(Denver, CO) – Great Divide Brewing Company is excited to announce their new barrel aged series, Wood Werks. The series kicks things off with a Belgian-Style Sour in February.
“We were coming up on the 10th anniversary of our original Barrel Aged Series,” said Brian Dunn, founder of Great Divide. “It felt like it was time to breathe some new life into the program and take a more modern approach to barrel aged beers.”
The first Wood Werks release is a Belgian-style tripel artfully soured for 15 months in red wine barrels and aged on plums. This extremely limited spiced sour ale is 9.3 percent ABV and has notes of luscious stone fruit with a tart, dry finish and hint of French oak. Wood Werks Belgian-Style Sour will be available seasonally from February through March in 12oz bottles and kegs.
Great Divide began barrel aging beers around 2004 with very small releases and nearly all barrels coming from Stranahan’s Whiskey. In 2008 the program grew to three releases a year with Barrel Aged Yeti, Barrel Aged Old Ruffian, and Barrel Aged Hibernation. All three of these beers were released as part of Great Divide’s original barrel aging program until 2017, which culminated with the release of the Barrel Aged Classics gift pack last spring.
With the brewery’s Brighton expansion, Great Divide invested in two temperature and humidity controlled barrel aging rooms, which allows for greater control over the elements that affect the way in which barrel character develops over time. This control has allowed the brewery to build up a world class barrel aging program and create more diversity within its lineup, strengthening its portfolio overall.
“This Belgian-Style Sour showcases our creativity and thoughtful approach to a Belgian-Style Tripel,” said Brandon Jacobs, brewing manager at Great Divide. “It really is a labor of love and patience.”
This first release will be followed by a Flemish Sour Brown Ale in May, and a Barrel Aged Brown Rye Ale in August.
About Great Divide Brewing Company
Founded in 1994, Great Divide Brewing Company is one of the most decorated breweries in America, recognized for brewing some of the globe’s most balanced yet assertive and flavorful beers. These beers have landed an impressive amount of acclaim, earning 18 Great American Beer Festival Medals, five World Beer Cup Awards and 14 spots on Beer Advocate’s “Top Rated Beers: Colorado” (2015). Here at Great Divide, Bold Character isn’t just a catchphrase. It’s the philosophy behind what we brew, how we think and what we believe. For more information visit www.greatdivide.com.