Founders Pale Ale

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

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

Here’s a surprise, having had two dry hopped ales in a row, Minnesota’s Brau Brothers beat out Founders. Wouldn’t have expected that. The Founders, though having some nice notes, wasn’t as vibrant and fresh in aroma or complex and subtle in flavor. Founders also finished more harshly. O.k. but not great. Bottle.

Bottle. Great pale ale! Notes of gooseberries, grape and pineapple. Very drinkable with some subtile greatness here and there.

Bottle at bishops linnegatan. pours golden amber with a small compact head. Drinkable with a grape seed bitterness.

The bottle date puts this one at about a month old. The beer pours a hazy golden with a big off white head and some lace. The aroma is toasty and malty with some biscuit and grainy malt character. There is a citrus hop character to the aroma as well but it’s pretty mild behind the malty profile. The flavor is sort of the opposite, the beer is plenty bitter with a good dose of grassy and citrusy hops, the beer maintains it’s dryness throughout but a nice background of toasty malt is ever-present here. A completely different take on the American Style Pale Ale, and it’s mildness and subtlety comes as a bit of a surprise from Founders, a brewery that I consistently expect bolder beers from.... I think it’s really awesome that they decided to go this route with this one.

This is a great pale ale. I love Cascade hops and this just tastes and smells wonderful. Wish I could get this here in Colorado.

Slightly unclear light golden with a fluffy white head. Flavour has cookies and toast topped with some citrusy and floral hoppiness. Light sweetness and bitterness. Not as good as I would expect from Founders, but a fully drinkable beer.

Bottle pours out clear yellow with medium white head. Aroma is mostly citrusy hop and a dusty bitterness. Flavor is dry with a light citrus hoppiness that leads to a rather hard bitterness and virtually no sweetness. The carbonation fades quickly. Ok with food but not a very good sipping/kicking back beer.

Bottle@ Haket, Göteborg. Pale yellow with lots of yeatflakes. Head is small white and foamy. Aroma and flavor brings a grassy and little malty touch. Some "organic" bitternes. Maybe some hops but there is much more to ask from this beer I think.