Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale

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

Murky copper body; thin head. Aroma - mandarin orange, rusted pipes. Texture of wet clay, paper maché. Extremely musty old-world malt flavor. Some plum flavor. Moderate bitterness of old hops conjures up tree bark(?), chalk(?). Alcohol adds to the body but not to the flavor. Very unique; I don’t have any other beers to use as a reference point for comparison. 2 bottles over 2 weeks before I feel comfortable entering a rating. I did like this.

Dark red color with no head. Strong aroma of molasses, caramel, some idodine/sea saltiness reminiscent of Islay Scotches. Tastes delicious. Strong, sweet caramel, toasted malt and biscuit. Toffee. Light salty finish. Way underrated in my opinion.

2008 Bottle - Thanks tjthresh - Pours a dark amber with a quickly dissipating off white head...this brew needs to sit until it only has a slight chill, totally opens up...aroma is dry fruit, caramel malt..flavour is balanced, hop bitterness starts immediately and lasts, stands up to the sweetness...I think the alcohol was pretty obvious, but would mellow in an older botle, finishes sweet...good brew...

dark ruby pour with a thin ring of cream froth. nose of fruits, malts, raisins and caramel. good thickness with a flavor of sweet malts, raisins, and other dried fruits. sweet finish with some carbonation and the alcohol is very well hidden.

12oz bottle from Crown Liquors (Indianapolis, IN). Pours a generally clear dark amber copper color with a thin white head. Aroma is sweet and malty with strong notes of brandy, raisins, ripe dark fruit, caramel, honey, phenol. Flavor is also malty and sweet with notes of ripe dark fruit, bourbon, raisins, plums, sweet caramel. Generally medium body with a smooth malty and sweet finish.

(bottle - 12 oz) Got this in a little trade from Dave. Thanks man. Copper pour with a creamy tan head. Aroma is sweet with some good hints of sweetness, dark fruits, oak, maybe some bourbon, and alcohol. Flavor is very sweet and rich with lots of toffee, caramel, oak, wood, vanilla, alcohol, and a light tartness near the end. Finishes smooth and sweet.

Bottle into snifter. Pours a very hazy dark red-brown, almost no head. Nose is rich, prominent but not overwhelming bourbon note, clean dark fruit, toffee. Front has some carbonation burn, with a rich malt note of toffee and molasses, vanilla and bourbon coming through also, and a light, balancing hop bitterness as well. The bitterness melds well with the dark fruit and light alcohol bitterness that tend to emerge right before the finish. Finish is lots of bourbon, lightly bitter, with a lingering overripe dark fruit and molasses richness. Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, sticky and thick bodied.

12 oz bottle purchased at Chuck’s Liquor in Bowling Green. I believe that this must be a 2006 bottle, because this beer was full of bourbon notes. Poured a clear amber color with a two finger cream colored head. The aroma was strong with bourbon. The flavor was vanilla and bourbon, with a caramel malt background. The palate was perfect on this one. The alcohol was well hidden, the mouthfeel was chewy and creamy, and the carbonation was soft/mild. This was an absolutely excellent brew.