Founders Backwoods Bastard

Founders makes a lot of extremely great and inspiring beer, Backwoods Bastard Bourbon Barrel Aged Ale isn't one of them. Overly malty, sticky and not very good. A beer that tastes milky and also has prevalent yeast and alcohol just isn't a good mix. It took me six months to finish this six pack, which is a personal record. Every time I popped the cap off one of these bad boys I hoped (like an idiot) that this beer would magically improve over time. It didn't.


I can't even find this beer on their website, which leads me to believe this was a seasonal or one off. Good, the terror is over!

Founder's Breakfast Stout

'You've got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose toped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever.' -foundersbrewing.com

Founder's really does not fuck around. This beer tastes like how I always imagined the perfect black cup of coffee to taste, but those never live up to my expectations. I am not a big coffee drinker, but I certainly have given it a go on numerous occasions to no avail. Founder's Breakfast Stout is that idealized 'cup of joe' that I could never find, with some chocolate, malts and liquor thrown in it. This is a great sipper after a huge meal, especially after a stressful week. I'm going to save a few of these puppies for a rainy day.

I have another Founder's beer I plan on doing a write up for soon that will basically be the exact opposite of this rave review. Checks and balances, you know. Stay tuned, all twelve of you!

Musical Pairing: The Clash- London Calling (How you get a rude and a-reckless? Don't you be so crude and a feckless! You been drinking brew for breakfast? Rudie can't fail, no, nooo)

Founder's Devil Dancer Triple IPA

'Founders most complex, most innovative, most feared and yet most revered ale produced. Massive in complexity the huge malt character balances the insane amount of alphas used to create this monster. More IBUs than any brewery has documented, more than you would believe and dry-hopped for twenty-six days straight with a combination of 10 hop varieties. Dangerously drinkable and deliciously evil. We dare you to dance with the Devil.

13% ABV 112 IBUs'

I have been checking liquor stores for this beer for almost a year to no avail, now I see why. This my friends is a seriously intense and completely unique beer experience.

I already had an inkling of what to expect having read a few thing online about this beer so I wasn't surprised when I took a sip and tasted that Founder's also triples the malts in this beer alongside the hops. The malts are extremely sweet and sticky which always give me a sensation that the beer is 'milky' even though that is not actually the taste. I suppose that is because it tastes thicker and smoother and that gives me the impression of cream. Don't get me wrong, the hops in this beer still punch you in the face, but the sweet malts are there to soothe you afterwards. You could sit down and analyze this beer all night if you wanted to as it is definitely the most complex beer I have personally ever had. But where is the fun in that?

If you are drinking this to start off your night be warned that not only will every other beer pale in comparison but that 13% abv is going to kick your ass. Luckily I was drinking this on what constitutes as my weekend because after two of these puppys I definitely had to move on to some lighter beers. I had to or I think my head was going to detach and float away. Your taste buds start to feel a bit taxed as well as I am sure you can imagine. Ten varieties of hops used to create this beer? This creates quite a patchwork of flavors. I swear I tasted pine in one sip and caramel in another. I firmly believe that there are either mad scientists or achemists at Founder's after drinking this brew.

Musical Pairing: Van Morrison- Astral Weeks (that's what I was listening to it and I think it is now intrinsically linked to this brew.)