Founders Backwoods Bastard - Founders Brewing Company

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle into tulip glass

A - Dark ruby brown with a wisp of a head. Nothing too interesting, but pretty appropriate for what it is.

S - When quite cold, it comes off predominantly sweet with vanilla, black cherry, cherry twizzler, almond oil, and hints of bourbon. Warming shifts the focus to the bourbon notes, but includes a caramel malt sweetness.

T - Fantastic. Notes that follow the nose, including the vanilla and black cherry with bourbon. Not much of that hint of almond oil. Sweet but lightly smokey malt backbone lingers in the finish, playing with the vanilla and bourbon. No bitterness to this at all, and only the slightest astringency for the briefest moment.

M - Medium to full in body, low carbonation, silky smooth but ever present and lingering. Really suits the message of the beer.

O - Overall a wonderful take on an already great scotch ale. The bourbon tones take over and deliver wave after wave of enjoyable flavors. This is a real winner.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 22:38:38 | More by greenmonstah

puboflyons

New Hampshire

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

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle. Sampled on December 13, 2012.

It pours an attractive looking amber-brown with a full off-white foamy, fluffy head that lingers on and on.

On the nose there are an array of sensations that make this rather complex. I get bourbon, wood, sweet caramel malts, butterscotch, dark fruit, and a little smoke.

The body is medium to bold and pretty smooth.

The taste has some punch with sweet maltiness and vanilla which quickly evolves into a biting, long lingering bitterness that coats my throat. This is an excellent take on the Wee Heavy style.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 23:26:24 | More by puboflyons

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

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

Bottled ?/16/09, date is kinda scratched off. Big thank you to unibroue4ever and thesevenduffs for both getting me a bottle of this, a long time want.

Appearance. Pours a deep and murky orange-brown with a thin off-white head.

Smell. Nice. Sweet caramel, woody bourbon and some vanilla.

Taste. Wow, sweet caramel and smooth bourbon, very woody. Getting some vanilla and toasted marshmallow as well. Very little alcohol taste. Very nice.

Mouthfeel. Medium-full body, slightly sticky and a little bit of warmth. Low carbonation.

Overall. Fantastic stuff. Really mellow, probably at least pratially from the age on it.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 03:04:03 | More by Rutager

flagmantho

Washington

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

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: rich red-brown hue with plenty of haze. Head is an attractive finger of 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, tannic woodiness, and finally a bit of harsh bitterness at the end. The alcohol lends a bit of dark fruit character, cherry and plum, but is generally a bit on the hot side for me. I like a lot of the flavors here, but they just come together in a pretty harsh way. Good, but it lacks the smoothness I like in the style.

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 its strength is a little bit raw; as I said I'd prefer it a bit smoother. Still, quite a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 22:55:11 | More by flagmantho

dbrauneis

New Jersey

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

A: Pours a crystal clear dark amber in color with some mahogany highlights and very light amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall beige head with some orangish highlights in it that quickly fades to a very thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of bourbon (from the barrel aging) with some more moderate notes of vanilla, peat smoked malts, and brown sugar/molasses.

T: Similar to the smell, the taste of this beer has a lot of bourbon from the barrel aging. There is some smoked peat malts upfront with brown sugar and molasses sweetness - just a touch of dark fruits hiding in there as well. Lighter notes of vanilla with just a touch of alcohol in the finish. Overall, the flavor is lightly sweet.

M: A little bit heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Very light notes of alcohol heat in the finish.

O: Overall a very enjoyable beer and one of the best in the style that I have come across - though I might be a little biased as I really like bourbon barrel aged beers. Definitely one I will be getting again (and this is not even one of my favorite styles).

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 03:43:29 | More by dbrauneis

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

3.8/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Amber with a slight head that quickly fades away.

Smell: Brown sugar and scotch paired with an odd, off putting odor.

Taste: Young and brash, this is still drinkable as hell for the abv. A barrel aged, astringent sweetness hits up front with some faint caramel, then fades into a bready finish. The scotch sweetness factor is just a hair under what I was looking for, but I'm sure this will improve with age.

Mouthfeel: Decently bodied with not too much carbonation.

