Founders Backwoods Bastard

Brewed by Founders Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Serve in Thistle

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Pours brown, with a smallish tan head. Aroma is wood, brown sugar, bourbon, and some dark fruit. Flavor is bourbon, wood, malt, and brown sugar. Very nice, but I think aging will help.

Bottle from Capone’s. Deep clear ruby/brownish pour with 1-finger tan head. Aroma is oaky bourbon, brown sugar, cabernet notes, and some single malt scotchy wafts...very spirity aroma. Tastes very spirity, with a huge hit of oaky bourbon/scotch, plus some dark malt, hops, and brown sugary notes. Stays rather hot throughout, and maintains a solid complexity for a beer of this recipe.

I was a little toasted when I drank this, but all i remembered was this--it reminded me of coconut and suntan lotion. It was interesting enough, but something weird that just bothered me. Body was creamy, I don’t like scotch ales, but I might try this one again and rerate.

DAMN! This was awesome. Chestnut body under a small tan head. The Bourbon was first to hit my nose and then the charred wood, toffee, vanilla, chawin’ tobacci, and sweet malt. Velvety smooth and rich in the moutn. The Bourbon dominated the flavor in a wonderful way but was enhanced by the other elements. Well blended, well crafted beer from one of my favorite breweries. Only able to get two bottles. In the words of Oliver, "Please, sir, may I have some more?" And more, and more.

UPDATED: NOV 1, 2008 Poured a lightly hazy, brown amber color with a small, light tan film a top the beer, light lacing on the glass. Aroma of bourbon, vanilla, roasted malts, and caramel. Taste of vanilla, toffee, caramel malts, roast, light peat smoke, tobacco, oak, and bourbon in the finish.

UPDATED: FEB 28, 2008 I enjoyed, but tasted nothing but Bourbon---not Scotch. Dark brown color with medium head. Alcohol well hidden.

12 oz stubby bottle. Pours a dark reddish brown color with a little bit of a tan head. Aroma is smoke, caramel, brown sugar, bourbon, oak... complex and wonderful. Taste is also sweet and carmel-y. Surprisingly little alcohol burn... which really makes it unique among the other bourbon barrel-aged stuff because it has that bourbon flavor but is not reminiscent of drinking actual bourbon. (Nice.) A little watery in the finish, but still nice, definitely worthwhile.

12oz bottle from a 4-pack. Pours a muddy, very dark red/brown with a tiny off white head. Aroma is a very pleasant mix between bourbon, toffee, molasses and carmel. Some alcohol too but I’m not turned off. Bourbon is strong yet fits right in and is pretty perfectly integrated I think. Tastes the same as it smells with some fruitiness, raisins. Some wood and alcohol. Mouthfeel is medium, maybe a tiny bit thin. I like Dirty Bastard but this is on a different level. Way better than I expected.

Pours a ruby brown in color with no head. Smell is exactly what you’d think, a scotch ale with bourbon, oak, and rum notes. They must have used the same barrels as for their curmudgeon, this has many of the same characteristics. Taste is bourbon, oak, and some fig. The mouthfeel is medium and very smooth/creamy. This is an easy drinker, but you get a hit of the alcohol warmth in the aftertaste.

UPDATED: MAR 7, 2009 I shouldn’t even have to say it anymore, because everyone knows: bottle thanks to miketd. Poured a deep brown color with a thin, light tan head. Aroma of bourbon, oak, and even hints of fruit in the aroma. Very smooth and creamy. Sweet Caramel malts open the flavor and lead into a slight bourbon hit with undertones of toffee and fruits, with a nice drying oak finish. Nice beer that I really enjoyed. Thanks Mike.