Founders Backwoods Bastard - Founders Brewing Company

BB1313

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on 10/5/12. 12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours a transparent dark auburn with a small off white head which fades quickly, but is expected with the barrel treatment. It does leave some decent lacing. The aromas are full of chocolate, maple, oak, caramel, vanilla and bourbon. The bourbon isn't overpowering, but blends harmoniously. The flavors are very rustic and earthy. Lots of chocolate and caramel malts. Very rich and malty. Lots of wood. The flavors have a very nice sweetness going on that lingers. The bourbon comes through alot more in the flavors. It's almost boozy, but it's not, although there's a touch of heat. Finishes warm and syrupy, but clean and dry. The mouthfeel is extremely nice. It's syrupy slick, but light and fluffy. Very creamy with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel makes this beer dangerously drinkable. Despite some heat here and there, the alcohol ultimately goes unnoticed. It's a nice beer to sip and savor.

Very nice beer from Founders. The craftsmanship is impressive. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 19:32:44 | More by BB1313

Justin_Neff

Ohio

4.63/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled: 10/05/12 - poured into a CCB Snifter

A: Aggressively pours a dark, dark copper color with 2-finger light beige colored head that sticks around for a few minutes. Leaves a beautiful thin layer of foam around the top of the beer, and a nice, thick lacing on the glass.

S: Initial woft is overwhelming bourbon. Followed up by oakiness and some dark fruit scents. Definite sweet smells on the finish.

T: At the onset, there is malty, caramel, sweet tastes that smell would lead you to expect. There is definite bourbon taste, but the oak, caramel, and surprising vanilla tastes balance it amazingly. This is incredible.

M: A little thinner than you would expect from vision and smell. A low level of carbonation, but decent creaminess. Actually surprising how drinkable it is.

O: Absolutely worth the price tag. Hard to track down, but definitely worth the hunt. Probably my favorite Founders brew to date. Wee Heavy is one of my favorite styles, and this one is at the top of the style for me. It's amazing how the vanilla and caramel notes balance the bourbon and oak. VERY GOOD.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 01:07:44 | More by Justin_Neff

bushbeer75

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz brown bottle - 2012 vintage

Founders Backwoods Bastard filled my snifter with a cloudy dark reddish-brown/amber color that produced a very thin slightly bubbly tan head that faded to nothing quickly. The nose is first hit with sweet caramel malt followed by a pleasant bourbon aroma. The flavor of caramel, brown sugar, and a light cherry chocolate hit the taste buds first. The taste is where the bourbon really comes out adding a nice warming finish. Mouth feel is medium, a little chewy and lightly sticky to add to the enjoyment. The smooth ale is very easy to drink for such a high abv.

Backwoods Bastard is like Founder’s Dirty Bastard’s big brother that has spent time soaking in bourbon barrels. Cheers to soaking in bourbon barrels!! Well done Founders.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 18:11:37 | More by bushbeer75

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

$4 single from Abe's.

Red amber body, little clarity, with a minimal head that rapidly decayed into an oil slick.

Aroma is sweet malt, bourbon and vanilla. Big and powerful. Inviting and frightening at he same time.

Taste is big sweet malt with plenty of depth. Then the bourbon with notes of vanilla. Just not as big as I was expecting.

Rich medium mouthfeel.

A malt lover's dream.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 07:01:47 | More by RonfromJersey

sjones5045

New Jersey

4.85/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Founders has perfected bourbon barrel aging and with this beer they proved it once again. Now, what is different here is that it's truly unique to have a non stout/dark beer pull off such a smooth tasty flavor with such a high ABV. Once you crack the bottle the smell of malt and bourbon overwhelm and you know you're in for a very different experience. The taste of the base Dirty Bastard is present and it meshes extremely well with the sweet malt and bourbon to create a top notch smooth scotch ale. Overall, it's a must have and one of the best beers Founders has created.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 03:04:12 | More by sjones5045

brewskifan55

Mississippi

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter. Thanks, cvm4.

A: Apricot amber. Not much head or lacing.

