Headlines, New Holland Brewing

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Rolls a d20 with more Dungeons & Dragons releases

New Holland Brewing & Distilling Co. is expanding its Dungeons & Dragons collaboration lineup this November, continuing to prove that beer and dragons (and dungeons) is a perfect match.

The Michigan brewery announced this week that both D20 Brew and Mead Cask Bourbon will return to shelves starting November 8, each packaged with enough dragon-themed collectibles to make your quest rewards even more desirable.

This marks the latest chapter in what is officially a full-fledged partnership between New Holland and Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast. As we covered in August, the collaboration kicked off in 2024 to celebrate D&D’s 50th anniversary with a Coconut Rum Barrel Reserve, followed by the high-octane D20 Brew at 20% ABV. This year’s Dragon Turtle release continued the narrative with another coconut rum barrel-aged stout and now the brewery is circling back to bring fan favorites out of the vault.

What’s in the Barrel

D20 Brew leads the charge—a bourbon barrel-aged stout that pays homage to silver dragons from D&D lore. The beer hits retail nationwide November 8, but besides the boozy prize in the bottle, the release includes a D20 Dice Tower Set, which packages the stout inside a custom dice tower complete with special-edition dice. That collector’s edition drops at New Holland brewpubs November 8 and online November 17.

For the spirits crowd, the Mead Cask Bourbon Gift Set returns with Dragon’s Milk Bourbon finished in mead casks. This black dragon-themed release comes boxed with a custom pour spout and exclusive D&D packaging, available at the same locations and dates as the dice tower set.

New Holland Mead Finished Bourbon
New Holland Dragon’s Milk Origin

“Our collaboration with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has allowed us to craft unique offerings that bring fans together at the table in new and memorable ways. The return of D20 and Mead Cask Bourbon is a celebration of community, storytelling, and the legendary experiences that both brands inspire.” said Brett VanderKamp, CEO and founder, New Holland

Last year’s inaugural partnership sold out quite quickly, and these limited editions are sure to do so as well. The collaboration between Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast and New Holland proves that sometimes the best campaigns happen when two completely different worlds meet at the tavern.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Wax Dipped.
Debut: 11/8/25

20% ABV

Ed. Note: Beer Street Journal humbly requests a New Holland/Magic the Gathering collab next…

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Don't Miss This, New Holland Brewing, New Releases

New Holland teams up with Dungeons & Dragons again

New Holland Brewing drops a new edition in Dungeons & Dragons beer series this month.

New Holland Brewing has teamed up once again with Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast for another beer in their ongoing Dungeons & Dragons beer lineup: Dragon’s Milk Coconut Rum Barrel Reserve.

Last year, New Holland announced the start of a partnership with Dungeons & Dragons with Dragon’s Milk x Dungeons & Dragons Coconut Rum Barrel Reserve in August and the high-octane “beast” of a beer, D20 Brew Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout (20% ABV), in November. While the 2024 coconut stout kicked off the partnership to celebrate D&D’s 50th anniversary, the 2025 iteration introduces a narrative twist inspired by the mythical Dragon Turtle, a massive dragon-like creature with a turtle-like shell.

This release finds New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk, one of America’s best-selling stouts, aged in rum barrels with coconut.

“This collaboration is all about celebrating the power of storytelling through flavor. With the Dragon Turtle as our muse, we created a rich, coconut stout aged in rum barrels that’s as deep and complex as the world of D&D itself,” said Brett Vanderkamp, CEO and Founder.

Dragon’s Milk Coconut Rum Barrel Reserve, also known as the Dragon Turtle release, features an image of the mythical creature on the label with nods to both Dragon’s Milk and Dungeons & Dragons. It’s an instant must-have for D&D players.

While the creature may be mythical, the beer is very real, hitting shelves at select retailers and New Holland taprooms.

Style: Imperial Stout (with Coconut. Barrel-Aged. Rum.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft, Limited Release
Debut: August 2025
ABV: 11%

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Don't Miss This, Founders Brewing, New Releases

Founders KBS Iced Latte goes golden instead of stout

Founders KBS Iced Latte expands the Michigan-based brewery’s ongoing KBS series this July.

Founders KBS Iced Latte is a cold coffee departure from the the traditional Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS), has joined the Barrel-Aged Series in summer 2025.

Crafted with coffee, cocoa nibs, milk sugar, and vanilla extract, this variant delivers a creamy, café-inspired experience with prominent coffee and vanilla flavors, complemented by oak and a silky latte-like sweetness from bourbon barrel aging. Expect a rich coffee aroma with hints of vanilla and toasted malt, paired with a smooth, medium-bodied mouthfeel. A refreshing yet indulgent twist for KBS fans, especially dropping a beer so big during the current “Heat Dome” that most of America is dealing with currently.

