Founders Backwoods Bastard - Founders Brewing Company

rawfish

California

4.44/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2011 bottle. Pours a rusty brown, opaque and dense with bobbing sediment and yeast. Barely any head let the bubbles that lick the glass manage to spill over some speckles of lacing.

Terrific blend of molasses, brown sugar, caramel in the base with the bourbon imparting a huge toasty oak, vanilla and almond perfume. Underlying dark fruit, piney hops and earthy peat.

Bourbon character is dominant and punchy with oak, whiskey, vanilla and a hit of booze before dialing back and letting the sweet scotch malt of toffee and molassess through. Tail end gets a bit more complex with raisins, a touch of tobacco, and a minty and slightly drying hop finish.

Creamy mouthfeel, medium/heavy bodied and balanced alcohol. A sipper to be sure.

Bourbon bombshell, the wee heavy malt style is really what is needed here to provide balance and earthy complexity to the oak and bourbon. A delight to try.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 04:27:56 | More by rawfish

mhksuccess

California

4.53/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

poured from 12oz bottle into stone old guardian glass
at first very nice color and little head
it smells extremely sweet but
the taste is more of slight boozy with a back end of sweetness
very smooth and enjoyable to drink
made me wonder why i didnt buy more
it is very easy to drink
and has the characterisitics which you want to see in this style
what a great brew
would definite get more if had the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 20:53:39 | More by mhksuccess

csrbv

Pennsylvania

4.44/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a Maredsous Tulip Glass.

Appearance: rich red-brown hue with plenty of haze. Very little frothy tan foam with a bit of an amber cast. Quite good.

Smell: very sweet aroma, to the point of a malt molasses, perhaps. Along with that is a good woody aroma from the barrel, contributing vanilla and almond-like character. Very good, although massively sweet.

Taste: sweet malt, vanilla, alcohol, more sweetness, an oak woodiness, and finally a bit of bitterness at the end. The alcohol lends a bit of dark fruit character, cherry and plum. I like a lot of the flavors here. Good, but doesn't taste quite as good as it smells.

Mouthfeel: huge body, great carbonation, silky smooth creamy wonderful texture. The body on this thing is just massive, as the sweetness ought to indicate. Wonderful.

Overall: I know this is supposed to be a strong beer, but it is so smooth, quite a good beer!

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 17:18:30 | More by csrbv

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to Hopshopenstein for sending this my way. Dark, dark red color with a minimal head. The aroma on this was just great, vanilla, bourbon, sugar, wood. Great! The flavor was not nearly as good, sort of muddled. It had hints of the vanilla and bourbon but i really couldn't get a feel for the base beer beneath. If the flavor matched the aroma this would be top notch.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 01:20:30 | More by ArrogantB

NHJORDAN

3.76/5  rDev -13%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 4.25

Backwood Bastard almost has me imagining myself drinking this ale in the deep backwoods of the bayou. A part of me feels as though I'm rebelling against probation due to the strong alcohol content and potent bourbon taste.

This is a good thing my friends. The aroma, taste, and every other sensation surrounds my entire being while drinking this beer.

One cannot simply enjoy this beer unless he's reached manhood. This is indeed a mans beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 04:11:24 | More by NHJORDAN

jvillefan

California

4.04/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Almost no head when poured vigourously. The body is a muddy brown with a tinge of red.

S: Bery hot with prominate bourbon flavors. There are subtle caramel malts present.

T: There are caramel notes but harsh bourbon flavors rip through the body of the flavor of this beer.

M: The carbonation was very sharp but the texture was smooth and a little silky.

O: Good beer but not great. Definitely worth trying though.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 02:51:27 | More by jvillefan

KFBR392

Illinois

4.64/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Enjoying the first of the four that I have decided to age. Bottled on date of 9/28/12.

Appearance: A bright brown color with dark red amber tones. Some decent carbonation but no head retention throughout. Really a great color on the pour which came out much darker when in the glass.