S: The barrel aged bourbon comes rumbling through. Strong and inviting.

T: Whoa! Bourbon rich with vanilla and caramel. A biting good finish. Alcohol seeps in with a 10.2 buzz. Sweet, robust. Reminds me of a Red Brick 17th Anniversary.

M: Light with low carbonation.

O: A fabulous sipper. One to celebrate with. Slow down and taste the burn.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 15:29:51 | More by brewskifan55

whynot44

Missouri

4.58/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very nice bright clear amber red color with a small short lived frothy head.

Very definite bourbon aroma with hints of oak, plums, and caramel.

The taste is dominated by bourbon and caramel malt with hints of plum and vanilla, lots of alcohol warmth in the finish, very rich and pleasant.

Moderately heavy body, very smooth mouth feel goes perfectly with the taste and aroma.

Overall, another excellent brew from founders, very enjoyable, especially for colder weather.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 03:20:11 | More by whynot44

emyers

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a Founders snifter. Bottled on 10/5/12.

Appearance: Deep, dark ruby with a thin off-white head dissipating quickly. Leaves a very light lacing.

Smell: Bourbon. Followed by some more bourbon. Some caramel, vanilla, oak. And more bourbon. This beer really captures a great bourbon aroma without ever seeming boozy, which bourbon-forward beers often seem. Smells phenomenal (if you like bourbon, of course).

Taste: Bourbon up front (no surprise there), with a pretty strong vanilla flavor along with caramel, oak, and a hint of dark fruit. The bourbon flavor comes off a little bit thinner than the smell would suggest. Alcohol heat is much more apparent here than in the aroma, and takes over the finish a bit along with the oak. Still, this doesn't detract much from the beer given the strong bourbon presence.

Mouthfeel: Relatively thin in body as far as scotch ales go (and particularly the barrel-aged variety), but exceptionally smooth. Although I generally prefer thicker scotch ales, the thinner body on this actually works brilliantly - it really captures the feel of bourbon, which is the dominating theme.

Overall: This is what I would call a bourbon lover's beer. It's excellent - another fine example of Founders' skill with barrels.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 08:04:35 | More by emyers

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.65/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 9/28/12 poured into a tulip

A- pours a dark brown, nearly but not quite opaque. Small light tan head that reduces to skim the top, leaving a ring if lace.

S- bourbon notes jump out right off with the oaky characteristics common to bourbon. Some caramel and dark fruity fig, finishes with some sweet vanilla.

T- sweet and malty up front with notes of bourbon and vanilla oak. It then transitions into one of the most authentic caramel tastes that I've ever tried in a beer. Pure and smooth, follows with some dark fig notes and finishes sweet with just a bit more bourbon.

M- heavy body, but not syrupy like I was expecting, moderate carbonation with a slightly creamy-yet-somewhat slick mouthfeel and finish. A little bit of heat warms you up on the finish.

O- it took me a while to get ahold of some of these and I wasn't dissapointed. The caramel notes in this were amazing, I can't wait to put a few of these away for a few years and see how they age.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 01:23:47 | More by Treyliff

brewtus

Ohio

4.48/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Copied from 11/12/2012 review

12oz bottle pored into brandy sniftener

A-deep amber h brown. Pours with a tiny head that quickly disappears.
S- Dark fruit, oak, some bourbon
T- I get a hit of van ilia and dark dried fruit that makes way to a sweet oak finish.
M- a good thickness to it, given the appearance.
O- this is really smooth for the abv. It's quite sweet and I get the bourbon mostly in the finish. I'm not a huge scotch ale fan, but I love bourbon, and this did not disappoint. I pulled it out of the fridge but as it warmed it got even better. Definitely worth picking up a bottle (even though many stores limit it to buying one oz bottle near me).

