Founders Curmudgeon (Old Ale) - Founders Brewing Company

Apellonious

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a cloudy murky orangish red

S - I honestly can't tell if this beer is bad or not. At times, especially at the start, it smells bad, that it has turned.. Other times not. It smells malty, sugary, with faint alcohol.

T - buttery, malt, molasses, honey. spices, maybe nutmeg.

M - smooth, slippery.

O - I believe I had this beer once on tap in MN and was fascinated by it. The bourbon notes, the strange sweetness, the 10% heaviness.. I dont recall the odd off putting smell, though. Maybe chalk it up to too much light on the shelf life?

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 01:51:00 | More by Apellonious

danielocean03

Indiana

3.45/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured a thick, cloudy auburn brown with little or no head to speak of, leaves the faintest little beige ring of sticky lace. Moderate sediment floats about, can be seen with a reddish hue when held to the light. Smells deeply of sweet malt,grain, dark ripened fruits, earthen notes, walnuts. Taste is also sweet and malty, resinous woodiness and nutty. Figs and dates, along with brown sugary alcohol flavor. Leaves a slightly drying aftertaste. Mouthfeel is full bodied with very low levels of carbonation, viscous, syrupy like smoothness. Drinkability is decent, a little too sweet all around, nice level of complexity pairs with a hard to detect 9.3% abv. Not a bad old ale, but I've had better. Recommend trying.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2006 21:25:08 | More by danielocean03

andrewinski1

Maine

3.45/5  rDev -14%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Got this as a generous extra. Bottle from 2008.

Poured into giant Dogfish Head snifter. Hazy brown with a hint of red. Not much head, but that always happens with this glass and all the surface area.

Not a very powerful aroma here. A hint of sweet citrus, like orange candy or something like that.

The taste is surprisingly hoppy for the age and style. Nice sweet start to the beer and it hints at maltiness, but the finish is bitter citrus with a hint of tartness that adds complexity. Very enjoyable to sip on.

Average mouthfeel; not too carbonated which works well for the ABV. This is a great sipper I'd love to compare to a fresh bottle. I really liked this a lot.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 04:48:00 | More by andrewinski1

BelgiumBill

Virginia

3.45/5  rDev -14%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I paid $12.99 for a 4-pack of 12 oz bottles at Total Wine.

It's probably a bad omen that I'm the 666 reviewer of this brew.

Gorgeous deep copper color in the glass. There was almost no head but what did appear was a red/beige color that was evident by the ring and lacing.

It smelled of sweet malts, spices, raisins. Perhaps the label was suggestive, but it smelled like an old tavern.

Got a heavy bit of raisin and sweetish damp earthy malts.

It was a bit boozy with some scotch qualities. Fairly thick in the mouth

Not what I was expecting overall. It was good and had a level of complexity but I wasn't expecting such a heavy boozy ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 23:39:59 | More by BelgiumBill

fltmedic

Missouri

3.45/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

At the HOPfest in KC 2011-

The dark brown ale pulls with a nice head which calms very quickly and leaves a surprisingly thin collar around the glass.

The aroma is strong and the maple, caramel sweetness is the first to meet the nose. Some malt is present, but it takes a backseat to the other notes.

Sweetness overpowers but a slight maltiness comes through in the fade.

The ale is far more syrupy and thick than others in the style. There is no comparison. It is heavy and thick and warmed by the alcohol at back of the palate.

This is a drink for those who prefer a thick, sweet sipper. Low on the totem pole for me.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2011 00:45:45 | More by fltmedic

mocktm

Virginia

3.45/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 4/21/2011, into a pint.

Dark amber red in appearance, hazy with little to no head, pretty lousy carbonation as well. Looks thick, syrupy and viscous.

I'm having a really hard time getting past the booze on this, although there are faint hints of burnt sugar, molasses and some raisins. However, the booze are a really dominating presence.

As with the nose, heavy booze with some caramel and vanilla sweetness on the finish. A bit of smoke and woodiness as well, finishing hot from the alcohol with no signs of hop bitterness to be found. Age would probably be very kind to this one.

Definitely full bodied and rather thick. Combined with the booziness, this is a sipper all the way.

Not a huge fan of this one, but with some age, maybe the booze will fade and the malt can become more prevalent to create a better balance. Probably my least liked beer I've had from Founders.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 23:36:54 | More by mocktm

scratch69

Missouri

3.45/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I poured a glass into a snifter.

Appearance- Dark copper color with a fingers worth of head. Small amount of lacing.

