Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale

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

Bottle. Murky amber with a beige head. Massive notes of cocoa, chocolate and caramel along with dark ripe fruits like dates, plums and figs. Also vanilla, cookie and baking spices. Sweet flavour of the aforementioned dark fruits and caramel with toasted malt, cocoa and a really solid bitterness to kick in at the end. The IBU’s in this beer isn’t apparent i aroma, which makes for a wonderfully complex beer that left me surprised, intrigued and wanting more. I can definitely recommend this.

Up there with the Hair of the Dog Adam for old ales. Wonderful aroma full of booze and a bit of banana. Taste gets a bit thin but wow, still another fantastic beer from Founders.

12oz bottle (2009) into a goblet. The pour is a rather clear amber/red that reminds me a bit of apple juice when held to the light. A very small amount of white head sits on top and fades almost immediately to a small ring. The aroma suggests the high alcohol content rather clearly and underneath there is some caramel and dark fruits. The flavor is much smoother (less alcohol hitting you right away) with caramel, bread, and woody tannins hanging subtly in the background. Pretty thick body with a medium carbonation.

It is slightly hazy, dark red amber with a creamy head. The aroma is vinous with notes of wood, fruit, malt and caramel. The flavor is sweet with notes of wood, mango, raisin, light peach, apricot and lots of malt and caramel. The finish has a light, citrussy bitterness.

355 ml bottle. Reddish brown colour. Crystal clear. Medium-sized white fine-laced head. Rich caramelly aroma with notes of bread and toffee. Aroma is very intense, and very enjoyable. Sharp hop bitterness on the tongue. This mixed with strong caramelly malt flavours. Body feels surprisingly light given the initial impressions. Alcohol is noticeable, but mostly giving a warming sensation. Finishes much lighter, both in flavour, bitterness and character. Overall a great beer. Would have been even better if it could have followed up after the initial explosion of flavour.

Red, brown colored brew. Nice sweet malty, oaky, vanilla aroma. Some bourbon, dried fruits. Flavor is balanced, vanilla, dried fruits, sweet malts, raisin and bourbon, Hoppy finish. Thick texture. Nice brew, very enjoyable.

Aroma of brown sugar, caramel and rum. Appearance was reddish brown with creamy tan head. Flavor matched the nose very well. Palate was bubbly. Good, but perhaps a bit overrated.

A: Pours a reddish brown hue with a thunderous head. Quite a few bubbles but very little lacing. S: Very big. Tons of malt, oak, bourbon, cherries and vanilla. You could pass this off for a very nice snifter of Bourbon. T: The smell defined the taste in this one. Tons of oak. Like fine barrel aged bourbon baby yet soo much more complex. Besides the oak the alcohol is present, there is also vanilla and chocolate candied covered cherries. Lovely Brew. M: Medium bodied yet clingy. Takes hold of my mouth and throat with the strong oakiness, and burns its way down.