Overall: Again, this was never one of my favorite beers, but you have to respect how drinkable and smooth it is, even if you're not in love with the taste(like me). I'd say this is an excellent candidate for aging, and can turn into a classic after some. My guess is, the astringent factors of this beer will surely fade after a year and improve it significantly, giving it a more malty, balanced taste...just might have to buy a few extra. There are so many beers of this ilk that are practically undrinkable compared to this(especially young), which is why Founders is who they are, and does what they duz.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 14:13:21 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

bigaltemple

Colorado

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

12oz. Bottled 10/5/12

A - Pours cola brown in color, with lots of dark reds appearing in the glass. Creamy, two-finger head becomes a thin collar. Minimal lacing.

S - Definitely get the barrel notes. Plenty of sweet vanilla and oak. Underlying caramel and solid malt backbone.

T/M - Quite tasty! Like drinking a malted bourbon. Really well balanced. Not overpowering at all. Mild lingering bourbon aftertaste. Full bodied with almost perfect amount of carbonation.

O - Love it! Not much more to say. Drinks extremely well at a great price point. I will gladly grab this anytime it is available.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 03:42:54 | More by bigaltemple

gabedivision

New York

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

poured at room temp to a SA Imprial Snifter glass from a 12oz

Pours a dark reddish brown, almost cola-like. Tight bubbled khaki/butter colored head that about 1/4 inch head that rests thinly around the top of the glass, and sticks and slimes with some very visible alcohol legs. Bourbon right off the bat, big vanilla, buttery malts follow up, big brown sugar and caramel on the finish. Buttery malts fill the tongue, then caramel and raisins follow, sharp carbonation hits around mid sip and opens up the taste buds to a vanilla bourbon blast, that resinates to a cheerywood and alcohol finish. Full bodied, medium carbonation, strong, boozey, and very sweet. Overall; just an all around great beer, intense complexity, creative flavors, malty, sugary, desert like sweetness, it is crazy how good this beer is.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 03:00:34 | More by gabedivision

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Backwoods Bastard pours a hazy brownish reddish color, similar to that of dieherra with no head. Strong oak aroma, with hints of bourbon, spicy malty aroma. There is a strong whiskey like flavor, on a mellow smokey malty backbone, with a sharpness on the palette. Good full flavor, well balanced and complex. Overall a fantastic scotch ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 02:02:10 | More by vette2006c5r

weltywm

Pennsylvania

4.73/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured out of a bottle into a Saranac snifter:

Appearance: Deep red/brown color, like a strong barrel strength bourbon. Minimal head, but still some lacing on the sides.

Smell: Wow. Lots of bourbon, oak, and sweet malt

Taste: Wow, again. Various layers of taste with a really long finish. I taste mainly bourbon and oak, with some hints of coffee, chocolate, and stonefruit (cherry, etc.). The finish is long, with more bourbon, sweet malt, chocolate, and oak.

Mouthfeel: Not really big like a stout, but still oily and full-bodied. Really long and complex finish. Just excellent.

Overall: This is an awesome beer from an awesome brewery, and made even better by its reasonable price. I'm aging a bottle in my cellar, and can't wait to see how it ages.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 03:08:24 | More by weltywm

SawDog505

New Hampshire

4.3/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Lost Abbey tulip, bottled 10/12/12. Poured slowly down the center and got a beautiful light tan head that leaves, a thick ring of lace. The beer itself is a bright ruby. The smell on this starts with strong vanilla, bourbon, peat, dark fruit, and some biscuit. Taste is similar to smell not as much vanilla as the nose would have you expect, but really complex, pick up different flavors each sip, and really makes you crave the next one. Maybe a little smoke, but very subtle and blends well with all the other flavors from the nose. Body is medium large, perfect amount of carbonation for the style, not really dry almost surprising, and very drinkable for a big brew. Founders and Firestone are so good at brewing barrel aged beers it is scary. Love this and had a Dirty Bastard before to see what a difference the barrels made and it turned a very good beer into an amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 03:22:16 | More by SawDog505

WankelEngine

Illinois

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

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a dark, hazy mahogany brown color. There is a small tan head which rapidly fades to a ring of foam. Light, spotty lacing.