Smell- Syrup-like sweetness with hints of caramel, oak, and citrus.

Taste- Sweet with a strong alcohol presence on the first swallow. The alcohol mellows after the first drink and allows the other flavors to come through. I detect molasses, caramel, sweet malt, hints of oak and dark fruit. Very complex and well blended.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied and smooth. Very little carbonation.

Overall- The alcohol flavor was a little offputting at first, I'm glad it disappeared after the first swallow. I'm not sure if I'm a fan of this style. Decent but I probably won't buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 23:45:42 | More by scratch69

hoppymeal

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark amber to brown in color with a very small tan head that quickly fades back. Aroma doesn't do a lot for me, there is just the faintest hint of raisins, but I mainly get a sweet maltiness with some boozy alcohol, not bad, just not overly complex. Taste follows suit although has a little more going on. There is a sweet grape-raisin flavor along with nice sugary caramel sweetness. The alcohol is evident and nicely warms the back of the throat on the first couple sips. Medium sugary body is well balanced by a lightly spicy alcohol presence and a decently dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2006 02:15:05 | More by hoppymeal

beachbum1975

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I found this at Jungle Jim's in Fairfield so I though it was time to give it a try. 12 ounce stubby bottle with an old man on the front.

A: Pours murky red with brown highlights. No foam buld-up on the initial pour but after the pour, small bubbles came to the top leaving a tan ring and dotted lacing.

S: Smelled of bready yeasts, sweet malts, light cinammon, bananna, vanilla, caramel and a bit of mustiness.

T: Full flavored blast of sweet, caramelized malts - Malts all over the place followed by subdued flavors including spice, bananna and vanilla. Slight warming alcohol becomes present after allowing the beer to warm to room temperature.

M: Full bodied and oily. Finshes very wet with the slightest amount of bitterness and low carbonation.

Interesting and enjoyable. Good example for the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2008 03:15:18 | More by beachbum1975

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a brandy sniffer.

A: Hardly any head, with a burnt orange appearance.

S: Caramel, dark fruit (raisons, figs, dates) with a little bit of oak. The alcohol is hot!

T: On my first sip, I tasted nothing but oak and alcohol. More bitterness than sweetness. Later, I detected maple and brown sugar. Is there bourbon in this?

M: The alcohol burns the mouth, which I did not find pleasant. The texture is very thick and almost chewy.

D: The ABV is definitely detectable and then some! Even though this style is supposed to be kind of hot on the palate, this overstays its welcome in that department. Once my mouth got used to those flavors, it got better.

Overall: I've had this one a couple of times before and I really want to cheer for it each time because Founders is one of the best in the biz. However, even after analyzing it in my session, this still remains one of my least favorite Founders brews.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2010 21:50:47 | More by Chaney

bs870621345

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours an amber color with minimal head. Leaves a nice lacing down the glass.

Smells like fruits molasses, caramel, maybe a slight pine hint from hops. Very much a malty beer that is pretty damn good.

Taste is like molasses, alcohol, fruits, gentle funk I think, and a light pine in there. Its rather fruity and sweet with a gentle hopping to counter.

Mouthfeel is thick, full and sticky. Not overly carbonated, as expected.

The drinkability suffers a bit because of the alcohol burn in there. I find that it is this way with a lot of founders beers.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2010 02:49:41 | More by bs870621345

dpnelson1978

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle into glass snifter.
45°F

$4.00 / ea.

A: Cloudy burnt orange body topped with a small off-white head that quickly dissipates leaving no lace and only a ring of cover.

S: Molasses, pecans, raisins, and traces of booze. Very full aroma tending towards sweet maltiness. You can tell it will be potent before it ever hits your lips.

T: Sweet molasses and brown sugar malt profile dominates. The alcohol is well masked, but the underlying potency is obvious. The hop profile is very weak compared to the malt bill, but tends toward a resinous piney flavor. Aftertaste is brief, and does not build.

M: Medium body with moderate carbonation. Slight initial bite. Viscous and coating on the tongue, but does not build over time.

D: A sipping beer to be sure. The flavor is pleasant, but the strength can not be denied. One, maybe two while you relax.

O: Solid offering, but nothing special. I've had better from both the brewery and the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 01:22:02 | More by dpnelson1978

harrymel

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured to NB globe.
Bottled: 02/04/10

A: Pours a firey orange. No head until I agitate, then a thin sheet of off white foam. Pretty beer.

