Founders Pale Ale - Founders Brewing Company

tectactoe

Michigan

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a burnt amber color with hints of orange and copper, moderate hazy in the body; very small, wispy white head that dissipates quickly but leaves some noticeable lacing in its wake. Aroma is quite nice - the main component here is fruit; citrus, grapefruit, orange zest, lemon rinds. A slight hint of pine and leaf on the nose, very mild when compared to the citrus. The taste does a little bit of a switcheroo in the sense that the citrus flavors are toned down quite a bit on the palate. They play more of a background part, secondary to the emerging, bitter hop flavors; resinous pines and leafy, floral hop flavors explode with the lemon, citrus, and grapefruit sweetness around to balance things out a bit. A little more bitter than expected from the aroma (not a bad thing, however), this is approaching IPA level hop addition. Of course the malts are there, but it's really hard to pick out any distinct malt flavors. Maybe some simple white bread flavors, but the malts are light and somewhat pushed to the side by the hops. Medium-high amount of carbonation with a medium body, quite crisp and clean on the finish.

Founder's take on the classic Pale Ale is a pretty good one. Quite strong in hop character, but simply so, and not too overbearing for those not exactly looking for an IPA. This would be a good transition from APAs to IPAs for someone who is afraid to make the leap.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 02:36:02 | More by tectactoe

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip

A- Pours hazy golden yellow/orange with a one finger white head.

S- I get a lot of grain in the nose. maybe some wheat as well. Slight lemon grass. Light hop profile in this beer.

T- A low bitterness up front. Followed up by a nice hop flavor. There is a slight astringency. The hops are slightly citrusy and have a little pine. Very flowery and earthy.

M- Drinks easy. Kind of rainy aftertaste. Light feel but as expected.

O- Decent pale ale, I thought founders would go with the hoppy approach but this is a little different.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 00:09:34 | More by TwelveOunces

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.09/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled May 7th, 2012:

Into a pint glass:

A: golden/copper colored body that leaves a one finger white head that slowly dies to a fairly long lasting film of a head. The body is too hazy for any carbonation to be seen and barely any lacing is left.

S: pine and hops combined powerfully up front with a strong sense of malts trying to come through.

T: wonderful combination of pine, hops and malts with a bit of a floral/citrus aspect coming out as the beer warms.

M: light with nothing harsh on the tongue - just an all around good feel, solid.

O: right now I'm wishing I bought a six pack of this but would definitely come back to this.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 16:28:31 | More by kangarooAdam59

macrosmatic

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to dogdoc for this one! Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a CCB pint glass.

A: Pours a copper color with some haze, a one-finger white head and moderate visible carbonation.

S: Seems a little muted. I get some pine hops and cracker malt, and that's about it.

T: The flavor follows the nose, but has bigger flavors. A nice hop bitterness, sweet malt, and is fairly well-balanced. I really don't get much floral/citrus/pine aspects to hop profile.

M: Mouthfeel on the lighter side, moderate carbonation sensation, no alcohol presence to speak of.

O: This is a pretty decent pale ale, and I think one that follows the style guidelines well. This bottle was less than four months old, but I do wonder if it would have been better if I had drank it when it was fresher. Still, very enjoyable. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 20:40:15 | More by macrosmatic

RussBecker1

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle to a pint glass

A-Nice looking ale. More character than most other basic ales with a thick golden amber, and a small yet noticeable head.

S-Almost smells like a cheaper IPA with the hops and citrus notes very apparent. The nose is certainly not overpowering, but the dry hopping can be picked up very clearly.

M-Again more character than most pale ales, but in terms of feel that works against the brew as the viscosity is a little too overbearing and masks the carbonation and other factors the beer possesses.

T-A perfect introduction to a dry hopped beer. The hops and especially the grapefruit aspects of the citrus undertones are apparent, with the malts making more of a robust entrance than the smell indicated. The flavors are parceled out into very different portions of the palate however, which creates a bit of a harsh transition between the notes.

