Founders Black Rye

Brewed by Founders Brewing Company
Style: Specialty Grain
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Tap at Boston Brookline Publick House. Almost black body with an almost-see-through soft-drink appearance. Some liquorice and lime on the nose. Rather light body surprisingly lacking in the malt department. Dark malts without the roasted flavours, some figs notes. Despite being a “black beer” there’s nothing heavy in the body. Nothing creamy, no chocolate or coffee flavours. Hops are of the citrusy type and provide a nice tartness. Even at 7% that’s a light black beer meant to be drank in large quantity. Pleasant beer but at the Brookline Publick House they had both the Founder’s Black Rye and the Founder’s Breakfast Stout on tap. The Black Rye can’t hold a candle to the Breakfast Stout… unless of course you have a bottle of both side by side and you stick a candle in the Black Rye bottle.

Really cool label, reminds me of Metallica or Slayer or something. An interesting beer, as I didn’t know what to expect. This beer shared more qualities with an Imperial Stout than with any other style IMO, though there are some differences. Color was dark brown with ruby hightlights. Aroma was roasted malts and bitter chocolate. Flavor was burnt malts, chocolate, hops, but was a little bit watered-down. I would have liked more vibrant flavors in a beer like this. Pretty good though, and a good price.

Bottle. Pours a deep dark brown color with a medium tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, spices and smoke. Hops are blended in well and but the rye still peaks through.Taste is slightly sweet intially but finshes with a bit of bitter dark chocolate flavor.

SECOND TRIAL: This is a dynamite beer. I really enjoy the rich bitter chocolate flavors and the extremely dry finish. The beer pours a nice black, with a modest head. The aroma is bitter chocolate and roasted malt. The taste is very similar: very, very roasted malt, burnt pizza crust, and a nice bitter chocolate. The finish is very dry and leaves a bit of a burnt malt flavor on the palate. I really, really enjoy this beer. It reminds me a bit of Three Floyd’s Alpha Klaus, but it’s quite a bit cheaper, making it an excellent choice. Another great Founder’s brew.

This beer pours almost black. The head has as much volume as the beer itself and is dark tan. It has plenty of retention and fades into larger bubbles. Aroma is big and malty. First taste really jumps at you. Rye taste dominates and it is difficult to get past it to the more subtle ones. Roasted flavors come out as does coffee and chocolate. Finish is malty and bitter. What a good beer! It grabbed you by the taste buds and held on. From the opening pour this was a wonderful beer experience.

Bottle thanks to bullet2urbrain. Poured a dark brown body with big head, settling down to a nice flat ring. Aroma is of chocolate, malt, candied fruit, hops and grape soda. Flavor is sweet with a chocolate overtone and slightly dry. Very smooth and drinkable. Had the sugary feel of grape soda and that dry sweet after taste that accompanies it. Good.

Bottle. Sweetish aroma has lots of roasted malt and a good dose of hops, gritty toffee melding with the roast and some tarry burned notes. Touch of malted milk. Deep ruby-black pour with a soapy light brown head. Taste is bitter roast, not intimidating, but strong enough to drive its point home. Hops are there as the base, seem refined. Light nuttiness. Medium-light body. Finish is smooth cream and malt and pleasantly - and gently - warming. After a few ounces, nuanced grapefruit begins to squirt through. This is an interesting mix of qualities from various styles, and if the second bottle holds the line, I might shift the score up four or five tenths.

Founders Black Rye 12 oz bottle Medium pour in an English pint glass Recent brewing, absorbed 02/07 Poured a clear black with brown highlights with a large creamy fully lasting light brown head. Smelt of strong burnt grain, soy, dark coffee, and moderate dark chocolate. Taste was upfront strong bitter burnt grain and soy with some light sweet chocolate followed by a harsh burnt, almost tar or ashes bitterness with light perfumey hops on a long finish. Palate was medium bodied, oily, lively carbonated and strongly astringent. Overall, a lot of burnt dark taste, not all that pleasant but counterbalanced by its interesting aggressiveness. A great standout beer.