S: One of the oakiest beers I've ever smelled. Smells like the barrels didn't even have anything more than light toast. Woody.

T: Bitter, caramel, oak, wood. Very, very woody. Wow, dunno if I'm gonna be able to finish this one. Not because it's bad, it's just so strong.

M: Medium body, low carb. nearly flat.

D: It's a bigger beer than I had anticipated. However, I think with an additional year under the belt, this beer would even out nicely.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2011 21:34:17 | More by harrymel

vandemonian

Maryland

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Founders Curmudgeon (Old Ale) is a decent old ale that doesn;t take the style that far.

A: Orange colour and decent head that fades to edge lacing. 4

S: Oxidised cardboard with some malt. 3.25

T Oxidised cardboard flavour into dark malt and alcohol aftertaste. 3.5

M: Not especially carbonated. 3

O: Decent old ale but lacks that ridiculous sweet alcohol flavour that makes and old ale distinctive. Takes like an old oxidised DIPA. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 03:37:23 | More by vandemonian

PhageLab

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a standard pint glass.

A - Cherry mahogany colored brew with a small layer of froth on top. Lacing was quite nice.

S - Brown sugar and toffee dominate the nose, with some caramel malts showing through.

T - Big malty flavor, rich and sugary. Little to no bitterness, but a noticeable alcohol burn is present. Aftertaste reminiscent of cherries.

M - Full bodied ale with a low carbonation level. Very dry.

D - A little too boozy for me, but there are some redeeming qualities. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 22:28:11 | More by PhageLab

Gtreid

Florida

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip.

A: Deep burnt orange color. The pour dropped a great two finger head that left nice lace.

A: Very interesting. I get notes of oak, cane sugar, caramel, vanilla, and dirty muddy water. Earthy hops and grapefruit notes as well.

T: Caramel, vanilla, and oak. It is very sweet, and almost has a belgian quad sugary flavor. I get a touch of molasses but the flavor is dominated by sugar and wood. Very noticable alcohol heat.

M: Pretty heavy body, good amount of carbonation.

O: I am really on the fence with this one. I loved the way it looked and smelled, but the flavor fell a little short for me. Can't say anything bad about the beer, just not my cup of tea. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 13:00:26 | More by Gtreid

andrewjraab

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a hazy carmel dark brown with a tiny film of creamy head that quickly dissipated. Zero rentention or stick.

S - Sweet smell of caramel and malts. Oaky, and the alcohol is present in the initial whiff.

T - First thing that hit me was the high alcohol scotchy profile, followed by a nice mellowing sweet balance. It gets better as it comes to room temp. It is amazing how these beers change with temperature and you get so much more of the underlying flavors.

O - This is a very well crafted beer. I was disappointed in the lack of head, but pleasantly surprised at how much I started to like it the more a drank it. It took me about two hours to sip it down and I would actually open and pour it and let it sit next time before I even had a sip.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 00:09:45 | More by andrewjraab

JDizzle

Indiana

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark auburn that looks pretty damn good. Not much head, but lacing is good.

The aroma is underwhelming.... Not much gong on here but sweet malt. vanilla, alcohol, and carmel.

Not what I was hoping for. Really comes off like a Belgian?? I got a little oakiness, but it's not overwhelming. I get a little vanilla with a some dark fruits and that's about it. OK

Mouthfell is solid and fairly thick. Carbonation is low and that's OK for this style.

Not a homerun, but a decent beer I won't seek out again. There are too many other beers out there for the price.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 01:41:58 | More by JDizzle

keithmurray

Louisiana

3.48/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

bottle poured into a snifter, bottled on 4/26/2012

Appearance - dark ruby/mahogany color with some tan head

Smell - maple, oak, bourbon, molasses

Taste - molasses, bourbon, oak, booze is apparent

Mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium carbonation, bitter upfront, astringent in the finish, spicy, woodsy finish on this

Overall - This beer falls somewhere in the middle for the style, not quite up to the standard, which to me is HOTD ADAM. Fans of the style will likely enjoy this.

Price Point - $4.75- 12 oz bottle

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 23:44:09 | More by keithmurray

damienblack

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to JohnTravolta21 for this 12oz bottle.

Pours cider-brown with little fanfare. Minimal head and lacing. Smells like a hoppy, boozey barleywine, sweet and hoppy, and a little burnt malt or caramel. Something else dark and a little musty almost like tobacco on the nose.

