Founders Backwoods Bastard

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

Woodsy deep brown in the glass, with a disappearing head. Aromas of bourbon, oak, vanilla, and cherry. Long, lush palate really shows off the bourbon flavors without indicating too much alcohol. Slightly sweet at first, then a slight alcohol burn at the finish, but bright flavors throughout of oak, charcoal, cherry, white chocolate and leaves.

Bottle from Wine Warehouse in Charlottesville for $3.60. Pours muddy brown with a quarter of an inch of off-white head. Light, sweet bourbon in the nose - malts as well. Flavor is sweet chocolate bourbon, dark chocolate finish.

Bottle. Pours a dark amber with a brown head. Aroma is full of bourbon notes with an undertone of smoke and roasted malts. Flavor begins with sweet caramel and grain notes, but finishes with a smoky alcoholic kick.

12 oz bottle served in a tulip. Pour was dark amber, like the color of whiskey actually, with a half inch of beige head that disappeared in the blink of an eye. Nose is bourbon, scotch, vanilla, oak, and earth. Taste is whiskey, vanilla, bourbon, and earth upfront. This is followed by an odd, caramel sour cherry the pops up and flows into the finish. This is a very unique brew that is quite enjoyable! Though delicious, I don’t know if I could drink more than one or two. Also, the HIGH ABV is very well hidden!

12oz bottle (2009) into a goblet. The pour is amber/red with a small off-white head and tons of lacing. The aroma is mostly bourbon barrel - oak, tannins, and a solid dose of vanilla. The flavor is a lot of bourbon barrel up front like the aroma but then fades into a sweet and smokey concoction paired with a numb alcohol feeling. This is all a good combination!

12 oz. bottle, 2009 edition, from Ludlow Wines. Pours a dark, cloudy brown color with a very thin beige head that leaves a little film on top and ring around the edge. Aroma of vanilla, bourbon, wood, caramel malts, butterscotch, roast, dark fruits, and just a little smoke. As I smell this more, I’m also picking up on the Scotch- amazing, because I never expected to be able to distinguish both whiskeys in here. Wow, I could smell this all day. Nice, smooth, well-balanced flavor of sweet roasted malts, vanilla, butterscotch, wood, tea, and dark fruits. A little warming alcohol shows up late, but overall well-hidden for a 10.2% ABV brew. Smooth, with minimal carbonation and a buttery mouthfeel. Great beer.

Tap. Pours to a deep rusted brown body with a thin off-white head. The aroma is lightly peated caramel toffees. Light vanilla and sweet barley. Touch of chocolate. The flavor is sweet but not sugary. Densely blended flavors of lightly peated barley, vanilla, chocolate ganache, oak, and a dash of bourbon. The barrel aging is so balanced and provides mere highlights instead of that constant overpowering booze like others. The palate is sweet but not sugary. Velvety and medium bodied. Very easy to drink this. Peated malt works well throughout. Chocolate provides balance and complexity.

Tap. Vinous prune, barley malt and alcohol aroma. Dark brown-red color with small head. Sweet, smooth bourbon and barley malt flavor with a hint of cherry. Superb blending.