Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale

dark copper brown pour with nice small head that left very nice lacing - armoa was not very strong but smelled of malts, palate is smooth and silky= flavor is of malt/dark fruit - at first I thought this was not going to match my taste with the dark fruit but I couldn’t stop drinking it. nice balance of Malt and Hops for my taste. I like the malt but need the bitter offset to please my palate! This Old Ale reminds me of the Sam Adams that I had at the Oyster Bar in Boston (that was made solely for the restaurant) Since, I likely won’t be in Boston again soon, I am glad I found this one - in fact I think this is better as there is more of a hoppy presence. Hides the ABV well in taste! I wish I lived in Grand Rapid so I could enjoy more Founders!

This is one of those beers that’s made great but isn’t necessarily my cup of tea. Very sweet. Very malt forward. Raisins, caramel, vanilla, toffee, some alcohol. I’d like there to be just a touch more bitterness at the finish. I may need to revisit this one while it’s around.

Bottle. Pours copper/orangish/brown. Interesting taste of carmel, malts, and hopy spices. Slight fruit undertone, warm smooth mouthfeel. Taste is big, rich, and full. You’ll want to sip this one. Not lacking in complexity at all. 9.3% ABV is not overwhelming. I’m going to attempt to age my 2nd bottle for around 12 months and see the difference.

12oz fresh stubby. Pours a dark orange, Barleywine-esque color, with a steady but small off white head. Hazy, muddy color. Aroma is surprisingly unique and interesting. Very floral, potpourri noticeable. A sudden memory smacks me as I smell this. Something very distinct, very singular jumps out. I try very hard to pinpoint it. Sushi? Wasabi? No. Blue cheese. Distinctly blue cheese. Stilton, Roquefort. Crazy how accurate that descriptor is right now. Pungent and cheesy. Also some dark/red fruit aromas, similar to a Flanders Red are apparent though subtle. Taste is similar to the aroma, though sweetness is very muted. This tastes a little young, not from apparent alcohol but it seems muted, non-complex; it needs to open up a little and I think age will do the trick. Very clean and the alcohol is very well hidden, especially for the ABV and age. Mouthfeel is silky and smooth, bitterness is very low. This is nice and I can’t wait to see what some time does for it.

Deep copper/amber/brown in color with a thin off-white head. Aromas are of caramel, milk chocolate, spice…mmm. The palate was rich, concentrated, round and well-balanced with a touch of bitter hops on the finish. This was a wonderfully balanced high gravity ale that may age well but is so well-balanced now I don’t see a huge upside.

Pours rust color and hazy with a thin ring of bubbles. Smells of sweet malt, some light fruity hints, earthy. Tastes fruity and dry with some tea like hints on the finish.

Brown pour with virtually no head. Aroma and flavor are of malt and fruit. Mouthfeel is flat due to low carbonation. Not a big fan.

Poured from a 12oz bottle and served in a snifter. This beer poured a ruddy orangish brown hue with a thin head of light tan foam that lingered for a while. A small amount of lacing was left around the glass. The aroma consisted of toasted caramel, dried orange, apricot, and some earthy/herbal charateristics. Let this one warm up and breath a bit. The flavor was made up of toasted caramel, brown sugar, dried dark fruits, citrus, and just a hint of alcohol. Not sugary sweet, but big and balanced. The mouthfeel was heavy and full-bodied. Mild carbonation. Thick and lush, but not quite sticky. A very complex but smooth brew. A great sipper for the cooler months.