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 00:10:00 | More by brewtus

LeRose

Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into large tulip. Small, non lasting head that ended as a ring around the surface. The color is beautiful...very deep red, bright and clear. Aroma is of oak tones, earthiness, and wonderful bourbon. The flavor is amazing. No bitterness, a little underlying sweetness, great woody flavors, strong bourbon but not overpowering, maybe a hint of good scotch too. Clean on the palate with a lingering bit of alcohol and bourbon sweetness. Great stuff. This here is sippin' beer...really enjoyable and even better as it warmed. Unfortunately only found one lonely bottle...bummer!

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 23:45:00 | More by LeRose

theruckus33

Kansas

3.88/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into sniffer

A- 1.4 inch head that dissipates after a minute. Not much lacing, dark rich brown, looks like carbonated bourbon. I mean that positively!

S- Boozy Goodness upfront, dried fruits -especially raisins, and vanilla

T-Upfront bourbon, vanilla, with that nice malty flavor, the hops add a nice rich finish that compliments the worries of alcohol flavor from a high ABV

M- Silky smooth

Overall- Great Beer, but I am not sure I would buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 02:24:39 | More by theruckus33

JohnnyMc

Ohio

5/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Another Bourbon-Barrel aged beer from Founders!!

Pours out a pretty dark mahogany with ruby highlights and a thin head.

The aroma has a lot of Bourbon, a decent amount of vanilla, oak, caramel, toffee butterscotch and followed by dark fruits like figs and raisins.

The taste has a decent amount of Bourbon right away and that's followed by the caramel, toffee and butterscotch notes and then that blends into a vanilla, slightly smoky and oaky characteristic and on the back end is where all the dark fruit notes are. The bitterness helps balance out the sweetness, but it's not a bitter beer.

It's medium bodied and has a nice rich mouthfeel. You can feel and taste the alcohol, but it enhances the style of the beer.

Very easy to drink and extremely enjoyable young, but I'm going to age a few bottles as well to see how it is in a year or more.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 00:56:26 | More by JohnnyMc

far333

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Copper mahogany colored with a wispy beige head that barely rises up and runs away quickly. Aroma of smoke and bourbon, some vanilla and caramel. Rich flavors of bourbon and smoke, toffee and caramel, alcohol warmth and sweetness, vanilla and woody notes. Full mouthfeel, low carbonation, tingly, warm. Decent beer overall, very rich.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 04:22:37 | More by far333

fitrock2112

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Well, here it goes. This is probably one of my top two beers that I've had so far. I keep going from KBS to this and back and forth in a good way.

Poured the luscious liquid from a 12 ounce bottle in to a pint glass.

A - The brown liquid pours nicely with minimal head. The viscosity lets you know that this is a quality Scotch Ale.

S - Bourbon, more bourbon, toffee, roasted malts, and little dark fruit maybe raisin.

T - Ridiculous, this is the shit. The stars have aligned and the gods can now destroy the earth, because I have tasted the nectar of the gods. I'm tasting toffee, bourbon, carmel, roasted malts, butterscotch each fighting for your taste buds but all equally winning their pursuit to blend so evenly. This beer is so well blended for a barrel aged beer that it is hard to comprehend. Wow, just WOW!

M - Smooth medium ale leaning towards a heavy, with just enough carbonation for this style.

O - Unbelievably , just a wonderful beer to sip and enjoy on a cool winter night.
Highly Recommended ! CHEERS!!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 02:08:04 | More by fitrock2112

Jade

Ohio

4.7/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured a bottle of Backwoods Bastard into brandy snifter.

A - Medium orange/ amber color, little light passing through. A tiny head of little significance.

S - Candy, bourbon, vanilla, malts. This is going to be good!

T - A fine scotch ale with tasty bourbon-oaky characteristics. Hints of vanilla. Flavor is intense and delicious.

M - Creamy, medium-thick body. A little bite to it which is to be expected at 10.2% ABV.

