Look out! South Korea's third whisky distillery is coming in hot and heavy!

Already one of South Korea's most beloved craft beer brewers, CraftBros has since made big plans to get into whisky distilling as well. What kicked off just last year in 2023 has already begun to yield early results - the brewery/distillery is releasing two 1 year old double matured newborn's that should be highly anticipated!

CraftBros tells us that distillation had formally begun in September 2023, and with these early spirits having rested in cask for over a year, the Newborn 2024's should serve as an early preview of what is to come. The first is a Newborn 2024 that is a single malt that's double matured, first in First Fill Oloroso Sherry Hogsheads, and then in New American oak (an interesting choice considering most distilleries tend to use Sherry as a finishing cask instead). The second release is an IPA Newborn 2024, which has been aged first in First Fill Oloroso Sherry Hogsheads, and then in New England IPA from CraftBros' own brewery for a total of 12 months.

The brewer turned distiller further highlights the similarities between beer making and whisky making, mentioning that both starts with creating a clean wash, and applies fermentation with various yeasts, which is then followed by maturation in casks. CraftBros shares that the insights they've gained in producing cask aged beer has been helpful in helping them handling the casks storing whiskies as well.

CraftBros Newborn 2024 (뉴본2024 Newborn2024) 

Newborn 2024 is a single malt that's been double matured in First Fill Oloroso Hogshead and then New American Oak. It was distilled in November 2023 and filled into casks in the same period, and now finally bottled in November 2024. 

It has been bottled at 53% ABV cask strength, with no chill filtering and at natural colour. It will be priced at 149,000 Won (US$106.90).

CraftBros IPA Newborn 2024 (이파 뉴본 2024) 

Given that CraftBros is best known currently for its signature Double Dry Hopped New England IPA or Double IPA, this of course begs the question as to why its whisky would taste like if its wash were distilled to produce a spirit - yes, this is not the same wash used at the CraftBros Single Malt Newborn! 

As a result, the IPA Newborn 2024 is classified instead as a "general distilled spirit" given that it was unconventionally distilled from a Double Dry Hopped New England IPA. It was then aged in Oloroso Sherry casks before being further aged in New American oak casks for a total of 12 months. CraftBros emphasises that this is indeed the distilled spirits from its IPA wash, and not simply whisky aged in IPA casks. This is truly the first of its kind to be produced and released in Korea.

The IPA Newborn 2024 is distilled in October 2023, filled into casks in the same period, and then bottled in November 2024. It is bottled at 58.3% ABV cask strength, and is also non-chill filtered, and at natural colour. It is sold at 109,000 Won (US$78.20).