Founders Backwoods Bastard - Founders Brewing Company

JamesMN

Minnesota

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

Payed $4.55 + tax for one 12oz bottle. Poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Thick and opaque dark amber. Very thin tan head despite a vigorous pour.

Aroma: Immediately get the vanilla and oak aromas. Raisin, burnt caramel, and a bit of alcohol. Quite complex but approachable.

Taste: This beer has a lot going for it right off the bat. The sweet palate compensates for the big alcohol presence reining in the flavor for some balance. Rich oak aged profiles of slightly smokey wood, viscous caramel, and a hint of vanilla. Halfway through the flavor changes and adds brown sugar, a bit of chocolate, and dark dried fruits. The aftertaste leaves you wanting more with a ringing caramel flavor that shifts into a dark chocolate taste before slowly fading away. At 10.2% ABV the alcohol is present but not overwhelming. Minimal bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied but not cloying or too syrupy. A sipper but real easier to drink at a quicker pace. The carbonation is where I'd expect for a barrel aged beer and leads to a smooth enjoyment.

Final Thoughts: Completely worth the money and unique. I'm starting to like barrel aged beers more and more because of tasting something like Backwoods Bastard which is brewed and aged to near perfection. Would I drink it again? This year if I can find it!(Would love to cellar a few of these bad boys). Otherwise I'll be on the lookout for next years release.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 05:41:44 | More by JamesMN

stooge

Michigan

5/5  rDev +15.7%

05-22-2013 05:40:53 | More by stooge

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

05-22-2013 00:57:50 | More by mikeincharleston

Burt

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -7.4%

05-21-2013 22:38:08 | More by Burt

VirginiaJeff1

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +10%

05-21-2013 19:28:43 | More by VirginiaJeff1

Busker

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-21-2013 18:03:35 | More by Busker

CosmoHopHead

Kansas

4/5  rDev -7.4%

05-21-2013 04:47:17 | More by CosmoHopHead

ackeeper

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-21-2013 01:49:49 | More by ackeeper

IpeeA

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

05-20-2013 21:56:54 | More by IpeeA

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-20-2013 20:59:24 | More by BeerForMuscle

PlayitAgain

New York

4.75/5  rDev +10%

05-20-2013 02:57:47 | More by PlayitAgain

eyeenjoybeer

Indiana

4/5  rDev -7.4%

05-20-2013 02:12:33 | More by eyeenjoybeer

assman79

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +10%

05-20-2013 01:52:07 | More by assman79

Ctrauty

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -13.2%

05-20-2013 01:36:21 | More by Ctrauty

JVoyager

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -13.2%

05-20-2013 00:20:09 | More by JVoyager

JReites

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

05-19-2013 22:40:46 | More by JReites

TreeBeard

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +10%

05-19-2013 20:39:26 | More by TreeBeard

everettsbeerguy

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-19-2013 18:34:26 | More by everettsbeerguy

Alextricity

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the World Expo of Beer in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

Appearance: Darkness. A few bubbles on top, no lacing, and just a pitch black beer -- about what I expected this beer to look like.

Smell: Huge scotch and oak aromas... maybe some dark sort of chocolate malt notes, but mainly oaky scotch.

Taste: A couple people I was with claimed it tasted like liquid smoke and dumped it out, but I quite enjoyed this one -- it tastes almost exactly like it smells. It drinks almost like straight scotch with some warming on the finish, but there isn't a HUGE alcohol sort of flavor. The finish is also woody with some dark chocolate and malt to round it all out.

Quite good, and I think it's awesome that Founders chose to put some truly great stuff on-tap at the World Expo of Beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2013 17:00:21 | More by Alextricity

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

05-19-2013 15:26:43 | More by ShawnMH

mecummins

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-19-2013 01:30:51 | More by mecummins

NJB145

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +10%

05-19-2013 01:16:38 | More by NJB145

jakeox

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.4%

05-18-2013 23:49:20 | More by jakeox

GinsuDave

Michigan

5/5  rDev +15.7%

05-18-2013 01:13:04 | More by GinsuDave

BradSillars

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.4%

05-18-2013 01:12:15 | More by BradSillars