Whiskey · 49.5% ABV
Charbay R5 Whiskey
Contact for pricing
Pricing not set yet
Availability
45 states
Order size
1+ cases
12 bottles per case
Whiskey distilled from fully brewed Bear Republic Brewery Racer 5 IPA beer, using a custom-made Alambic pot still. This is the 6th release in the series, distilled in 2017 and aged 6.5 years in French oak barrels. Only 10 barrels of this final batch remain.
Read full descriptionShow less
Whiskey distilled from fully brewed Bear Republic Brewery Racer 5 IPA beer, using a custom-made Alambic pot still. This is the 6th release in the series, distilled in 2017 and aged 6.5 years in French oak barrels. Only 10 barrels of this final batch remain.
New to DiscoCraft. we'll make sure your request reaches them
The Brand
Charbay
Ukiah, CA
Est. 1983
Charbay was founded in 1983 in Ukiah, California as Domaine Karakash, becoming the 177th licensed distillery in America. The Karakasevic family traces its distilling heritage back 13 generations to 1751, when the House of Karakasevic was honored by the Austrian-Hungarian imperial court of Empress Maria Theresa for its wines and brandies. In 1987 the winery was renamed Charbay, a name combining Chardonnay and Brandy after the family's first Dessert Chardonnay. Still independent and family-owned, Charbay is committed to old-world European distilling knowledge paired with American creativity, producing whiskey, vodka, brandy, rum, and liqueurs without cutting corners on time.
View brand profile →The Founder's Note
Charbay was founded by Milorad (Miles) Karakasevic, who immigrated to North America in 1962 after earning degrees in Enology and Viticulture from the University of Belgrade. Miles designed the first American-made Alambic Charentais pot still in 1993 and was named America's first Grand Master Distiller in 2010. His son Marko, the family's 13th generation distiller, joined in 1995 and has been Master Distiller since 2009. Marko revolutionized flavored vodka in 1998 with the first U.S. vodka made from 100% real fruit and later pioneered whiskey distilled from fully brewed beer.
How It's Made
Charbay distills in a handmade 660-gallon copper Alambic Charentais pot still built by the Prulho family in France. Each batch is run twice: the first distillation builds the body, and the second selectively captures the best part of the run. Master Distiller Marko Karakasevic manually switches between heads, hearts, and tails by taste and smell rather than automated cuts, a process that can take multiple days of continuous attention per batch.
Tasting Notes
Palate: smokey French oak, vanilla, malted barley, balanced hops. Finish: long and evolving, with balanced whiskey and oak, hops, and baking spices.
Awards & Recognition
- Maxim - The Most Innovative American Whiskey of 2025
