MINNEAPOLIS — Brother Justus Whiskey Company has released the fourth edition of its annual Founder’s Reserve series, offering whiskey drinkers a limited-production American whiskey made entirely from malted barley and aged in Minnesota white oak.
Founder’s Reserve IV is bottled at 110 proof, or 55% alcohol by volume, and is limited to fewer than 1,000 750-milliliter bottles. The suggested retail price is $149.99.
The Minneapolis craft distillery produces a different Founder’s Reserve expression each year, with no edition intended to repeat the whiskey that came before it.
The 2026 release was created from 25 barrels ranging from 2 to 4 years old. The whiskey was made from 100% two-row pale ale malted barley and matured in new, charred Minnesota white oak barrels. The blend incorporates both single- and double-distilled whiskey.
“Our Founder’s Reserve never repeats itself, because the whiskey always has something new to reveal. This year, it was stone fruit and the image it brought with it: a slow breakfast in sunshine, nowhere to be,” Brother Justus founder and CEO Phil Steger said. “Twenty-five barrels, two to four years old, single- and double-distilled yielded a gradually unfolding fruit jam over fresh butter and rye bread that earns every sip.”
According to the distillery’s tasting notes, Founder’s Reserve IV opens with dried apricot, sage, blackberry and brown bread on the nose. The palate brings marmalade, brown sugar, herbed butter and toasted sesame seed, followed by a finish of rye cracker, walnut and wildflower honey. The whiskey is described as having an orange-topaz color.
The latest release follows a strong run of recognition for Brother Justus. Founder’s Reserve III, released in 2025, placed fourth on whiskey writer Fred Minnick’s annual Top 100 American Whiskeys list and was named his personal favorite of the year, according to the distillery.
Brother Justus’ flagship American Whiskey also received 97 points, a Double Gold medal and Best of Class Finalist recognition at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Founder’s Reserve I, released in 2023, previously received the same honors.
Brother Justus makes its American whiskeys from two-row pale ale malted barley, cold-climate-grown white oak and limestone water sourced from the headwaters of the Mississippi River.
Brother Justus Founder’s Reserve IV is available online, with shipping available to most states, as well as at the Distillery Bottle Shop in Minneapolis and select retailers in Minnesota and Illinois. Consumers can use the company’s store locator to find participating retailers.
The distillery will also open its Minneapolis cocktail room for a special Founder’s Reserve IV event Thursday, Sept. 17. Registered guests will have an opportunity to sample the new whiskey at no charge.
Previous Founder’s Reserve releases from 2023, 2024 and 2025 are largely sold out, according to the company, although some bottles may remain at individual retailers.
Brother Justus also plans to release six Single Barrel Selections through select on- and off-premise retailers later this fall.
About Brother Justus Whiskey Company
Brother Justus Whiskey Company, a distiller of luxury American Whiskey made from 100 percent malted barley, was founded in Minneapolis in 2014. Inspired by the landscape of the North Star State, all ingredients—barley, water, oak, and peat—are Minnesota-sourced to craft perfect sips of whiskey. The company opened its industrial production facility in March 2021 in Minneapolis, and is now capable of producing more than 66,000 proof gallons (gallons at 100 proof) of whiskey annually. Named in 2026 as a Fred Minnick favorite (acclaimed global whiskey expert), the company also has received international accolades for flavor, quality, and innovation. The company’s products are currently available for purchase online (to most states), and at restaurants and liquor stores in Minnesota and Illinois.