Smell: My favorite part of the brew right here. The powerful malt/caramel just explodes on the nostrils. There is so much vanilla and toffee here as well. The spicy boozy undertones keeps you on your toes. If I got knocked out and someone put this under my nose I'm pretty sure I would come back to consciousness. Powerful stuff!

Taste: Really great. Upfront the malt and alcohol presence mix very nicely. A caramelized vanilla body carries this brew for days. The sticky toffee aftertaste simply won't stop. For everything going on with this brew the body is not as heavy as I would have expected. A very easy drinker.

Mouthfeel: The flavors provide complexity while the mouthfeel is not overpowering. The mouthfeel fades away quicker then I would have hoped though. Such a clean body.

Overall: Founders always does it right. No expections here. I cannot wait to periodically pop the other three of these over the next year. I think the aging really matured this beer and settled in many of the flavors. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 23:54:19 | More by KFBR392

doppelmeup

North Carolina

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

I absolutely loved this beer. Had it on tap on two separate occasions, and wish I could find some in bottles.

Great notes of malt, vanilla and bourbon in the nose, and the taste is more than I ever hoped for. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Sweet without being cloying. Bourbon flavors perfectly compliment the scotch ale, resulting in one of the best beers I've ever had.

Warning though - the 10.2% ABV will kick you in the N**ts!

I say - if you ever see this, buy it!!

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2013 17:12:43 | More by doppelmeup

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.55/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter at cellar temperature.

L – Ruby-brown color with a 1.5-finger rocky, frothy, tan head. Awesome retention and some great lacing. Clear as far as I can tell.

S – Tons of caramel with touches of brown sugar, raisins, smoke, and vanilla and bourbon-tinged oak. This smells fantastic.

T – The taste almost follows the nose to a tee. It starts off sweet with caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, and dark fruits with spicy smoke following close behind. Slightly hot and astringent (but not in a bad way!) bourbon-soaked oak is very apparent toward mid-taste-to-finish. There’s the difference between the aroma and taste right there – the bourbon is much more prevalent.

S – Medium-to-full-bodied with pretty good carbonation, a sticky and chewy mouthfeel, and a sweet, slightly spicy, and very dry finish. Bourbon heat and dryness linger nicely. There’s definitely a strong throat-warming presence from the alcohol here.

O – This is a delicious beer. It has all the key elements of a good Scotch ale with the added bonus of bourbon barrels. Furthermore, it is extremely drinkable, especially for the 10.2% ABV. The warming sensation from the alcohol is strong but really quite pleasant. This may be one of my favorite beers from Founders and may certainly be my favorite Scotch ale. I might also add that this is by FAR my favorite bourbon barrel-aged beer that I’ve had so far. I highly recommend this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 03:55:46 | More by BlackBelt5112203

RoninTK3

Rhode Island

4.76/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A - Nice dark amber color with a bit of lacing on top.

S - Bourbon, vanilla, caramel, oak and alcohol are all present. Smells very sweet but the alcohol is definitely there. Perfect in this category.

T - Bourbon and oak dominate this one. Vanilla, brown sugar, and caramel back up the bourbon with some heavy booziness. This is a delicious beer, but there's no question it's a sipper.

M - Smooth, creamy, and medium bodied with medium level carbonation.

This is a pretty perfect sipper. If you don't like a boozier beer then you can avoid this one, but this is a very balanced, delicious beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 01:31:56 | More by RoninTK3

screamking

Ohio

4.81/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12 oz bottle poured in snifter.

