Founders Black Rye

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

Black, as advertised, with a thick tan head. Great rich malt aroma, smells of hops, chocolate, coffee and roasted malt. Medium to heavy body, with a sharp hop bitter. Reminds me of a good porter, despite the classification. A bit bitter in the finish.

12 oz bottle, thanks to OhioDad for another goodie! Pours - as advertised - a black color with cherry highlights and a huge foamy tan head, in fact the head practically jumped up the edges of the glass and over the rim as I poured! Lots of roasty, sweetness in the aroma, like a burnt chocolate toffee, with herbal notes, a bit of oromatic woodiness - maybe cedar, and hint of spice. Roasty, sweet, hoppy flavor, quite unique and good, bitterness is present from both the malt and hop elements, coffee sweetened with brown sugar, a bit of biting herbiness and an oversteeped black tea finish. Medium body and creamy, fuzzy carbonation. Quite good!

Bottle: Thanks Kenb for this one. Poured a dark brown color with a pretty sizeable amount of head. The head seems a bit odd, so I will note it. The head was very large and seemed to have quite a bit of foam that collapsed very quickly. I have never seen anything like it, but I am pretty sure it’s nothing like an infection. Smell is very interesting too. There’s a smell of a bit of candy, I think. Also seems to have a bit of nuttiness in this one. I can defintely smell the rye in this one. Taste is one of burnt malt, with a touch of rye in there. I taste just a hint of coffee flavor in this one as well.

Strong coffee aroma with bits of chocolate, roast, and a tad doughy. Pitch black, with a small and bubbly lasting head. Big malty coffee flavor with a bit of hop bitterness. Good full body and creamy texture. A great beer!

I’m sitting @ Founders as we read. My nose is not working so I am giving a 5 for nose good reason. It’s a nice mouthfull, nice balance... ain’t all that nice. Bottom line is this is yet another great beer coming out of a great brewery. Black is B E A utifull!!

Color is what the label says...black. Tan, sticky foam head has good staying power. Aroma is great! Roasted malt, caramel, and chocolate. Flavor is definitely roasted malt with a bite of bitterness. This has that burned pizza crust taste that I love! A very, very good beer. I’m already a huge fan of the red rye, and I’ll definitely be buying a six of its darker cousin.

Bottle provided by ragallachMC. Pours a dark brown with black notes, a large frothy off-white head and lined lacing, head is mostly lasting. Aroma is sweet medium dark chocolate roasted malt (cookie) and nuts, yeast (dough) and caramel present at the end. Medium sweet chocolate milky malt and yeast flavor, roasted malt and toast notes, nutty hints, mild acidity and bitterness. Medium bodied, clean and fizzy, refreshing palate.

Pours a dark brown with a tan head. The aroma has notes of toasted malt and rye. Flavors of toasted malt, roasted bitterness, rye, and a nuttiness are evident.