MORE: FOUNDERS KBS SERIES

Get ready to chill with KBS Iced Latte, a barrel-aged imperial golden ale that’s as smooth as your favorite café creation. Crafted with a blend of coffee and vanilla for a creamy, utterly indulgent experience. Aged to perfection in bourbon barrels, every sip consists of oak notes and a silky latte-like sweetness that’s impossible to resist.

Founders KBS Iced Latte is available in 12-ounce bottles and draft for a limited time.

Style: Imperial Golden Ale (w/ Coffee. Cocoa Nibs. Lactose. Vanilla. Barrel-Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release.
Debut: Summer 2025

11% ABV

Complete List of KBS Variants

Going back from the beginning, a list of all the variants to up until summer 2025.

  1. KBS (Original) – Release: 2011
  2. KBS Espresso – Release: 2019
  3. KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge – Release: 2020
  4. KBS Nitro – Release: 2020 (Draft-only)
  5. KBS Cinnamon Vanilla Cocoa – Release: 2021
  6. KBS Hazelnut – Release: 2021
  7. KBS Chocolate Cherry – Release: 2022
  8. KBS Blueberry – Release: 2023
  9. KBS Spicy Chocolate – Release: 2023
  10. KBS Chocolate Espresso – Release: 2024
  11. KBS Double Oaked – Release: 2024
  12. KBS Hazelnut Fudge – Release: 2024
  13. KBS Iced Latte – Release: 2025
by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Distilleries, Headlines, Wild Heaven Craft Beers

Wild Heaven Electric Avenue, the 8th Bulleit collab

Wild Heaven Electric Avenue, the latest in the brewery’s ongoing collaboration with Bulleit Whiskey debuts this week.

Munichwine. You don’t see that style in the beer often- if at all. This is a first in 16 years for Beer Street Journal. The idea is pretty simple- think barleywine with mainly German Munich malts.

The 8th Collaboration.

Electric Avenue marks the 8th collaboration with Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, with the first release being 95 Shilling, dating back to one of the worst years in human history, 2020. There are two components to each collab – the brewer and the distillery. In Wild Heaven’s case, each of these unique releases have been the brainchild of head brewer Josh Franks. Franks excels at digging out the right beer style to compliment what barrels Bulleit will send down to Georgia.

Fresh, just emptied “wet” barrels head 437 miles south to Wild Heaven, (also one of the beer collaborations) to be filled with what Franks and co-founder Eric Johnson concocted. Having had 7 of these beers thus far, the fresh barrels make all the difference in the end result.

“Bulleit-vardier”

The Wild Heaven team were on a trip to the Bulleit Distillery last year, drinking Boulevardier cocktails (a bourbon-swapped take on the Negroni) where the idea of a cocktail-inspired “Bulleit-vardier” came to mind. The challenge? Making the herbal and bitter notes of the cocktail work in this barrel-aged beer. That’s where the additions of Gentian root, rubarb root and Angelica come in.

“The question had become what style would work well for the cocktail idea and I had really liked the idea of a Munichwine, I’m a big fan of Munich malt. But some of that Munich and aromatic malt profile doesn’t feel dissimilar to red vermouth so I ran with it,” says Franks.

Tonight we find out the result at a special Bulleit & Beer media preview at Wild Heaven’s new Toco Hills location.

Wild Heaven Electric Avenue debuts this week in 12-ounce cans and draft for a limited time.

Style: Munichwine (w/ Gentian Root, Rhubarb, Angelica. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz cans, Draft.
Debut: Mid-March, 2025

9.6% ABV

Media launch party pics below.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Founders Brewing

Founders KBS Hazelnut Fudge is the next KBS variant

Founders KBS Hazelnut Fudge is the latest expansion in the KBS variant lineup, coming this fall.

Founders KBS Hazelnut Fudge is a decadent addition to Founders’ Kentucky Breakfast Stout lineup, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout arriving in fall 2024.

MORE: FOUNDERS KBS SERIES

Infused with hazelnut coffee and fudge coffee, this variant layers nutty sweetness and rich, chocolatey depth over the classic KBS profile of coffee, dark chocolate, and bourbon. It offers a bold aroma of hazelnut coffee and fudge, complemented by notes of vanilla, oak, and roasted malt, with a velvety, full-bodied mouthfeel. A luxurious, dessert-like stout for barrel-aged enthusiasts.

Discover a new level of indulgence with KBS Hazelnut Fudge. Crafted for the discerning palate, this KBS variant offers a robust and decadent drinking experience. The aromas of hazelnut coffee intertwine with the velvety smooth embrace of fudge, coffee, and chocolate. Immerse yourself in layers of flavor notes from the bourbon barrel aging process in every sip for your moments of relaxation or celebration.

Founders KBS Hazelnut Fudge is available in 12-ounce bottles and draft for a limited time.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Barrel-Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release.

