Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale

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

Ruddy mahogany pour; mostly still body leaving no foam. Sweet, robust aroma; silky chocolate, raisins, dates, roasted peanuts. A burly, damp cavendish tobacco darkness and a spicy, velvety touch of nutty bourbon in a slow, heavy pressure of erudite sweetness; hints of toasted coconut and spirited heat in the back. Layered carefully and composed; delightful to inhale.

Flavor is full and simple; chocolate mousse, figs, and molasses; growing more complex and forceable as it dresses itself in a fanciful, rich spirit imitation. Earthy and rustic, while sophisticatedly clean. Syrupy, almost, in caramelly, nutty, dark bourbon impartation; the rich wooden character and anise-like darkness of the spirit flavor is extremely cordial and charming. What a nice surprise.

Palate is full and round; oily, barely carbonated; like velvet. Filtration seems to strip it down just a touch in a clean, roasty, sweet finish. Almost too polished at this point, where a lingering, dirty, earthy bittersweetness would seem most fitting. Excepting that complaint and the sometimes loud contribution of the bourbon barrel, pleasant as it is, the warm settled malt character of this one is striking enough to overcome. Thanks Chris!

12 oz bottle. Pours dark red amber with a small, quickly-dissipating off-white head and lots of sediment. Aroma is muted, all I can detect is a bit of Bourbon or Scotch aroma. Flavor is sweet with flavors of Bourbon, honey, fresh bread, and a fair bit of alcohol. Finish is slightly bitter with some alcohol. I really enjoyed this one.

Dirty river water and an attempt at a foam head that never came to fruition. Aroma is dark fruit, honey, brown sugar and vanilla. Flavor is also sweet with distinguishable notes of raisin, cherry skin, and vanilla. The lack of carbonation had a negative impact on this beer. Still glad I had a chance to try it.

12oz bottle, pours a clear brown/amber with a small head that dissipates fully. Great aroma of sweet malt, figs, caramel, brown sugar, alcohol, and bourbon. Don’t think this is the bourbon barrel version, but still smells of bourbon nonetheless. Taste of caramel, sugar, dark fruit, bourbon, and oak. Alcohol is not overpowering for nearly 10%. Nice barley wine type flavor, but is even better than most barley wines I’ve had. Smooth mouthfeel with light carbonation. Overall a great beer!

2006 Bottle. Dark brown pour. Thin off-white head quickly diminishes into a halo of lace. Oak, toffee, vanilla, and bourbon on the nose. Very smooth on the palate. Malt, vanilla, and bourbon flavors. Nicely complex, very drinkable at 9.3%. Medium-full mouthfeel. Slightly astringent finish with some alcohol presence. I’ve often overlooked this beer in the past. Try it, you’ll love it.

Pours a dark brown with small tan head. Aroma of malts, vanilla, and dried fruit. Flavor was malt driven with a smooth sweetness that was countered by a nice dry hop finish. A complex blend of flavor ranges from vanilla, plum, toffee and a slight alcohol warming that come together beautifully to make a fine brew. Very drinkable and very enjoyable. If you like barleywines, you have to have this ale.

12oz. bottle, 2006 bourbon barrel-aged version. Richly malty and sweet aroma, complex and enticing, plenty of bourbon character to be found here alongside notes of toffee, vanilla, cherry, oak, dark brown sugar, raisin, fig, dried flowers and slight medicinal alcohol, even some very faint smoke detected. Deep, dark copper color, somewhat hazy, with a fully subsiding head. Flavor is utterly dominated by the powerful malt presence from beginning to end, with more sweet toffee, cherry, vanilla and dried, dark fruits, shot through with oaked bourbon and finishing with a gentle, earthy bitterness and lingering alcoholic warmth. Palate is smooth, sticky and nearly still, with a body that’s full as can be. This is excellent. Seemingly very complimented by the barrel aging process, and one I’d had on my wishlist for some time. Thanks a lot to boboski for the opportunity.

Bottle: pours a dark brown with a thick white head, aroma is strong on the alcohol maybe there is some caramel under that but it is pretty overpowering, taste is malty, burnt toffee, slightly sweet and no signs of the alcohol other then a little bit of a warm feeling in the back of the throat, fairly full moutfeel as well. Good stuff.