Founders Curmudgeon (Old Ale) - Founders Brewing Company

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BA SCORE
90
exceptional
-
2,068 Ratings

rAvg: 4.01
pDev: 11.47%
Reviews: 971
Hads: 1097

Ratings Help

Brewed by:
Founders Brewing Company

Michigan, United States

Style | ABV
Old Ale | 9.80% ABV

Availability: Rotating. bottle (910), on-tap (60), growler (1).

Notes:
50 IBU
Old ale brewed with molasses and oak-aged.

View: Beers (65) | Reviews (220) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by bnes09:

bnes09

Illinois

3.88/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is my first old ale so I'm really not sure what to think going in. It pours a translucent orangish brown color with a creamy white head. Good head retention and some dots of lace.

Emits lots in intriguing aromas. Alcohol spice with a distinctive scotch quality. Sweet and caramely with just a touch of hops in the nose.

Flavors are even more complex. The most prominent is the hugely dynamic sweetness. I can honestly describe it as honey, caramel, brown sugar, maple and a touch of molasses each appearing at different times during the same sip. Hints of toffee and almond come to mind as well. There is a strange underlying flavor here that is very hard to pick out, it almost tastes like buttery, eggy, sugary cookie-dough, different but not necessarily bad. Mild piney and floral hops fight to be noticed. Solid alcohol spice dominates the finish and warms the throat.

Sticky on the tongue with a full-bodied, slightly syrupy mouthfeel. Fairly low carbonation, which seems to fit well.

One of the most interesting beers I have tried to date. It was bottled in 02/2010 giving it about 8 months to age. I would like to try it again both fresh and after aging at least 12 months. Enormous amount of malt flavor and aroma while hops do a nice job of keeping it interesting without dominating the senses. This one is definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 05:17:07 | More by bnes09

More User Reviews:

dcloeren

Texas

4/5 rDev -0.2%

05-21-2013 21:29:47 | More by dcloeren

schwemjw

Ohio

3.89/5 rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: dark copper, brownish with no head to speak of, a thin lacing around the glass.
S: Molassis, sweet malt and a touch of oak. A tart cherry in the finish. good stuff.
T: Dark molassis, sweet caramel, oak in the middle with a sticky buttery brown sugar and cherry finish. A little cinnamon in there as well.
M:Meduim to full bodied, like a syrup at times.
O: Wonderful lingering finish leaves me coming back for more. The oak and molassis really shine! /88

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 20:58:21 | More by schwemjw

tweezer159

Alabama

4.25/5 rDev +6%

05-21-2013 03:09:58 | More by tweezer159

ackeeper

Illinois

4.25/5 rDev +6%

05-21-2013 01:52:53 | More by ackeeper

hiphops24

New York

4/5 rDev -0.2%

05-21-2013 01:23:38 | More by hiphops24

Lionhawk

Iowa

4.25/5 rDev +6%

05-20-2013 02:58:14 | More by Lionhawk

PlayitAgain

New York

3.25/5 rDev -19%

05-20-2013 02:57:07 | More by PlayitAgain

Sark

Montana

4.25/5 rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance- brown orange glow with bits of sediment dancing in the carbonation, a beige-tan head that slowly accumulates, laces down the glass

Smell- magnificent whiff of grainy breads with sweet malt undertone, light hop tinge

Taste- Excellent caramel and toffee malt sweetness with a breaded mid palate and slight hop-oiled finish. Notes of ripe fruits become apparent after a few sips (plums, dates). Slight yeasty aftertaste

Mouthfeel- medium bodied, velvety smooth

Overall- Really, really impressed with this brew. I heard a lot about Founders and this was my first try from the brewery. I can't wait to try others. This old ale is really big on flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 01:15:06 | More by Sark