Founders Curmudgeon (Old Ale) - Founders Brewing Company

kdb150

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into my Brooklyn Brewery tulip at ~60 degrees F.

A - pours a nice dark reddish-orangish-purplish color with about a finger of off-white head that sticks around for a little while. I've tried this a few times and sometimes there is a lot of sediment, but this one poured crystal-clear. A very attractive beer, though lacing is minimal.

S - reminiscent of a Belgian quad, with lots of dark fruit, along with a bit of candi sweetness. No real oak presence here despite the fact that it claims to be oak-aged. Smells pretty good.

T - I think maybe this is just my palate, but this beer simply falls apart in the taste category, which is a shame because the presentation is very well done in every other aspect. Dark fruits, predominately plum and fig flavors, come through big-time. On the back end there is a bit of the toffee and caramel sweetness, which is nicely balanced and not real cloying. Unfortunately there is something else in this beer that I find very off-putting. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is, but there is a very stong, pungent, almost metallic flavor here in the middle, and even with 8 months of age it has not diminished at all. Coincidentally, I find the same off-putting flavor in St. Bernardus Abt. 12, so I'm willing to chalk it up to my own sensitivities, rather than something wrong with the beer, to explain why I don't like it. Another downside is that I also detect very little oak, if any.

M - this is big and slick, but pleasantly so. The finish lingers, and the pungent flavor is nowhere to be found. The aftertaste is delightful, actually, much more so than the actual taste I'm afraid. Dead on for the style and size of this beer, and really quite nice.

O - I drainpour this every time, but it's a well-made beer that just doesn't fit my palate. Worth trying as it is a good overall experience, and if you don't have the same reaction to the taste, I suspect you would find this beer to be quite enjoyable. Alas, I can only actually score it based on my own taste, but I think most people would not have the same reaction to the taste as I do.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 17:50:55 | More by kdb150

AmandaSchaefer

Wisconsin

2.5/5  rDev -37.7%

05-18-2013 12:50:36 | More by AmandaSchaefer

StoughtonGuy

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -25.2%

05-18-2013 03:10:35 | More by StoughtonGuy

artoolemomo

Oregon

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-18-2013 02:21:42 | More by artoolemomo

BUNZILLA

Indiana

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-18-2013 01:00:37 | More by BUNZILLA

JOrtt

California

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-18-2013 00:31:45 | More by JOrtt

cbord459

New York

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%

05-17-2013 17:22:20 | More by cbord459

Jsmick

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-17-2013 03:45:09 | More by Jsmick

kirkfrailey

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%

05-16-2013 18:31:40 | More by kirkfrailey

richkrull

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +18.5%

05-16-2013 16:05:00 | More by richkrull

MinorThreat

Colorado

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-16-2013 13:06:40 | More by MinorThreat

Casey3236

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-16-2013 03:26:42 | More by Casey3236

SanFranJake

California

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%

05-16-2013 03:19:45 | More by SanFranJake

Joey1566

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-16-2013 02:42:13 | More by Joey1566

ryand14

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-15-2013 12:57:05 | More by ryand14

Sisky

California

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-15-2013 03:49:03 | More by Sisky

mrwelk

North Dakota

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%

05-15-2013 01:51:06 | More by mrwelk

hopswap1

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-14-2013 12:32:45 | More by hopswap1

davesway10

Iowa

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-13-2013 20:36:20 | More by davesway10

vrbulldog22

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-13-2013 18:23:45 | More by vrbulldog22

smooth_aleing

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%

05-13-2013 00:58:38 | More by smooth_aleing

Rohkey

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%

05-12-2013 21:47:22 | More by Rohkey

Kubrickx

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-12-2013 18:19:13 | More by Kubrickx

Goosehunter75

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a brilliant coper with 1 finger tan colored head that is slow to form but really hangs around. There is a slight haze to the beer

S - Sweet malts, hints of coffee, cherry, toffee, and oak. Not as much aroma as I had anticipated, but a nice smelling beer nontheless.

T - The taste doesnt disappoint! A very malty beer. Lots of oak as well. Similar to the aroma, there are hints of coffee and cherry mixed throughout. Wonderfully tasty and complex

M - Extremely nice. Very thick beer but it goes down very smooth. Hints of alcohol leave the mouth feeling warm and dry.

O - Very impressive beer. Worlds of flavor in this beer that all seem to blend together perfectly. A good strong beer at 9.8 ABV but it manages to go down very smoothly leaving just a slight hint of alcohol behind.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 12:51:03 | More by Goosehunter75

schopenhauerale

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-12-2013 09:34:29 | More by schopenhauerale