As I mentioned the other day, I’m pretty sure I made out better than my wife at her birthday dinner with a bottle of Saison du Buff. Well, my luck hadn’t run out with one of the last two bottles in the place.

I’m a big fan of Founders Breakfast Stout, but their Kentucky variety has eluded me for quite some time — that is until this past Monday night. Was my agony of so many close calls with the brew in the past washed away with this single bottle? You’re damned right it was. In fact, I’m going to give this bad boy the first (I think) perfect score on the site.

Appearance

KBS pours black as night and thick. There wasn’t a hint of a head after the pour, but I was able to rouse a little foam with a quick swirl of the glass — even then it was a thin layer of brown.

Aroma

I think I just died and have gone to heaven. This beer smells amazing. The bourbon (a result of the beer aging for a year in retired barrels) is the first thing that hits your nose, but it’s not aggressive as in, say, Allagash’s Curieux. It’s gentlemanly (if you will), smooth and backed by dark chocolates, espresso, roasted malt, a little vanilla and a touch of molasses.

Taste

The beer starts off with plenty of dark coffee, dark chocolates and a nice roast that’s all quickly followed by the smooth bourbon character. Again, it’s not just slapped in there. The bourbon notes are complimentary to everything that’s going on within the dark abyss in my glass. KBS has a thick, viscous mouthfeel and a warming (11% ABV), lingering finish that leaves a lasting bourbon afterglow. There’s a light bitterness in the mix as well that helps compliment the sweeter aspect of the beer.

Overall

This is without a doubt the most well balanced bourbon barrel aged anything I’ve ever had. It’s super rich, smooth and so well constructed that the flavors come together like a well practiced symphony of deliciousness. I know that sounds grandiose, but I’m hard pressed to describe just how well everything comes together through the short lifespan this beer had in my hands. I am satiated, albeit temporarily, in my quest to find this beer, but I will continue the search for it among beer shelves. I must have more.

Rating: 5/5

I was completely unaware of this beer from what is quickly becoming one of my favorite breweries. A recent trip to the local shop revealed a handful of bottles sitting amongst the other Founders products — I initially glossed over it, before realizing it was new to the shelves.

I thoroughly enjoyed Founders Breakfast Stout and I figured that this would be a comparable, if not better product. Well, it’s a damned fine imperial stout, but I think I prefer the breakfast variety more.

Appearance

This imperial stout pours like motor oil with a very dark, dense head. Just the way I like it.

Aroma

Dark, roasted malt dominates the nose with a rich chocolate lingering safely behind. There’s a decent helping of smooth coffee notes, as well as a subtle hop presence. At 90 IBU, there better be some hop characteristics to the brew.

Taste

The first thing I noticed on the initial sips was the mouthfeel. It’s not indulgently thick, but it’s right up there with how I like my stouts. The second thing I caught, which was a nice surprise, was the earthy hops that really complimented the bitterness of the roasted malts. The flavor combines with the malts, cocoa and coffee nicely, creating a fairly rich and tasty brew. The 10.5% ABV only really makes a presence as the glass warms, leaving a little heat in the throat.

Overall

For an imperial stout this is one drinkable beer. It’s smooth, full flavored and damned tasty. The higher hop concentration mingles wonderfully with the roasted character of the malts. I’ve still got a couple of bottles left over from the purchase that I hope to hold on to for a while to see how those hops behave with some time under their belts.

Rating: 3.5/5

My notes for this brew are actually from late December/early January, but I just happened to crack open my last Founders Backwoods Bastard this week in an attempt to soothe an aching back — stupid snow… stupid shovel.

Backwoods Bastard is a bourbon barrel aged scotch ale that is boozy, warming and full flavored. The bourbon really comes through, giving the beer a strong taste to go along with the higher 10.2% ABV. The combination makes for a near perfect brew for after dinner sipping on a cold, snowing night.

Appearance

This scotch ale pours a rich mahogany in color with a decent, medium tan head that faded quickly.

Aroma

This thing is boozy as all get out, with an underlying bourbon note. There’s a great oak presence within the nose that can come across a bit earthy and funky. The scotch ale maltiness and sweetness are also there, mingling nicely with the bourbon and wood notes.

Taste

I know that I’ve used “wow” in reference to several of Founders’ products, but, wow, this brew is damned tasty. I love the big time scotch ale malt and upfront sweetness that transitions to the wood and bourbon flavors. The finish on the brew is surprisingly smooth and drinkable.

Overall

Backwoods Bastard hit the spot wonderfully. It’s boozy, warming, rich and smooth. I tried to store some in the basement for a later date, but pilfered it all too quickly. Now, I just need to find more of it.

Rating: 4/5

It seems like 2009 was the year of Founders in my household with four new beers from the brewery showing up in my local shop. It also appears as though the trend will continue into 2010 with Curmudgeon Old Ale and Backwoods Bastard (review coming soon). Not that I’m complaining or anything, I’ve loved just about everything that I’ve gotten my hands on from them.

Curmudgeon is no exception. As far as old ales go, it’s one of the hoppiest versions of this style that I have ever had — and that’s not a bad thing.

