Founders American Black Ale

Formerly brewed at Founders Brewing Company
Style: Porter
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Date: 08/26/2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Fest of 26

black, whispy beige head, rich chocolate aroma and flavor, very dry, light bitter finish

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Bottle... TITW Part Deux... Extremely dark, opaque, mahogany ale with a mid-sized, creamy, well-tanned head. Excellent retention. The aroma is of chocolate covered raspberries with light diacetyl (works very well with this beer). The flavor is ashy, tangy and well balanced. Medium-bodied with lively carbonation. Tangy, astringent, lightly bitter finish. Kudos to artusory for sharing this one!

Very dark transparent mahogany with a thin light tan head. Aroma of roasty dark malt with a touch of dark chocolate. Body starts semi-sweet with a touch of dark chocolate and a bitter roasted malty finish. Nicely-balanced and enjoyable.

Bottle. Dark brown color with a moderate off-white head that was lasting with good lacing. Good complex aroma of roasted malt and caramel. Medium to full body with a smooth texture. Full flavor with a small bitter and long pleasing finish. Another very good and complex brew from Founders.

Yep it's black with a small but solid creamy head and very good lace. The aroma hints of burnt malts, smoke, coffee, light mocha, light grapefruit, earthy yeast esters. The taste is bittersweet with a chalky dry smoky finish. Just like a true black bier should be. Additional fruit and mocha undertones. A top notch version of the sub-style, damn nice and completely quaffable.

Poured a dark brown color with a thin beige head. Big creamy chocolate aroma. Lightly roasted. Flavor is lightly roasted and acidic. Mild bitterness on the finish. Light to medium body.

This bottled brew poured a medium sized head of frothy fine to large sized long lasting light brown colored bubbles that left behind a fair lacing. The body contained soft carbonation, was opaque and black in color. Its aroma contained notes of coffee molasses roasted sweet malts and was very nice. Its mouth feel is initially tingly with a hoppy coffee bite and dark beer brown malts. The finish is a lingering tingly thick palate and a malty smooth hoppy aftertaste. Its flavor contained coffee roasted malty hoppy and dark beer brown malty notes. It was very tasty. An excellent beer that I would buy again.

I think this one was last brewed in late 2003, so this bottle was at least 3 years old upon consumption on 8/20/06.
Mahogany-hickory brown body is clear (sediment left behind), with deep auburn highlights and a moderate-sized, light-tan head that shows fairly strong retention for its age, though little/no lacing.
I think the recent raters are mistaking the products of age for what was intended here. The descriptions of "tart", "lactic", "sour mash", "funky", etc...while true, can’t possibly have been intended. The vinous qualities stem from the roasted barley and seem to have become dominant in this lighter bodied ale. There’s also a good chance of a light lactic infection. Anyways, there’s plenty of oxidation to go around as well. The beer is way passed its prime and shouldnt be rated here, unless you are going to cut it slack for the oxidative and heavily vinous/lactic qualities it possesses. Ripe, black berries are piquant in the nose, with a fresh, creamy oat-like note that helps soothe. Roasted barley nuttiness with a bit of ash on the side, is unmistakeable. Hops certainly have faded, though I’m not sure that they would have benefited by enjoyment anyways. Other than the influence from specialty grains, it has a solid, well-malted edge to it, with a range of chocolate, caramel and toffee. Still a very vibrant beer, despite the oxidation, and quite a strong aroma to boot.
Plenty of oxidation in flavor, but a sticky, chewy, well-malted body and sound attenuation can’t be beaten down by oxidation and vinousness. Mild roastiness, moderate caramel/toffee and lighter sugar notes. It’s obvious they were going for some near-session strength/style ale or a dark ipa-like beer, but with the addition of roasted barley and/or chocolate malt. It works well, I’ve always been a fan of dark IPAs or whatever you might call it, and this is no exception. Thanks for the bottle, Styles!