Debut: Fall 2024

12% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Founders Brewing, New Releases

Founders KBS Doubled Oaked added to series

Founders KBS Double Oaked joins the Kentucky Breakfast lineup this spring.

Founders KBS Double Oaked is a robust addition to Founders’ Kentucky Breakfast Stout lineup, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout arriving in spring 2024.

READ MORE: FOUNDERS KBS SERIES

This variant undergoes a unique double barrel-aging process, spending time in two sets of bourbon barrels to amplify the oak and bourbon flavors. It builds on the classic KBS foundation of rich coffee and dark chocolate with enhanced notes of vanilla, charred oak, and warm bourbon. Expect a bold aroma of roasted malt and whiskey, with a velvety, full-bodied mouthfeel. A luxurious, sippable stout for barrel-aged enthusiasts.

Founders KBS Double Oaked is available in 12-ounce bottles and draft for a limited time.

Style: Imperial Stout (Doubled Barrel-Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release.

Debut: Spring 2024

12% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Headlines, New Beers, Terrapin Beer Company

Terrapin Double Red is barrel-aged collaboration heaven

It almost sounds like fiction now, but there was a time in beer when the mere mention of barrel aging would elicit a Pavlovian response. You released it, they would come. Somewhere we lost that.

 I’m not sure if it was just a flooded market or style-hype shift. The days of barrel-aged perfection faded for diabetic pastry stouts and chunky lactose haze bombs. In all honesty, I thought those days were gone until I stumbled upon this one. 

Terrapin Beer Company has always just done whatever they want to do, stayed true to the mountain biking, travel, solar-powered, live music hippie culture, and just be. Two decades of growth trajectory show it. 

Let’s talk about this beer. It’s no secret that Terrapin entered the Miller Coors portfolio years ago, and besides extra capital, it brought new opportunities for collaboration- in this case specifically – Coors Whiskey Company. 

David Coors’ interest in whiskey started in college (naturally). He recalls sitting in his father’s (Pete Coors) Suburban on the way to the Coors brewery in Golden, Colorado, and David declared “We should make whiskey!” Without even looking at David, Pete said “We are good at one thing and one thing only, and that’s making beer,” David recalls. 

That conversation nagged David for nearly 20 years. In 2019, Coors Brewing Company made the business decision to venture beyond the beer aisle. The time was right to make bourbon, but the question was the approach. He didn’t want to just source juice and slap a label on it. By the time the pandemic hit, Coors had started blending and fell in love with a single malt blended with a bourbon flavor profile that not a lot of people had been releasing. 

“We are good at one thing and one thing only, and that’s making beer”

“I was enamored by the flavor profile that came out of it. I was bringing all these different blends to family dinner on Sundays and finally found a blend we settled on and took it to market in 2021,” David says. 

Coors Whiskey had recently been doing a barrel-aged imperial porter for AC Golden, piquing a bigger interest in making other barrel-aged beers. They reached out to their various brewery partners. Terrapin immediately jumped in. Brewmaster and co-founder Spike Buckowski and President Dustin Watts loved the whiskey blends. They started by dismissing the idea of putting an imperial stout in the barrel, thinking that’s already been done too much. Rye malt is far and away Spike’s favorite to brew with and dotes heavily on retired Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster (Imperial Rye Ale). Spike used that grain bill to guide the creation of Double Barrel Red Ale. 

“The one eye-opening thing was the effect freshly dumped whiskey barrels have on the final flavor. It was so bold on flavor, and big on booze, pushing the final alcohol by volume to 12.7%. I really wanted the red ale to come out of the barrel mimicking the flavors of the 5 Trails blend,” Spike says.

“Having the beer locked and loaded by the time these barrels hit the ground was a challenge for us,” Dustin says. David Coors’ team emptied the barrels and shipped them to Georgia in less than 48 hours. We wanted to be ready to fill,” he adds.

The collaborative result is a liquid flashback to the heyday of barrel-aged beer beauties that we’ve stayed up far too late drinking. Besides conjuring warm fuzzy Big Hoppy Monster flashbacks, Double Barrel marries the best parts of blended whiskey and smooth barrel-aged beer. Terrapin has done a lot of barrel-aged beers in the past but this one stands apart from the others. This wasn’t just “brew a beer and find a barrel,” it was an intentional creation and it shows. It’s a barrel-aged art form we’ve missed. 

After the beer was emptied from the barrels, they were shipped back to Coors Whiskey Company who is aging a blend in the barrels, for an ale-finished whiskey coming in late 2024.

Terrapin Double Barrel Red Ale is available in limited 16-ounce cans and draft.

Style: Imperial Red Ale (Barrel Aged. Whiskey)
Hops: Centennial, CTZ, Warrior
Malts: 2-row malt, CaraMalt, Light Crystal, Malted Rye, Amber Malt, Extra light Crystal, Malted Wheat, Flaked Corn

Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Limited Release.

12.7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay