Founders Curmudgeon (Old Ale) - Founders Brewing Company

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 12 oz bottle from a Dark Lord Day '07 trade with Sephiroth.

A: The ale is a dark brown color, akin to a black cherry cola. Head was sizeable, near two fingers, and looks to retain nicely. The ale is full of particles, suspended throughout and quite thick.

S: The nose, call me crazy, has the sickly sweet aroma of a bourbon barrel. The malts are concentrated to the near-strength of a barleywine, making the ale quite lush and thick.

T: You can't tell me that this isn't bourbon-barrel aged. I refuse to believe that a simple (relatively speaking, of course) malt bill can produce flavors of this depth. The malts are so strong that they create a sweet dry fruit flavor. The effect is most pronounced in barleywines but here is it near-extraordinary. Vanilla and alcohol warmth match the bourbon-like flavors, creating a very warm drink, a nice nightcap. I just can't get over the malt strength that creates that flavor, it is damn-near profound.

M: Dry green grapes, vanilla beans, sweet alcohol, this is one heck of a pleasing drink. This ale blurs the lines with a barleywine. Good drinkin'!

D: The ale's abv is high but the intense flavors create a beer that never disappoints in its power. Are you sure it isn't aged in a barrel?

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2007 23:26:21 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Murky muddled ambrosia sits in my chalice large off white beige head that dwindles slow and leaves behind sparse lacing. Aromatics are the impressive part of the equation early on with herbal mint and pine scented incense, interesting spice mix almost like eating at an aromatic Indian restaurant. Malt highlights are deep alcohol infused ripened figs and plum with a touch of smoked peat whiskey highlights, talk about a cigar beer. By the way this thing never saw the barrel it's all malt, hop, water and yeast. Flavor provides excessive bitterness and massive malt, I love the mix. Alcohol esters with ripe big fruit profile includes hints of toffee with caramel infused tart apple, figs, and plum notes. Heavy pine lacquer bitterness, with vanilla oak and butterscotch notes. Heavy dry yeast tone with a soothing alcohol burn at 9.3%. Mouthfeel is full bodied yet doesn't hit the viscous level on my texture scale. Carbonation is natural smooth and cleansing between the brash bitterness and dry yeast profile. Ending notes on the palate are a blend of excessive malts and bitter earthy hop, great stuff. Drinkability, is excellent makes you overanalyze beer, for under three bucks this old ale may have pushed the style further than any other version I've had to date. Including the other famous Michigan version, this beats the pants off the Third Coast Old Ale, grab a Drew Estates Natural cigar and a four pack of this for an Old World experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2008 21:03:46 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a quite foggy rubyhued amber with a thick creme head. Nose is minimal with caramel and dark fruits and a malty overall tone. Slight bit of booze. Flavor carries a kick of liquid aspects (boozy burn) with an earthy tone. Dark fruits. Sweet tone. Feel is thicker on liquid and low on carbonation. For an old ale, this seems a bit...young. It's nice, but I think 2-3 more yearsmight do it justice.

Thanks to spointon for this one!

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2008 07:01:48 | More by RblWthACoz

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Mild head that recedes a little too quickly to a single bubble layer. Very cloudy with lots of yeast chunks in the base of the glass. Milky but thin lace on the glass side. Lots of stickiness.

Toasty and malty in the nose. Lots of biscuit with a touch of chocolate. Very low hop bitterness.

Think thick and oily (from alcohol) brown ale. Nice hop finish, but the rest is all malt--rich and chocolatey. This is a beer that sticks to your ribs. There are sherry overtones and the biscuit flavor shows up in a subtle way.

This is a complex beer for the style, but rather than the hop/malt balance, this is more of a mystery tour of malt flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 00:03:25 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

4.38/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to BuckEyeNation

Pours a cloudy brownish color, quick fizzy head, nice carbonation, left some little islands around. The nose is of malts, vanilla, and bourbon. The taste is sweet slightly malty, very much bourbon, nice touch of vanilla. Medium body. Drinkable, quite a different old ale, but very tasty. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2007 00:56:51 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a three finger very light tan head that fades slowly, leaving some lace. Cloudy amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Roasted malt nose. Flavor is sweet roasted molasses. $3.90 for a 12oz bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2008 22:12:12 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a snifter)

A- This beer has an opaque auburn brown body with a soapy tan head that clings to the edges of the glass forming a creamy meniscus. There are little bubbles of carbonation that cling to the side of the glass.

S- The smell of pine wood with a sweet caramel malt aroma has notes of wet wood and perfumed oak. As it warms a bit there is notes graham in the malt. There is a smell of alcohol as it warms a bit.

T- The taste of oaky malt flavor with a toasted malt that is a bit more dry than sweet. The finish has a light alcohol bite. There is a faint hint of dark roasted malt in the background.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a slight slippery texture.

D- This beer has a nice big complex woody flavor and will be great with some age.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2006 22:39:23 | More by rhoadsrage

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle purchased as a single from Julio's, Marlboro, MA.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/4" tan head over the cloudy reddish brown brew. Head quickly fades to an uneven layer of bubbles, and lacing is average, both somewhat expected for the style. Aroma is vanilla oaky alcohol, possibly over the top, but the variety of flavors is enough to possibly overcome the somewhat exceptional intensity. Taste is also vanilla and oak, with strong alcohol throughout and a warming close. Wish there was a bit more of a malt sweetness background to support all the strong flavors. Mouthfeel is smooth, even if the drinkability is somewhat limited by the flavor harshness, in my mind. Age might help this mellow a bit and make a winner.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2006 01:18:07 | More by ppoitras

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

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

Picked up at Archer Liquors in Chitown, thanks Randy!

Pours a cloudy brown/amber, thin tan head forms, nice thick lace ring around the glass, good retention, looks like a sipper! Smell is nice, bourbon, vanilla, raisin/date goodness, toffee, some chocolate, coconut, very nice. Taste is toffee, some bourbon, vanilla oak, coconut, very rich and malty, bit of roast, nice clean bitterness in the finish, just right. Mouthfeel is full bodied, low carbonation, nice heat going down. I could sip this for hours.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2007 22:36:38 | More by Viggo

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The pour creates a huge, thick crop of nicotine stained beige head. The retention of the oversized head is very good. The body of the beer is scarlet red. Aroma is a bit toxic and fruity. Like spiked punch. The taste, it turns out, is not toxic at all. Rather smooth and velvety. Very nice taste. Very little sign of alcohol. And very easy to drink. This is a solid Old Ale. Malts are so smooth on the palate. Fruitiness is very evident, but not overly estery in nature. Bits of caramel and toffee. This one got better as it warmed up and finished fabulously.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2006 04:14:47 | More by Bighuge

corby112

Pennsylvania

2.6/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a murky dark chestnut brown color with a slightly yellowish jaundiced looking hues with a thin beige head that quickly disappears leaving no lacing.

Very earthy, swampy aroma with a little bit of creek water and old boot. Slight chocolate maltiness with subtle hops and a sweet alcohol presence which is very strong.

Again, the flavor is very earthy and leathery with a strong sweet alcohol presence, leathery maltiness, subtle hops, slight chocolate, brown sugar and dirt. There's also a strange vegetable presence with is quite unpleasant and a dirty bitter finish.

This was quite a disappointment for me especially since I love pretty much everything from Founders and enjoy the occasional old ale. I will have to revisit again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 06:55:14 | More by corby112

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the South Philly Taproom during Philly Beer week. While a fine beer, I think it suffered a bit in the company of beers like Backwoods bastard, hand of doom and KBS.

The beer pours a lovely reddish brown amber color with good head retention and lacing. On the nose, one gets some sweet malt, vanilla and almost a sherry like quality, what one expects in an aged ale. The flavors on the palate replicate the nost almost exactly, though the beer is just a bit sweeter then I would like to have seen. The beer has a medium bodied mouthfeel, and the alcohol is pretty well disguised. Can't imagine drinking a lot of this stuff, but it wasn't too heavy, boozy or tiring on the palate.

A very solid beer, but unfortunately it was in he company of some heavyweights, and I don't think showed its very best.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2009 23:33:54 | More by johnmichaelsen

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

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

First had: ?
This review applies to a recent tasting on tap at Teresa's, Wayne, PA

Poured a slightly hazy mahogany color with a thin cap of ivory bubbles for a head; not much to speak of in the way of retention or lacing. Aroma of bready malts, caramel, molasses, and dried candied fruits. The taste reflects the aroma, with flavors of sweet malts, toasty, dark sugars, fruitcake, tangy alcohol warmth, with a tinge of citrus and hop bitterness in the finish. Very nice brew, heavy-medium mouthfeel, lots of flavor, easily drinkable, though can be a little on the hot side.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2012 13:15:06 | More by Rifugium

glid02

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Brick Store.

Pours an opaque dark copper color with a one-finger off-white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of sticky caramel malts with a good amount of indistinct spiciness and lighter amounts of earthy hops.

Tastes fairly similar to how it smells. Sweet and slightly grainy caramel malt flavors kick things off. Midway through the sip they sweeten a bit and are joined by earthy, leafy, and lightly spicy hops. The hops carry through to a solidly bitter ending. The sip also warms a bit as it heads down the gullet.

Mouthfeel is very good. It's got a very nice thickness with grainy carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass without any problems and could have another.

Overall this was a very well done old ale and does a great job of hiding the alcohol. Worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2010 23:15:25 | More by glid02

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a dark Brazilian cherry with a non-developing head and a good haziness of micro particles that drifted lazily about within the drink. Effervesce was limited to one or two bubbles visible at any given moment that rose at a fairly rapid rate to the surface. The coloring was perhaps the most intriguing here.

S: The aroma was quite odd and hard to identify at first. A fuzzy navel was the first to come to mind (a mixture of orange juice and vodka). Along came a fresh fruitiness of apricots, honey, and a sweet sugary grainy nature that was followed by a dry burbon backing that was light to medium in strength. Overall a quite odd, but intriguing aroma keeps you guessing and sniffing for more.

T: The flavor starts out with sweet sugary caramel and dry burbon. There is a fruity booziness at the very beginning of oranges and apricots that is sweet and brief before giving way to a dry caramel and dry burbon alcohol booziness that lingers on well after the swallow (4-5 seconds) creating a good warmth of sweet, boozy dry nature.

M: medium full, very slick and smooth texture wise with an incredibly light, almost absent carbonation presence makes this slide around the tongue with ease.

D: good, a bit boozy and dry drinking much bigger then its advertised 9.8% abv. Your not gonna be drinking to many of these at one time, best sampled by itself in a chalice or goblet at a moderately warm temp (55-60F) on a chilly winter night.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2009 22:23:45 | More by beerthulhu

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy caramel colour with a thin white head. As the foam settled to a ring of fine bubbles, it left some spotty lacing behind. The aroma was quite complex, with wood and vanilla up front, some caramel, plenty of fruit (grapes, orange marmalade), and a little alcohol. Mild bitterness when compared to the sweetness, with caramel and toffee center stage. Some oak and raisin notes were present as well, along with a bit of alcohol. It had a soft finish with a refined fruitiness. Full bodied with lightish carbonation, some creaminess yet still a bit dry. This was really interesting and highly drinkable. It had plenty of character, almost like tasting a different beer with each sip.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2007 03:25:17 | More by DrJay

HopHead84

California

4.15/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

5/20/2012

On tap at Urge.

A: Dark orange with good clarity. An inch of off-white foam. Sheets of lacing cling to the glass.

S: Rich candied sweetness with big caramel and toffee notes. Orange and grapefruit blend with prune, fig, date, and plum. Lightly earthy with a touch of alcohol. There's a whisper of smoke and maybe a little apple.

T: Rich caramel and toffee with sweet breads and a pervasive candied aspect. Fruit character is reminiscent of date, plum, and prune. There's a low earthy bitterness. I get a little citrus as well. Alcohol is very well hidden.

M: Lower full body with medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is smooth, silky, and full with substantial alcohol warming.

Overall: A big, rich, estery Old Ale. Well executed but definitely a sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2012 05:04:15 | More by HopHead84

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I like the bottle. Poured with no head (even off a hard pour) A completely polluted appearence, clouded over, rusted over, brick copper colour. Smell is above above anything else strong! Easily guessed the barrel aged before being told. A fermented fruit, over-ripened character accompanied by rich wood dimension. Aroma is enough to entice a headache - but one well worthwhile! Aroma is very complex, hard to conceive! Mouthfeel is heavily influenced by the bourbon barrel aged, quite evident - adding a liquere (bourbon) complexity character. Very sweet! Some alcohol mixed in there. Dark spices make for a well rounded, but hard to appreciate flavour. Overly sweet maybe... I'd be happy to have again, perhaps aged, or by a fireplace!
Ripe full with complexity but not sure what else to say. Bourbon is so dominant! Leads to a strong taste despite alcohol being rather quiet. A sticky, toffee finish. Above all bourbon! Big thanks to HogTownHarry, a great finish to a fantastic tasting!