S: Big notes of molasses and raisin, figs and brown sugar. Some lighter cherry flavor but it is milder. Aroma of whiskey is warm and pleasant and becomes more potent as the beer warms.

T: Caramel/vanilla flavor is forward. Alcohol and some grassy flavor cut through the sweetness a bit, but it is still a sugary brew. Less fruity than the aroma. Finish is long and surprising bitter based on the rest of the flavors.

M: Medium bodied and somewhat sticky. Carbonation is very low.

O: An interesting, well-done beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 01:40:22 | More by WankelEngine

bifrost17

Washington

4.8/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a Great Divide Yeti Snifter

A: Really nice looking beer, deep deep dark reddish burgundy. Pours with about a half finger of an off white/tan head that dissipates pretty quickly into a thin white ring around the glass, not surprising since this is a barrel aged beer.

S: W O W ! ! ! Unreal. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this. Huge vanilla initially, followed by bourbon, chocolate, dark fruits, and caramel. Smells delicious.

T: Tastes even better than it smells. So much vanilla, that's the biggest flavor for sure, but you definitely get a lot of the woody notes from the barrel as well. Really nicely balanced, not overly boozy or sweet. Perfectly executed.

M: Smooth, silky, full bodied, light carbonation. The barrel aging makes the mouthfeel of this brew incredible.

O: I'm stunned. I knew this beer was going to be good, but I honestly didn't expect it to be this good. I gave it pretty high marks because I'm really not a fan of Scotch Ales usually, but for me this is so perfect. Backwoods Bastard is now absolutely my favorite Founders beer, don't get me wrong, KBS and Breakfast Stout are up there as well, but I think this takes it to another level. Well done Founders, and thank you Nick for sending this my way. I can't wait to see what happens to my other bottle with some age on it.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 06:23:43 | More by bifrost17

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

StonedTrippin

Colorado

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

super different for a beer in this genre. it pours a slightly cloudy pale amber color, with a dense nearly pure white head, lots of lacing left behind as it sips down. the nose is a little fruity, a lot boozy, and entirely different again from most scotch ales. its too light. the taste is awesome, like a tasty hybrid of licorice and fresca soda, thats what i taste. more fruit than ever for a scotch, and the same effervescent carbonation as that artificial grapefruit flavored soda pop. its really good, but i am missing that smoke and hefty malt base ive grown used to in these beers. anyone else get that? bright bubbling medium body, again too light for the style, but this is a damn good beer. living up to its name for all the wrong reasons, this is something unique and to be cherished. i never in a million years would have put uts abv over 10% on a blind tasting, its far too delicate to be that potent, but it all seems to work out just right. on tap at j. ryans in syracuse, a place you must visit as a beer enthusiast. what a treat from founders!

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2012 04:55:27 | More by StonedTrippin

DocJitsu

California

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

Pours a cloudy dark ruby-amber with a quickly attenuating scorched carmael-colored head. Lovely vanilla on the nose accompanied by tempered bourbon. Moutfheel is a little thin, but smooth as silk. A bit of a burn on the finish from a combination of carbonation, hop, and alcohol. The flavor is amazing. It would be perfect, but there's just some alcohol bitterness that detracts from the heavenliness. Toffee, vanilla, bread, and bourbon, all in spades. It's reminiscent of my favorite beer on planet Earth--Double DBA from FW, but a scaled down version.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 04:50:25 | More by DocJitsu

cavedave

New York

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful beer, brown with distinct reddish cast, makes a gemstone of the mini snifter. It has a thick, clear look. Thin, beige skim tops for a moment, then recedes quickly to skim islands and thin ring. A swirl produces oily bubbled legs that slither back to the beer below.

Heavenly lightly oaked caramel and light vanilla front a perfumy aroma that is redolent of sweet alcohol and floral/ fruit notes beneath it all. It isn't an aroma that conquers the nose with heavy bourbon, it emphasizes the soft notes here. And the sweet of it is so clean and wonderful I salivate before each sip reaches my tongue.