O - I like some scotch ales, but usually don't seek them out. This is a standout. The aging in the bourbon barrels makes this beer sing. Perfection...no fake bourbon flavor here like a ton of bourbon ales out there. An A+ in my opinion. Seek it out, sit back and enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 01:34:04 | More by Jade

oregone

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From a kind trader. 12oz into NB globe:

A: Deep amber to dark caramel. Great head for the style; soft pour yields 1/2" of tightly wound off-white head that lasts. Nice looking brew.
S: Barrel. Oak, vanilla, some caramel malt and then booze. Not bad for a barrel aged brew, but I would like to see the brew part come through more.
T: Immediate alcohol tingles and an oak assault. That peculiar burnt vanilla American oak flavor with some licorice (well, quite a bit), vanilla, burnt caramel, maple etc. Dry though and with a tame sweetness below expectation.
M: Fairly thick. Somewhat hindered by the oak tannins that come through leaving a hint of not bitter but abrasiveness. Carbonation is good and could support a fuller bodied or sweeter brew.
O: Good. I don't think that I'd go out of my way to try again, but I'd happily drink again. I do think that like the early wine industry in the states, some of our breweries have a little something to learn about oak treatment yet. It can say a lot of great things through a great beer, but damn,the beer should be doing the talking.

Update:
Recent 2012 batch.
Maybe it's palate variation, but many of the rough edges here have been tempered.
I still believe that the barrel is a bit too prominent to be amazing as a whole, but a damn good beer that Id definitely be happy to drink again.
Having had two bottles over a couple weeks, I'm comfortable in my review. Solid, but definitely barrel driven.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 23:38:27 | More by oregone

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to st9647v3 in a recent trade; poured in to a tulip pint

A - pours a murky caramel/mahogany brown; had to incite the head with an aggressive push on the pour; no carbonation

S - it's very sweet to me, like sugar cane; notes of caramel, vanilla, bourbon; additional notes of candied cherries; oak and earth

T - busy; the bourbon is heavy in this; cherries and plums; booze; vanilla; the alcohol heat is all over this; some oak; dearlordinheaven more booze

M - the heat hits the front and back of the tongue and you can feel the burn all the way down the throat; it's oddly really only medium bodied; minimal carbonation; some chewy maltiness

O - I gotta say, I was not expecting what I received in taste based on what I noted on the nose; how does a sweet, sugary odor have so much alcohol punch; this is a rare beer that drinks hotter than it lists as an abv; kind of a perfect sipping beer for a day where I had no heat with temps in the teens and 4 inches of snow. Backwoods as f***.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 23:44:04 | More by SkeeterBoganski

rangerred

Tennessee

4.28/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap.

Arrived with a clear dark brown body with no head at all.

Aroma is nearly all bourbon and the characteristics that go along with it. Lots of vanilla, caramel, and wood.

The bourbon continues over to the flavor but it is very smooth and quite sweet; not harsh in the least. Caramel and vanilla dominate along with some pleasant fruitiness. Alcohol is pretty well hidden considering the strength of this beer.

Overall, if you like bourbon you will absolutely love this beer. The flavors mesh perfectly and the mouthfeel is just right; full but not too sweet. A really amazing beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2012 20:03:23 | More by rangerred

Beerandboards

New Mexico

3.78/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a standard pint

Appearance is good. Pours a murky golden color, about an inch and a half head, retains at about 1/2 inch for the balance. Fine looking beer.

Smell - Interestingly, lacks in the nose. A little bit of vanilla, caramel, sweetness. But very muted. Even my wife, who has an x-men type sense of smell didn't pick up much.

Taste - I can't decide quite what to say here. I like it, to be certain, but not sure how much. Up front, it's almost thin, the initial presentation is super quick, I can't even do a good job of describing it. It's the finish that I love on this beer. Vanilla, toasted marshmallow, caramel, the after taste lingers for a good bit.

Feel - good. Carb is medium to a little low, nice consistency.

Overall - I liked the first 2/3 a lot. By the last third, it was getting a little old for me. Kind of a one trick pony in my book, but a helluva trick. Wouldn't want more than one at once, but would like to have it around to have one once a week or so.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 20:25:26 | More by Beerandboards

RichD

Rhode Island

4.45/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my Newport Storm snifter.

A: Pours a dark auburn with about a finger of a light tan head. Leaves some lacing on the glass throughout.