Appearance- cloudy red-brown with little head. 4.25

Aroma-toffee, butterscotch, oak, alcohol, brown sugar, malty. 4.75

Taste-heavy toffee, lots of toffee, creamy butterscotch, vanilla, some malts, hint of alcohol. 5

Feel-medium body, coats palate well, no burn. 4.5

Overall- first off, I'm not a big fan of dirty bastard but this bourbon aged version is everything I want in a sipping beer. The flavor just keeps evolving as you drink it. Give this beer to a whisk(e)y drinker and watch their eyes open up and explode. Strong bourbon profile. Get a pack if you can, get two if you have the money.4.75

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 03:25:21 | More by screamking

ToddGregory

4.9/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is the best Bourbon Aged I have ever had. It was aged about 18 months to perfection. I'm in Texas and understand the Founders has been picked up here by a distributor. Can't wait to get my hands on more of this amazing beer. If anyone can recommend anything like this or better I want it.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 18:57:50 | More by ToddGregory

themind

New Jersey

4.71/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

What a great BA ale! this is one of the greats for me and I buy it when ever available. This brew has a nice mouth feel, excellent bourbon aroma and knock out taste. For the style this is the best I have had, just a World Class offering from Founders.

Bottom Line: If I see it, I buy it!

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 13:15:21 | More by themind

King_KongDCO93

Minnesota

4.55/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Brown and murky with an off white head that has completely dissipated.

S: Aggressive aroma: brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla. It has a sweet floral aroma.

T: Lots of vanilla and some bourbon flavors. Creamy butterscotch and some oak flavors.

M: balance not too boozy and medium body

O: A+ Scotch Ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 01:47:47 | More by King_KongDCO93

popery

California

3.79/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Big, tasty beer. The barrel flavor is a simple, though, imho. It smells great. Big vanilla, oak, brown sugar, molasses and a lot of caramel. It’s a bit on the sweet side. Taste is similar but the barrel flavor gets a tad harsh and isn’t quite as enjoyable. There's just an almost astringent harshness to the beer. Still, lots of vanilla, dark sugars and oak. Perhaps, a different batch or temperature would soften my opinion, here. Mouthfeel is smooth and while it’s fairly thick, it could be even thicker. Deep amber brown in color with a sudsy beige head. Interesting beer. I just wish that the barrel was a bit gentler on the palate.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 06:28:35 | More by popery

davey101

Connecticut

4.65/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage putting this bottle at about 8/9 months old. 12 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Wasn't a fan of this fresh so I decided to age a bottle. Reviewed on 07-10-2012.

A - Dark red/brown clear body. One finger high light khaki head settles down to a patchy cap and thick edging. Swirling produces a huge and tight head. Decent lacing and retention but massive alcoholic legs. 4.0/5

S - Bourbon soaked figs and raisins, roasted malts, vanilla, brown sugar, and toffee. Really decadent and rich with the perfect balance between the bourbon and dark fruit. 4.5/5

T - Bourbon soaked dark fruits and loads of scotch ale notes. Vanilla, toffee, and brown sugar. The finish is pretty abrupt with a light lingering sweetness. There's also an odd bitterness after each sip that really goes against the sweet flavors. 3.5/5

M - Alcohol is well incorporated but it does warm the mouth at cellar temperature. Light to medium mouth feel with silky carbonation. 4.0/5

O - Age had does wonders on this beer. Crazy smooth and tasty. Not a fan of the bitterness in the aftertaste though. 3.88/5

---

2012 vintage, bottled on 10/12/12. 12 oz bottle into a Founders 15th Anniversary glass. Giving this a proper re-review since I now love this beer and style.

A - Pours a dark red/brown body that almost appears purple. This particular bottle is chill hazed with some floating protein particles. I've had many bottles of this batch that were crystal clear though. Three fingers worth of tan foam fades away into a patchy cap with attractive silky bubbles. Sticky lacing with modest retention.

S - Such an amazing and inviting aroma. Gobs of rich and sweet english toffee with layers of vanilla, butterscotch, and oak. Brown sugar drenched raisins. Such a fantastic bourbon presence.

T - Sweet toffee malts. Rich brown sugar and dates. Smooth bourbon with a noticeable but pleasant alcohol burn. Finishes with some butterscotch, vanilla oak and a touch of peat. Excellent.

M - Thin to medium with silky carbonation. Drinks wonderfully and the alcohol is complimentary but never over the top.