Appearance

This old ale pours a reddish orange in color with a light tan head that faded slowly.

Aroma

Wow. You can smell this one a mile away with a decent hop and pine notes. A toffee/caramel presence is also in there, as well. It smells quite sweet with a little cereal malt.

Taste

Wow, again. The hoppy nature of this beer was quite a surprise. It’s got a pile of hops thrown in for an old ale. There’s also sweet, bready malts. The 9% ABV is very present adding a warming and boozy nature to the brew. This one is certainly a sipper.

Overall

Aside from North Coast’s Old Ale, I think this hoppier take on the style could very well be one of my favorites. It’s a full flavored brew that warms the body through and through. I’ve also put a couple of bottles away to see how they turn out after a little aging to mellow the heat in the brew.

Rating: 3.5/5

Founders Breakfast Stout is one of the several beers whose arrival at my local shop I’ve been anticipating. Ever since the store has been carrying a couple of Founders releases, I’ve been bugging the owner almost every visit about this stout — and I’m in there often.

Lucky for him, I can now stop annoying him and savor the couple of bottles I picked up recently. I had heard a good deal from friends about this beer so it had a lot to live up to.

Appearance

Breakfast Stout pours near black in color with a decent sized, dark tan head. I’ve said it before, but I really need to take pictures of my tastings. Words fail to do this one justice.

Aroma

I can smell the coffee, chocolates and oatmeal from a mile away upon opening up the bottle. The black coffee and roasted malt are the primary aromas while the chocolates and oatmeal compliment it in the background.

Taste

This is a beefy stout. It’s thick, smooth and full bodied with quite a robust coffee and oatmeal presence. The finish is slightly dry with a nice, lingering coffee bitterness that I loved. Semi-sweet chocolates only prove to intensify the flavors and make this one hell of a brew.

Overall

It took all my power, but I’ve stored two bottles of this one away for the colder months later this year. I only hope I can hold out that long, as this beer is certainly going to prove hard to ignore. I will certainly be buying more of it as soon as I can.

Rating:4/5

This is the third beer from the Michigan brewery that my local shop has been carrying and, even though I prefer the company’s Centennial IPA, it is certainly a tasty addition to the refrigerator. Weighing in at over 9% ABV, it is, however, a beer to be savored and enjoyed slowly.

Appearance

Double Trouble pours a hazy, pale golden in color with a relatively thin head that left plenty of lacing..

Aroma

Aromatic hops abound with this beer. Your nose is instantly filled with lemons, grapefruit, and light spices with a clean, pleasing finish. It’s got a slight biscuity presence along with its resinous character.

Taste

First and foremost the hops hit quickly, but not too aggressively on each sip — a nice malt backing helps tame the hop bite a bit. There’s a nice spicy/peppery tingle with plenty of citrus notes. The finish is rather dry (with a slight pucker) that lingers nicely on the tongue for a good bit.

Overall

While I think I prefer the more restrained and drinkable Centennial IPA from Founders, this one is certainly a nice treat to enjoy every now and again. A cold, crisp bottle on the deck after a hot day of yard work sounds nearly perfect for the right time to imbibe in a Double Trouble.

Rating: 3.5/5

At any rate… Founders Centennial IPA is a beer that the wife and I have been drinking fairly regularly since spying it on the shelves a couple of months ago. To say it’s tasty would be an understatement. The fact that it’s been in regular rotation is a testament to it’s well rounded flavor.

Appearance

The Centennial pours a light copper in color with a beefy, off-white head that left decent lacing.

Aroma

This one is quite floral with a wonderful citrus presence. A subtle pininess is also in there along with a mouth watering sweetness.

Taste

A great mixture of hope characteristics is the first thing you get from each swallow (piny, citrus, slight bitterness). The brew is well balanced with decent malt notes that wrap up the finish with a not too bitter, lingering flavor. The IPA has the perfect carbonation and body to make this one an easy drinker.

Overall

Reviewing my notes on this one, all I wrote was, “Must get more.” I think I’ll leave it at that.

Rating: 4/5

The first of the batch I purchased is their Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale. Labeled as the brewery’s flagship beer, this one certainly lives up to expectations with its bold and robust presence.

Appearance

Dirty Bastard pours a dark amber with a rusty, copper edge. The head was light tan in color and faded rather quickly.

Aroma

Oh man, this smells good. I doubt I would be able to distinguish between the ten varieties of malt used in the brewing process, but I can certainly say it’s got a wonderfully sweet, malty aroma. There’s a light peat character along with mellow brown sugar and wisps of alcohol.

Taste

There’s a good deal more hops than I would have expected for the style, but they don’t detract from the overall experience. The hop presence adds a nice bitterness to the otherwise malty sweetness of the beer. The finish has light caramel and spice notes to it. The brew has a medium bodied smoothness to it that, in conjunction with the 8.3% ABV makes you want to sit back and sip this one slowly.

Overall

I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. I love the hop presence within this scotch ale that adds a little something extra to the already complex palate. Enjoy it cold out of the bottle or as a sipper, Dirty Bastard is a pretty versatile brew that will certainly be making repeat appearances in my fridge.

Rating: 3.5/5