BUENA VISTA, CO— Today Deerhammer releases a spirit that represents one of Colorado’s most compelling craft brewery-distillery collaborations: Elevation Apis IV Quad Barrel Finished Bourbon.
It starts with a beer, like all good whiskey stories do. Apis IV is a Dark Belgian-Style Ale brewed in the Trappist tradition and is one of the oldest recipes at Deerhammer’s neighbor, Elevation Beer Company in Poncha Springs. With a touch of locally sourced honey from Beekeepers Honey Boutique in Salida, the name Apis is a nod to the hardworking genus of the honeybee that help make this beer possible. Boasting notes of plum, fig, and molasses, Apis IV has a medium to heavy mouthfeel and finishes with subtle floral hops.
Deerhammer used Elevation’s Apis IV barrels to finish a batch of its Bourbon, already aged for two years in charred new oak. This barrel quickly became the honey barrel (or the beloved barrel) at the distillery and was an obvious choice when selecting an exclusive spirit to be sold at Total Wine & More in Denver, Colorado.
“This is one batch of bourbon with a very interesting journey from grain to bottle,” says Deerhammer Owner and Head Distiller, Lenny Eckstein. “I’ve never known of another spirit go into a beer barrel with such complexity to contribute to the bourbon. It’s almost like a fortified wine cask finish— the fruit notes that mingle with the malt are unreal.”
Beginning today, Deerhammer’s Elevation Apis IV Quad Barrel Finished Bourbon is available at Total Wine & More. This very limited quantity is for sale while supplies last.
For more information about this spirit, Deerhammer, or Elevation Beer Co., contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT DEERHAMMER
Steeped in Tradition. Crafted in Colorado. Amy and Lenny Eckstein founded Deerhammer in 2010. Drawn to Buena Vista, Colorado by the whitewater currents of the Arkansas River, their passion for whiskey is driven by that same adventurous spirit. As artisans and business owners, Amy and Lenny’s process is defined by a deep curiosity for the history of spirits and a thoughtful analysis of each individual step of the distilling process. Deerhammer's cornerstone contribution to the field of craft spirits, American Single Malt Whiskey, has become the company's flagship product. Deerhammer also distills a Straight Bourbon, Hickory Smoked American Whiskey and Straight Rye Whiskey. Find the distillery online at deerhammer.com.
ABOUT ELEVATION BEER CO.
Proudly operating in the remote mountain town of Poncha Springs (just 17 miles from Monarch Mountain), Elevation Beer Co. is more than just a beer company— we are a family, a community, and a collective of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Dedicated to creating sustainable, meaningful careers in rural Colorado, we take the preservation of our home as seriously as we do the quality of our beer. Taste our flagship 8 Second Kolsch and a lineup of other usual suspects and seasonals at our tasting room, and in canned 6-packs and specialty bombers across Colorado, Wyoming and soon Utah. Go higher at elevationbeerco.com.