O - This has quickly become one of my favorite beers. Just bourbon drenched toffee perfection. Absolutely world class stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 05:13:37 | More by davey101

CurtFromHershey

Pennsylvania

4.04/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a deep brownish red with smooth head comprised of exceptionally small bubbles, a sign of quality. Head fads to a thin rim.

Smells strongly of Bourbon, cedar, pine sap, and cherries.

Taste is similar to the nose, although Tue bourbon presence feels a bit heavy hands to be honest. As much as I like bourbon in beers, I think this guy would he better with a shorter time in the barrels.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. Ever so slightly too viscous for me for this style.

Overall I would certainly buy this again, but it feels just short of something really brilliant.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 21:55:23 | More by CurtFromHershey

Tuey13

Illinois

4.88/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

The 2012 edition poured into a snifter... this pours a dark, murky brown with ruby red highlights. Has a very light head that doesn't last very long, expected on a 10.2% ABV.... alcohol legs are definitely present on the glass as well. Looks beautiful!

Smell... wow... vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, brown sugar, rich malts, and of course oak and bourbon. Such a rich earthy smell accompanied by dark fruits.. so pleasant on the nose.

The taste is phenomenal... wonderful oak bourbon flavor... vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, brown sugar, sweet smokey malts... a bit of light coffee on the back. Wow!!

I have to say this is another amazing beer by Founders.... such a well balanced and well crafted beer that you can tell is made with care. I only wish this was year round... but it is worth the savoring when this comes out in the fall.

Try this.... you will love it.

Cheers all!!

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 08:09:09 | More by Tuey13

ichorNet

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Deep brown amber with some suspended solids. Patterned lacing coming down in tiers. Excellent foam and solid retention

Scent: Wooden and phenolic with maple, vanilla, roasted malt and nuttiness (walnuts?) spicing it all up. Earthy, musty and sweet

Taste: Evocative of the beer’s name and style; the oak aging lends the vanilla aspect while scotch, toffee, caramel and peaty malt provide an alluring center

Mouthfeel: Smooth drinking with low-medium carbonation rounding out a full-bodied middle. Finish is divine and evolves subtly over time

Drinkability: I could drink more than one of these in a row, but it would hurt. That said, this is a sipper and should be treated as such

Overall: This is fantastic beer. I think it would be very difficult to seek this out and find it disappointing, honestly. Founders have taken a strong, malt-forward beer and made it even more relentless in its approach and that is something I find intense and uncompromising. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Read full review @ http://blogs.lowellsun.com/beer/2012/11/22/founders-backwoods-bastard/

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 07:13:31 | More by ichorNet

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.39/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 12oz bottle into Crooked Stave tulip. Pours a deep brown amber with a thin slightly of white head. Awesome sweet malt and big booze aroma. Some cooked caramel/melted sugar notes.
Flavor is fantastic. Sweet caramel malts, lots of chocolate, booze, scotch, and hints of vanilla and charred barrel. Really smooth...I mean such an easy drinker. What an awesome and amazing example of the style. Worth the wait for it every year. Everyone should have this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 21:52:56 | More by DrinkSlurm

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I'll just say this is one of my favorite scotch/wee heavy's out there. No doubt the bourbon barrels did wonders with a style I'm kinda meh towards. Pours out a substantial dark brown pour, earthy, beige head, somewhat thin on the top, but probably better than average for anything that aged in a bourbon barrel.

Smell is nice and luxurious. Bourbon, plenty of oak, vanilla and caramel throughout the aroma. Pleasant and not heavy or boozy.

Taste, smooth, again, more of that caramel, vanilla, bourbon and oak mixture, the base beer is just right to soak it all up and not compete, but peacefully coexist with all the aforementioned flavors. The right amount of malt sweetness to it. This really takes a less than interesting dirty bastard and makes it an excellent beer. I think this beer might be disappointing to a big fan of scotch ales, but a big turn on to someone who isn't really into that style, but likes bourbon barrels for flavoring.