S: Smells of sweet bourbon and that may be it. I think I may even smell the alcohol. Nothing too overpowering though.

T: Smooth bourbon is the prominent flavor in this. Founders seems to do a superb job when it comes to barrel aging their beers. I've had the Dirty Bastard and the taste is very different from this. It's delicious for what it is though.

M: Medium mouthfeel and of course there's some warming at the end of each sip.

Overall: This is a great barrel aged brew from Founders and I know why this is highly sought after. I'm glad my local store still has cases upon cases of this because that means that they're basically aging it for me. The boozy taste has mellowed out over the last few months and I cannot imagine aging this more than a few months regardless of what it says. Either way this is delicious and I will definitely keep buying when I run out of what I have.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 02:42:36 | More by RichD

jsprain1

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Tawny brown. Head is thin, and off white. Lasts fairly well and good lacing.
S- Smell is basically two pronged: boozey whiskey and milk chocolate. I can't pull much else out but those are two nice aromas.
T- More of the same here. Booze is strong right away, actually just a hint too boozy. The finish is long-lasting and very chocolatey.
M- I was looking for a bit more carbonation, as it fell a bit flat on the tongue. Good body weight behind this beer however.
O- Overall a very good beer. Definitely an offbeat beer I wouldn't drink everyday, but it's fun and different.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2012 03:40:38 | More by jsprain1

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a Gulden Draak tulip glass

Appearance- Dark red to brown in color with a thin layer of mocha head that only leaves the slightest lacing.

Smell- First thing that punches me in the nose is a bread yeast smell. Then I get large amounts of oak and bourbon.

Taste- Very nice smooth oaky flavor with a bourbon finish. My beef here is that this beer has been eatin up by the oak barrel aging. I dont get the carmel and peat flavors that are normally present in a scotch ale.

Mouthfeel- Medium body with a nice warming quality on the backend.

Overall- Very good beer but see my taste comment. Needs to keep the basics of a scotch ale in my opinion. Still the oak makes it so smooth it is insanly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 04:54:44 | More by BrownAleMale

DrinkMoreBigBeers

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Date on bottle is 9/28/12. Side note - Let this one warm up its taste come out the warmer it gets and adds significantly to it.

A - Pours out a a dark dark mahogany brown that looks clear when held up to the light. Produced a half finger yellowish head that died off relatively fast leaving only tiniest of bubbles on the sides of the glass. Not much lacing but leaves nice legs on the walls of the glass.

S - Wow lots of bourbon on the first sniff. It also has a sweet smell, some alcohol to go with the bourbon, vanilla, oak, lots of malty caramel and toffee undertones.

T - Lots of bourbon, oak, vanilla, plenty of peat, with alcohol heat in the background and a lingering bourbon flavor on the palate plus a little funkiness. Can you say sipper please. This really coats the palate with a bourbon then the heat comes in. Not a small beer by any means with a lot of complexity.

M - This is a medium bodied beer that leaves sticky residue on your lips and coats your mouth thoroughly. Carbonated really well for a beer this big which helps keep the flavors moving. Not dry at all. Slick would be a good word for this one.

O - This is one big sipper that demands your attention and is not for the faint of hearted. It definitely comes with extreme flavor and a hell of a kick. Simply amazing. I tried one when it was fresh and this slightly aged one has more pronounced bourbon notes. A must try for bourbon barrel aged beer lover. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 02:36:35 | More by DrinkMoreBigBeers

Hibernator

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Founders Backwoods Bastard
12 oz brown bottle
Served in an Allagash tulip glass

Pours a dark chestnut brown, opaque in appearance. A khaki colored thin ring forms on top, leaving little spots of sticky lacings behind.

The aroma is rather intense with whiffs of bourbon, vanilla and more bourbon.

A slick and chewy malt backbone is the blueprint of this beer. Caramel malt richness with additional flavors of vanilla bean, cinnamon, brown sugar and a bourbon warmth that intrigues the palate.

A true sipper and a nice selection on a chilly December evening like tonight. I'm glad the weekend is here.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 01:10:22 | More by Hibernator