Founders Backwoods Bastard - Founders Brewing Company

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BA SCORE
96
world-class
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3,095 Ratings

THE BROS
90
outstanding
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read more »

rAvg: 4.32
pDev: 11.34%
Reviews: 1254
Hads: 1841

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Brewed by:
Founders Brewing Company

Michigan, United States

Style | ABV
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy | 10.20% ABV

Availability: Fall. bottle (1148), on-tap (97), growler (8), cask (1).

Notes:
Scotch Ale aged in bourbon barrels.

View: Beers (67) | Reviews (221) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by smakawhat:

smakawhat

Maryland

4.6/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from the bottle in to a thistle/tulip bulb glass

In appearance, this bastard resembles a great head of a nutty light brown with tight bubbles. Head foams almost like a guiness quality creeping up slowly but staying compact. Your typical dark midnight brown color if I could call it that.

The bouquet is fantastic. Giant cream smell, HAZELNUT, chocolate, pralines, light brown sugar, milkshake consistency sweetness on the nose, malt is not noticeable, no smoke, it smells like warm creamy hazelnut hot chocolate.

Taste is fabulous, mild carbonation giving way to some malt and this giant cream finish of nutty hazelnut chocolate and pralines coming through a buttery finish with maple syrup. Medium bodied, not syrupy not wet either. Just a flat out joy.

I am a big bourbon fan, and its sometimes hard to find THIS much flavor, bouquets, and tastes just coming from ONE bourbon. Ironically, the beer does not remind me of whiskey, but that's fine with me because it is flat out exceptional. You don't even notice the high ABV content. What the heck is up in the water in GRAND RAPIDS!!!!

Drinkability is stratospheric!

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 20:09:22 | More by smakawhat

More User Reviews:

taylor714914

Pennsylvania

4/5 rDev -7.4%

06-18-2013 23:43:22 | More by taylor714914

b2611

Pennsylvania

4/5 rDev -7.4%

06-18-2013 14:34:51 | More by b2611

BColton1

Rhode Island

4/5 rDev -7.4%

06-18-2013 01:21:00 | More by BColton1

KyleMA

California

4.25/5 rDev -1.6%

06-17-2013 23:55:04 | More by KyleMA

Rogorama

Indiana

4.5/5 rDev +4.2%

06-17-2013 13:58:19 | More by Rogorama

AnitaBrewski

Massachusetts

4.5/5 rDev +4.2%

06-17-2013 01:17:39 | More by AnitaBrewski

dantsbeats

New York

4/5 rDev -7.4%

06-17-2013 00:39:30 | More by dantsbeats

IndyDad

New York

4.25/5 rDev -1.6%

06-16-2013 02:32:31 | More by IndyDad

JustCamIt

Virginia

4.5/5 rDev +4.2%

06-15-2013 13:04:45 | More by JustCamIt

afallon86

California

4/5 rDev -7.4%

06-15-2013 09:22:55 | More by afallon86

YoDude

Illinois

4.84/5 rDev +12%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Founders Backwards Bastard, aged 6 months in my fridge (yes, I am drinking it fresh), 10.2% ABV, a 12 oz. bottle and poured into a snifter glass.

Appearance: Poured deep ruby brown with a very little head and lacing.

Smell: Sweet caramel and smoky malt with a hint of vanilla, no pronounced hop presence, no obvious off flavors.

Taste: Candied dates and baking chocolate. There is also a spicy and earthy aftertaste that I attribute to the oak bourbon barrels used in the aging process and the 50 IBUs of hop flavor.

Mouth feel: Medium to full body and low carbonation. The bitter sweetness clings to the upper palette. There is definitely an umami effect as I keep running my tongue along my upper palette. Also a nice warming alcohol finish.

Overall: Founders has been making great beer for over 20 years. Backwards Bastard is an amazingly subtle yet complex beer. You will find the flavor change with each sip as the beer warms and the taste lingers. You can drink this with almost any rich food and meal course; from roasted garlic Portobello mushrooms, to a medium-rare rib eye, or a flourless chocolate raspberry cake. But why wait for the food. As my favorite late night talk show host would exclaim, “This is a beverage”.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 05:19:38 | More by YoDude