Founders 2010 Nemesis
I am a big fan of Founders’ 2009 version of the Nemesis. That was/is one tasty wheatwine — I guess that’s why I’m still holding onto a couple of bottles. When I saw the 2010 version earlier than expected on shelves I snagged a couple of those as well, though only one remains now.
This year’s version of the brew is an American barleywine, weighing in at 12% ABV. And as far as I can tell, this is the only beer of this style that the company has brewed.
So, while I still prefer the maple bourbon barrel aged version from last year, trying out what appears to be the brewery’s first crack at a barleywine is exciting nonetheless. As always with the Nemesis series, once they’re gone, that’s it. So find a bottle or two if you can.
Appearance
Nemesis 2010 pours a very, very dark brown with a deep ruby edge. The small, light khaki colored head faded quickly to a thin ring around the glass.
Aroma
First and foremost is the boozy character to this brew. — at 12% ABV, that shouldn’t be surprising. The sweet malts add nicely to the alcohol presence as does a touch of a peppery tingle. There is a nice hop presence to the nose that brings a little citrus and a touch of bitterness to balance out the malt sweetness.
Taste
Big time malt and caramel sweetness up front that then transitions to a lingering hop bitterness in the warm finish. Love the extremes that this beer carries with it. From the rich malts to the biting hop presence, this one has plenty of character. The alcohol isn’t as prevalent as in the nose, but it’s certainly there. I also picked up notes of molasses and light chocolates that went well with the earthy nature of the hops. It’s a pretty full bodied beer with a smooth texture. Tasty.
Overall
This is a pretty damn good barleywine. It’s not as aggressive in the hop presence as some of the other American barleywines on the market, but it still packs a potent hop punch. It’s a surprisingly drinkable brew at 12% ABV. Perhaps that’s why I only have the one bottle left. I can’t wait to see how that one fares after some time in the basement.
Rating: 4/5