Ah sweet elixir of malty goodness and barrel mellowness. This beer is just astoundingly delicious. A rare one that lets alcohol take control and does it so fuckiing well. The sweet at beginning of sip is complex. Caramel and toffee, candy, hints of sweet fruit, light vanilla. Notes of the barrel come in and the alcohol ushers the deeper flavors into a juicy end of sip. there is just a hint of roast, just a hint of tannic (in a good way), just a hint of herbal. The balance of this is astounding.

Mouthfeel is the stage on which these actors perform. Highly viscous yet never cloying, super thick yet clean on the palate, no overpower from the barrel, and a juicy finish that shines until the next sip.

This beer, transcends style bullshit and proves light barrel notes rule. At least when done by Founders. Highest recommendation.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 23:04:27 | More by cavedave

Gobzilla

California

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

A: poured a dark brown in color with burgundy orangish highlights and a thin head that left a little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: very inviting sweet aroma which consisted of caramel, brown sugar, toffee, molasses, burnt sugars but with great bourbon barrel character signs of dark fruit toast sweet malts and a little booze.

T: lots of sweetness like the nose suggested, mostly caramel, brown sugar and molasses but with vanilla burnt sugar accents. It had nice bourbon barrel flavor a touch of dark fruits, a little booze heat, and hints of marshmallow.

M: the brew was medium to full in body with a moderate amount of carbonation which had a very sweet, bourbon booze, mildly dark fruity and slick finish.

O: I liked this beer a lot considering the sweetness, it was well balanced and very delicious. Glad I got to try it finally.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 19:39:24 | More by Gobzilla

Higy

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

ST - poured from bottle into stemless wine glass

A - pours dark brown with red hues & fleeting head

S - picked up vanilla, dark brown sugar

T - smooth, balanced. Alcohol warmth, malty, vanilla, brown sugar. At the end dark fruit specifically cherries.

M - full, a little syrupy

O - great beer, bought a second bottle to cellar

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 12:52:52 | More by Higy

JWU

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz. bottle poured into a curved porter glass.

A- a dark ruby/brown, translucent when held to light. A thin light tan head sits on top and dissipates very quickly. A little bit of lacing down the glass.

S- You get the dark, slightly smoky/peaty malt bill of dirty bastard, but there's the added complexity of the barrel. Oaky, with some vanilla and toasted coconut. Could use more barrel characteristics in the aroma.

T- Dark, peaty caramelized malts and bourbon character lead way into some boozyness, but the absolute party in my mouth starts mid to end. It gets a heavy oaky vanilla character with a lovely toasted coconut flavor as well. It's so smooth it's almost criminal.

M- Thicker and more syrupy than you would initially think. Sweet, but does dry a bit on the finish. Light to medium carbonation.

O- A truly fantastic example of what barrel aging can do to a beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 01:29:48 | More by JWU

nicnut45

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Presentation 12 oz bottle warmed up a bit and poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.
(Not the best glass I know). bottled 10/05/12

A-Pours a deep brown with a reddish tinge to it. Practically no head.

S-Powerful Bourbon goodness upon first whiff. Following whiffs pull forth toffee, burnt marshmallow, carmelized brown sugar. This beer has such a sweet smell, almost a stinging sensation on the nose.

T&MF-Bourbon comes on hard at first sip and fades quickly giving way to an alcoholic dryness. Leaves a dry sweetness on the toungue. I hate to say this but it has a sucralose like sweetness to it. Amidst the bourbon burn, there is some pepper and a very faint cherry sweetness going on. Major cardboard oxidative flavors on the way down followed by a nice burn in the gullet.

O-This is way too hot and needs to be laid down for at least 4 months. Its a mess to tell you the truth. This may be very nice when the bourbon cools off a bit. And I truly hope I was not tasting sucralose.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 04:56:45 | More by nicnut45

Andrew61923

Connecticut

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

Poured from bottle into Portsmouth tulip. Sat out at room temperature for 20 minutes before reviewing.

A: A dark reddish brown with a small off-white head that quickly dissipates into a small halo along the glass' edge. Leaves some lacing.