Big sweet malt explosion, full of caramel and a stronger sense of that tobacco-like taste I got from the nose. Almost like coffee, except it's a harsher sensation. Tastes burnt without that flavor dominating, it adds sort of an oaked sensation to it. Also reinforced by a whiskey-like bite to it at the end, as well as a whiskey-smokeyness after in the throat. Hops bitter towards the end of the palate, there for bittering effect to balance out the sweetness, and don't really add the taste of pine or another particular hop taste. Mouthful is thick and syrupy, it coats the palate and doesn't want to let go. Big bodied beer. A nice sipper, but the heavy presence of hard liquors/alcohol, combined with the harshness of the other flavors prevent this from being more than that. I like the change of pace, but I don't know if I want to pursue this beer again, at least fresh.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2009 03:04:27 | More by damienblack

jdg204

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Good old Abe's Beer Shop in Bethlehem provided yet another chance for a new Founders brew. Founders and I are on a fantastic winning streak together and I'm excited to see if we can keep it going.

A: Slightly hazed orangeish brown with a thin head that quickly disappears.

S: Strong alcohol aroma, thick with dark fruit, vanilla, and bourbon. Strong in all aspects.

T: Very full flavor with dark fruits, vanilla, and a strong boozey flavor. Undertone is very bitter but I'm not wild about the balance. The barrel aging was a surprise and didn't help the beer. Flavors don't flow together well at all and it feels messy.

M: Full bodied and very boozey/ bitter on the aftertaste, sounds pleasant but it's not really.

D: This was a very surprising brew, not much of an Old Ale it reminded me of an English Barleywine (and not a great one at that). The flavors didn't seem to flow together very well and to be honest the whole brew felt a bet messy. It was a still a decent brew but certainly not up to the high standards I have for Founders. Try it if you're looking for something unique but don't expect an Old Ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 22:13:19 | More by jdg204

deebo

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

09 from keg

A-Cloudy with some foam that laces and hangs on throughout. Deep orange color.

S-Oak is predominant aroma with this one.

T-Nice flavor but alcohol note is a bit stronger than I'd like.

M-Thick, a substantial drink.

D-Pretty good considering the strength

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2011 23:46:12 | More by deebo

beagle75

Iowa

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.
2010 vintage

A: Hazy, medium amber color with a patchy residue of fairly large off-white bubbles. lacing remains on the glass and solids hang suspended throughout the column.

S: Bready, with a fairly aggressive level of toast to it. Lesser fruit occupies the middle range of color, suggesting dates, while new aromatic wood is also suggested. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins sweet, with refined caramel and pale malt, immediately spirituous, and early herbaceous bitterness. Acidity, though soft, is transmitted rather boldly in the taste, probably encouraging fruit flavors to develop more rapidly than they otherwise might. Heavy yeast esters do carry with them the perception of cooked fruit in the middle, resulting in a fairly deep variety to what initially appeared to be clean and straightforward on the palate. Bitterness is moderate in the drying finish, where aromatic flavors of musty wood, earth, brandy, and resurgent but huskier grain all become very interesting.

M: Moderate to thick viscosity, initially astringent on the palate which clashes with the overall syrupy decadence, with low carbonation.

D/O: Really more interesting than good, this old ale seems to ooze authenticity. While no part of it qualifies as offensive, there is a discordant note than is struck early on in the taste by a precocious bitterness that is awkwardly fresh in its plant-like way. Then on its heels is a similarly lively acidity; taken together, these two elements have the effect of splitting the flavor profile into asymmetrical halves. Deeper on things seem to normalize, with a remarkable complexity coming on by the finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 01:51:50 | More by beagle75

sidetracked

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours ruby red with visible sediment floating about. Light tan head lingers around the edges.

Not very aromatic. Little toffee, toasted malts, and alcohol heat.

Upfront taste is slightly sweet toffee, caramel, raisin-like fruit, and toasted malts. Little alcohol present. Finish is toasty and boozy with some molasses but not that sweet. Lingering molasses flavor.

Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation. Slightly syrupy. Hint of alcohol heat at the finish.

A good sipper with nice complex flavor. Aroma leaves something to be desired. A beer I'd have to be in the mood for to have again.

7/28/2011

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 19:07:58 | More by sidetracked

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled April 2012

A - Hazy amber with little head.

S - Boozy with wet oak and a hint of molasses.

T - Sweet malt with wet oak and alcohol.

M - Light carbonation, thick and almost syrupy.

D - This one needs some time. The wet oak is currently a little overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 01:00:20 | More by brewcrew76