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2006 02:37:44 | More by biegaman

stakem

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Brass Rail today during lunch. Served in a Sam Adams perfect pint glass it appears a clear amber color with some lighter orange colors around the edges and a thin lacing of yellowish tanned head. Spotty amount of lacing left on the glass. Aroma is of sweet malty grains with a touch of orange character. Taste has a welcoming warmth of alcohol that is also solvent in flavor upfront with a sweet malty caramel backing and light citrus hop bitterness that mingles with a flavor of bitter orange rind. The hop bitterness lingers in the mouth with a bit of a resine-like piney flavor. Medium to heavy body with a light amount of carbonation. Other flavors of grain linger in the mouth. As it warms, more residual sugars come out in the taste much like dark sugar akin to caramel that has somewhat of a smokey quality about it. Overall pretty decent but doesn't have the wowing factor that I have come to expect from most Founder's offerings.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2010 19:13:19 | More by stakem

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Delicious on-tap. Poured a hazy chestnut with a short, creamy head, and some rough lacing. Smells sweet with some brandied eggnog aromas. Tastes similar. Very long flavors, sweet and creamy and rich with notes of vanilla, nutmeg, cinammon, and cardomom, with a pleasant boozy note. Very creamy and smooth as well as rich in the mouth. Big and delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2009 18:36:14 | More by Georgiabeer

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into Matilda Chalice

Pours hardly any creamy white head. Fades to a thin ring around the glass that sticks around, but no lace. Color is a robust burnt copper. Beer has sediment floating around in it.

Aroma: I get alcohol, plums, grapes, honey, raisins, figs, brown sugar, earthy hops. This beer is very complex, as it should be.

Taste: I can definitely taste the alcohol in this beer as it is quite hot. A lot of dark dried fruits, grapes, raisin, plums are here. Figs, brown sugar, raisins, and honey also present. A lot similar to the smell. I also get an apple taste as well. Hops are pretty much covered by the heat, but they are there.

Mouthfeel: Boozy, creamy, and somewhat smooth. Medium to full body. Medium level of carbonation. Ends with a boozy dried fruit flavored aftertaste.

Overall, I know this is an old ale and thus going to have a lot of alcohol, but the heat is just to much for me. I am slowly sipping on this one and it will take a while to finish. It is good, but I bet a few years might do serve it well.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2009 02:57:07 | More by mothman

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sampled at the Odds and Ends Tasting on 8/16/06: Dark amber/brown color with a thin beige head that starts fizzy but calms quickly. Thin spotty lacing. Aroma of whisky, coconut and dark fruits. Rich, smooth body with pungent malt, bourbon and other spicy alcohol flavors. The finish is all coconut and whisky. Definitely different from the norm, and seems pretty raw all around. I would be curious to try an aged bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2006 15:08:53 | More by Dogbrick

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.58/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A musky glowing russet brown with a slim capping of tanned froth. Keeps a good collar with a few straggly branched arms of lace sticking across the glass.

Astounding aroma of maple, honey, oak soaked bourbon. Heavy, heavy, inviting as hell, warm whiskey tone to this sucker. Wow. Wonderful.

Smooth and warming with a good source of whiskey tones behind some maple, honey, vanilla, and white grape accents. Tenderly toasted malt background but huge in malted girth and warmth of gooey rich and thick caramel, maple, toffee, and minor fruityness all encompassed by one very nice powering warmth of whiskey oaken woodyness. No real finishing qualities however as it slides off the back end with an unwanted speed before the warmth sets in with just a slight backburst of crisp vanilla and left over whiskey wood.

Feel is warm, and more warm, and more warm. Strange how some beers with more then 9.3% seem to have no omff while this screams it. Big, bold, and beautiful; rich, smooth, and full. The only set back is the forementioned finish which is escapingly ghostly and parting in a manner that throws a curve in its overall, powering presence.

Be that as it may, that is what makes this quite a drinkable, dandy treat. For if it were all but power and strength, this would not be as easy to handle and may as well just be whiskey at that point.
A very nice Old Ale. Fulfilling and dreamy.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2006 02:15:18 | More by tavernjef

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.03/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Received this one in a surprise box from Kbeals... Very cool Kevin, I thought for sure I reviewed this one before.

Pours with a pretty thin off white head.. the brew is slightly hazy deep orange/amber.

Nose is rich maltiness that shows deep toast and pretty heavy caramel... fair amount of boozy raisiny fruit.

Flavor is vanilla toffee atop toasty biscuits... golden raisins.. a bit peppery ... good medium body given the ABV... carbonation is nice and lite.

Thanks again Kevin... Thanks again Kevin.

3.5/4/4/4.5/4

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2010 05:25:32 | More by JohnGalt1

mactrail

California

3.98/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

On tap at Public House in La Jolla. Butterscotch and sweet malt heated up by a delicious boozy flavor, followed by a dry and hoppy flavor. Attractive coppery amber in the Saison duPont nonic. Starts with a modest foam and flattens out, but a nice tangy flavor and carbonation.

Intensely barrel flavored with a distinct toffee taste. Better earlier on with the frothy foam. Maple, molasses, and sweet yams. Bitter aftertaste, but not overbearing. Great version of the old barrel trick.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2013 06:25:01 | More by mactrail