Drank during the Christmas 2012 poker game.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 19:07:50 | More by Beerandraiderfan

fmccormi

New York

4.06/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Straight pour from a 12oz pry-off bottle to a Cigar City snifter; bottling date of September 28, 2012 printed in yellow ink on the neck of the bottle (“BOTTLED 09/28/12”). So, a little under four months old.

Appearance (3.5): Maybe half a finger of light tan head comes off the pour, briefly capping a deep, deep chestnut-brown body that’s slightly hazy, and shows some reddish hues when held up to the light (think garnet). Very little retention and essentially no lacing. Attractive body, but the head’s lacking, even for a style that doesn’t particularly count on it.

Smell (3.75): Strong oaky, vanilla tones with that sweet fruitiness from the bourbon that always comes off as apple juice to me are most prominent here, half-covering the rich, thick malt character of the base beer: dates, molasses, fruit cake, toffee, and some caramel. The nose is full and right on for the style, but the bourbon isn’t as well integrated as I’d like.

Taste (4.25): Fortunately, the flavor is quite a bit better than either the appearance or nose. Those dark fruit, toffee, and fruit cake flavors mix well with each other and harmonize with the smooth oak character, folding the vanilla tones into the palate nicely. The oak, vanilla, and apple juice are all there—they just jive better this time than they did in the nose. Also, the strong, spicy alcohol character of this beer cuts through the maltiness at first, but then turns to vapor and dries out the finish modestly. The alcohol sticks around, but for a beer this size it fits the bill well and I welcome it. Definitely smoother as it warms.

Mouthfeel (4.25): Moderately full-feeling, with a viscous but not syrupy feel—but that alcohol burn sure does lighten it up a bit. The carbonation is very subtle, fitting the palate very nicely: just a soft, gentle, very low-key velvetiness acts a base for the body’s viscosity, foaming moderately on the way down.

Overall (4.0): It has some flaws, in my mind, but nothing crucial—I’m just not the biggest fan of most bourbon barrel-aged beers. And while this beer does very well with the barrels, I just don’t necessarily like what bourbon barrels bring to a lot of the beers aged in them. This however does a good job. Also, it’s much, much better overall after it warms up more than a bit, and it becomes a very pleasant sipper.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 03:22:21 | More by fmccormi

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

On tap at Birch.

A - Raspberry / bronze color. Nice head.

S - Hints of yeast.

T - Bitter tasting but still appealing. Gets better as it warms up. Probably not as smooth as Dirty Bastard, but a nice change from that if you're looking for more spiciness. Alcohol retty well in background.

M - Nice mouthfeel, medium bodied.

O - A really good beer, but what's new whenh it comes to Founders? I think they might have something there.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2013 21:57:49 | More by Beer-A-Lot

mfavoino

Washington

4.16/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to Treebs for the share. Enjoyed on 12/30/12.

A: Deep amber appearance with an off white head. Fairly clear and looks nice with the light shining through it.

S: Big bourbon nose, cherry, and rich malt aromas.

T: Follows the nose with the huge bourbon flavor. Dark fruits easy to pick up and a sweet, rich caramel malt backbone. Touch of booze hotness.

M: Medium-bodied, light carbonation, a little hot as it finishes.

O: Huge bourbon flavor, but doesn't mask the other flavors from the base.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 04:43:28 | More by mfavoino

TallSaint

New York

4.68/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

13/01/13 at home

Poured into a snifter with a thin head.

Brown sugar, booze, bourbon and butterscotch in the nose. Exceptional.

It's brilliantly balanced. Upfront brown sugar, shortbread and a bourbon welcome the palate. Maple-syrup, dark fruits and a touch of (good) diacetyl come through in the mid-palate. It ends with bourbon sweetness and booze.

An exceptional beer that is brilliantly balanced. Sweet caramel, shortbread, brown sugar and dark fruits are balanced by booze, bourbon and wood. I wish the mouthfeel was a bit creamier but I could not ask for anything more. A beer that is so much fun to drink, especially at 10.2% abv, wish I had more.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 03:21:31 | More by TallSaint