S: Bourbon heavy with a lot of sweetness coming through. Picking up some notes of vanilla and a little bit of cocoa if I'm not mistaken. A big fan of this, even more so as I sniff on it more. Some dark fruit and tobacco coming out as well.

T: Definitely get the bourbon up front, which quickly coats the tongue before fading away to the dark fruit and tobacco I got from the nose. The taste lingers a relatively short while, especially in comparison to what I expected. Some nice malt flavor at the end. Definitely going to savor this.

M: A lot thicker than I expected, especially for the style. Does a good job of coating the tongue and palette. Some alcohol heat at the end, but in an enjoyable way. The barrel is definitely establishing its authority here.

O: I'm really glad I cracked this tonight. Looking for a beer to slowly sip and enjoy, I'm looking forward to seeing how this one warms up. Also happy I have three more bottles to sit on. I'll likely drink two soon since I'm liking where it is right now, but will be interested to see how it ages.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 02:05:20 | More by Andrew61923

Wolfpack2005

North Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Poured into my DFH snifter with about .5 finger head that didn't last very long. Dark brown/amber in color .

S-Picking up a pleasant mixture of scents, mainly dominated by vanilla, oak, and whiskey. Also subtle hints of caramelized sugars and alcohol.

T-A nice sweet malt flavor opens up the taste buds for the strong bourbon flavor that balances the maltiness perfectly. Also tasting notes of dark fruit, vanilla, and oak.

M-Very smooth, medium body with mild carbonation.

O-An excellent beer one that I will get on an annual basis. Not usually a fan of the scotch ales, but the bourbon/oak in this one balances out the sweetness perfectly.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 00:17:24 | More by Wolfpack2005

adamette

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Live review. Poured from the 12 oz. bottle that I bought at Save-On Tobacco & Beverage in Mentor, Ohio a few days ago for $3.75 into a clean, clear glass. In fact, it is my Voodoo Brewery pint glass. "BOTTLED 10/05/12" stamped on the neck of the bottle.

A Dark mohagany body that lets lots of light through under a light brown creamy but thin and brief head. I poured vigorously about one half way through and still the head lasted only 15 seconds. I like the look. I suppose the high ABV is chasing that head away! 3.5

S Sweet nectar of barley malt and a strong sense of Bourbon. Very little to no hops to my nose despite the "50 IBU's" mentioned on the neck label. I really like this smell but I must admit it is due at least in part to the strong, seductive bourbon scent. Repeated sniffs to write this review are making me really want to try it! 4.5

T Bourbon hits me first. In the distant last one third of the taste there is the sweet barley malt. Maybe trailing off in the distance is some minor hops bitterness but believe me, it is almost completely eclipsed by the wonderful nectar goodness of bourbon. For those who have had KBS but not this one, imagine a KBS without the nearly burnt roast malt tastes, replaced by a huge, sweet, moderately roasted malt. The taste of this beer is really big, reminds me in a certain way of a spoonful of caramel, the kind that you might put on ice cream. In fact, I wish I had a scoop of fresh vanilla right now! 4.5

M Big, full, syrupy goodness. The syrupy stickiness lingers on my tongue for a while after my last sip. 5.0

D/O Drinkability not that high since it is such a big beer and overall this is a really great version of the style. There are many in this style that are big, huge beers. The bourbon here helps to make it more accessible and easier drinking. In short, it really helps the style for me. 4.0

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 03:58:36 | More by adamette

mscudder

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served into a snifter.

A - Pours a deep brown with a hint of amber. Two-finger light-khaki head. Retention is superb and leaves some lacing behind.

S - Big caramelized sugar, lots and lots of bourbon booze, vanilla and a touch of oak.

T - Sugars hit the tongue, followed by bourbon and wood. Sugars seem to be from some dark fruit, although nothing near the potency of a Belgian. As the beer warms, the booze takes the backseat, simply adding a subtle touch of heat throughout.

M - Warm throughout. Medium-plus body with fair carbonation.

O - This is a good beer that not many others mimic. The craftsmanship is noted and I look forward to grabbing a 4-pack each year.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 03:15:15 | More by mscudder