Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale

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

Pours a murky brown with some burgundy hues under a thin tan head. Head quickly settles to a slick film which persists throughout the glass. The initial aroma is of assertive peat smoked malts, followed by faint notes of burnt caramel candy, dark wheat bread, raisins, black cherries and a touch of herbal hops. Carbonation is appropriately subtle resulting in a smooth, slightly oily and slick moutfeel. Just right for this style. Initial flavor leans toward the sweet side presenting burnt caramel, brown sugar, raisins and figs with a hint of chocolate. The hops and alcohol eventually emerge in the late palate and finish with a fairly crisp, dry bitterness and ethanol warmth. Kind of an "Amercanized" hoppy version of the style, reminiscent of old Bert Grants Scotch Ale, but a nice winter season beer.

Cloudy brown with a thin tan head, brown sugar with a tinge of smoke in the aroma, full bodied with lively carbonation, starts and ends sweet.

Reddish-brown in color, has a huge foamy clingy off white head that leaves a clingy blacing in my glass, has a sweet fruity, bready and citrusy hoppy aromas. Nice sweet fruity cherry flavors balanced with alot of hops, nice bitter finish, medium body with a smooth creamy mouthfeel, pretty damn good.

Nice! I really enjoyed this one, it gave a nice hoppy bite with the first sip to the last. Smooth and some toffee hints were noted. I look forward to trying more of the Founders products.

Founders is quickly becoming my favorite brewery. My only complaint about this one is it didn’t pour much of a head. This is not the usual cloyingly sweet scotch ale that you find. Many layers of flavor here with mocha, caramel, and especially molasses dominating the palate. There’s some rich earthiness too, and enough bittering hops to balance out the sweet malt without making it too bitter or detracting from the malt.

Just as the commercial description states this beer definitely has "hints of smoke and peat paired with a malty richness". I didn’t notice the "good bit of hop attidude" though. Nevertheless, this beer was VERY good - definitely one of the best scotch ales I’ve ever had.

Upon first pouring this beer, the head is quite full, but quickly diminishes to a lasing around the sides of the glass. THe aroma is very mild: full of heather, and earthy, herbal notes. Mild, yet well-balanced beer. Cocoa, herbs, caramel and quite buttery predominate the flavor. A nice example of the style. The malts hang on in the finish. It finishes smooth and creamy.

Pours a dark auburn with a medium light tan head that fades. Aroma of caramel, brown sugar, alcohol, slight smoke and leather. Flavor is of caramel, smoke, and a slight peat. Nice and rich but still very well balanced.