Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale

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

12oz bottle. Pours a hazy deep red with ruby highlights, specks of bottle-conditioned-sediment floating lazily. The head is virtually non-existent. What bubbles do form are very small and light-tan in color, forming a thin ring around the perimeter of the glass at the surface of the beer - leaving slight/trace amounts of lace on the glass here and there. The aroma is very malty with a strange metallic air at first followed by vinous malts, soft fruit, some hoppiness (slightly vegetal, piney), and a noticeable wallop of alcohol, too. The flavor starts very malty and mellow with some woodiness and a nice layer of hops - piney and spicy. At mid-tongue, there is a great balance of big, bold malts with a good bit of sweetness and bitter hops that are fruity, slightly earthy, and spicy. The finish is full but not cloying with a nice thick malt ending that is well-balanced with a good bit of fruit, some wood (subtle smoke), and a very pleasant and strong hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is full and oily (not quite syrupy) with a lot of suds (spritzier and lighter than expected from the complete lack of foam upon pouring). There is a slight astringenct sensation on the middle and back of the tongue that is only slight and not unpleasant - from alcohol, bitterness, and carbonation combined. The beer is warming in the chest as you drink it down without tasting like alcohol (though it certainly tastes big). Overall, a very pleasant experience.

Pours a nice reddish brown color with a thin white head.Nose is definitely hoppy alcohol. Nose is slightly off putting to me. Taste is a bit smoky and ceder. Malt, hop, and hard alcohol dominate this brew. I believe this beer needs a year to mellow out, but it is very complex and still quite interesting.

A nice beer, from Founders. Good color, though not much of a head. Has that sugary, grainy appearance so common of barley wines, and a good, reddish hued brown color. Nose is warming on its own, dominated by the hops and alcohol. Flavor is, again, very similar to a BW, though perhaps not quite as hoppy or rich in flavor as that near cousin. Finish fades into hoppy goodness.

12 oz. bottle. First had a sample at the 2007 World Beer Festival in Durham. Now onto the proper rate. Pours a hazy, ruby cider color. Lots of floaties. Medium sized, khaki head. Aroma of dark fruits, toffee. Flavor is smooth and different. Leans heavily on the malty side, but there are underpinnings of hop bitterness and licorice. A very earthy mouthfeel. Finish is slightly bitter. Another tasty offering from Founders.

tap at monks- pours hazy brown with sudsy lace and a thin head that goes to the edges. nose is spicy, sensing milk as well. butter. tastes hoppy, bitter, yet balanced. lots of fruitty rasberries, lots of butter with piney hops underpinning everything. excellent. i dont know why but it reminds me of a scotch ale.

Bottle, shared with Naka. Pours murky brown with floaties and a rimming, small khaki head. Nose is caramel, oak, bourbon and brownies with mild fruit, chocolate-covered cherries and fig. Taste is caramel and chocolate with bourbon, oak, cherry and raisin, alcohol head and mild flavor, with the burn lasting into the after. This is a tasty, tasty brew. Must find more. The best old ale I’ve had as of this date.

12oz bottle. Pours hazy amber with golden edges and a thin golden tan head. Aroma malty, toffee, brown sugar, dark frutis, woody and a little alcohol. Flavor is sweet malts, brown sugar, toffee, caramel, a little booze, and apples that give a little tartness at the finish. Really liked this old ale. Will have to keep the rest to see how they age.

There is a quality to this beer that I really don’t like. I know a lot of people like this, and it’s a pretty great old ale. I can drink it if I plug my nose. It smells like thrift store books. Anyyyywayyyyy.... it’s a ruby color .. nice representation for the style. Flavor is REALLY malty... almost a peat like quality to the malt there. I smell leaves. Like old leaves waiting for pickup on the side of the street. OK, come to think of it, this beer of the personification of a child molester. It’s kind of musty, dated, old sock-ish, and reeks of booze. I need an adult.