O-Very easy to enjoy, and very easy to point out the dry hopped difference. Not a whole lot of character to be found, but likely more graspable for a introductory beer geek.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 15:06:36 | More by RussBecker1

BeerWeather

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Perhaps not as fresh as it needs to be. Pours deep gold. Strangely, almost no carbonation. Aroma is musty and piney, not as citrusy as expected. Chewy mouthfeel. Taste is mostly classic pale, little roastier than expected. Solid pale ale, not quite what I expected, but a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 22:30:10 | More by BeerWeather

rdilauro

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

We have been lucky here in CT. 2 months ago, we could not bring in any Founders into our Package store. But now, we can.

This was a typical Founder's beer. Everything was crisp , neat
and in place. ( if you can describe a beer that way )

The actual pour was clean and clear. I was almost expecting something more along the liens of their Porters/Stouts.

The aroma was really so pleasant. It wasnt overloaded with hops
and yeast. The hops were there, no question about that. But none of it hit you right in the face. Instead, it poured a really clear mug with some nice hops brushing against your face.

The taste lingered, it was not over bitter (IBU sort of tell the story there), but the overall flavor came through

I enjoyed this beer , it wasnt at the top of my list of Founder beers, but I am sure there will be alot moreto come.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 04:32:51 | More by rdilauro

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle. I was disapointed to see that it has a bottled on date of 3/12/12. At least it was in the cooler where I bought it.

appears clear golden in color, bone-white frothy head that fades fast. some floral hop aroma. maybe it's faded a bit though?

a bit of crisp malt flavor and a grassy, floral hop aftertaste. easy drinking. thin to medium body, medium to higher carbonation, fine for the style.

overall - a solid everyday pale ale, but not as spectacular as some of Founders other stuff.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 02:08:03 | More by jmdrpi

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-golden amber color with a nice off-white head and good lacing

S-citrus, malt, light pine

T-grapefruit, rich malt, pine, light caramel, decent bitter hop finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, crisp yet smooth

O-a good pale ale with nice flavors and balance

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 04:26:29 | More by MDDMD

DaveBlack

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Amber beer, with almost no head at all. Some slight sediment floating throughout.

S: Floral and slightly musty aroma. Not unpleasant, but there's not a whole lot exciting going on.

T: Taste is heavily floral, lots of rose notes. Starts with the caramel malts, then a sweet rose flavor, and finishes with a kiss of the bitter hops. Really a well balanced and tasty beer.

M: Medium body, but the carbonation lightens it up quite a bit, makes it go down easily.

O: A tasty beer. Not all that different, but well balanced and solid. Easy to drink and definitely worth picking up.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 01:50:08 | More by DaveBlack

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass at fridge-cellar temperature.

L – Deep gold color with a 2-finger bubbly, foamy white head. Good retention and pretty good lacing. Slightly hazy with a lot of yeast/hop floaters reminiscent of Smuttynose IPA or Heady Topper. A steady amount of carbonation bubbles are appreciable through the floaters.

S – Nutty and bready malts with a good helping of citrus, pine, and grassy hops. Smells like this beer is going to be refreshing, crisp, and tasty.

T – Starts off sweet and toasty with nutty, bready, and toasted pale malts. Gradually builds to a solid hop bitterness with grapefruit, lemon, grass, pine, and floral notes. Tasty and well-balanced.

F – Light-to-medium-bodied with lots of carbonation, a creamy and silky-sweet mouthfeel, and a smoothly bitter and dry finish. Bittersweet grapefruit and grassy hop flavors linger for a nice amount of time.

O – This is a nice example of the pale ale style. It’s well-balanced between the sweet and toasty malts and the bitter hops and has a healthy dose of each. There is nothing earth-shattering about this beer; it’s just a very drinkable and tasty pale ale. I’m telling you, Founders cannot make a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 00:06:49 | More by BlackBelt5112203

Boblud

Michigan

2.68/5  rDev -28%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Somewhat hoppy and bitter. I would drink this beer again but it would not rank as one of my favorites. I am new to microbrews and am really starting to enjoy them. I am not a fan of heavy hops nor am I that fond of citrus drinks. I am willing to try any and have not really settled on a style of beer yet.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2012 18:27:19 | More by Boblud

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear deep golden/amber color with a decent white head that dissipates quickly. Smells of citrus grapefruit with some bready and biscuit malt to back it up. The flavor is bready and biscuity with a hint of caramel that is balanced with some grapefruit and a bit of resin. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet slick mouthfeel. This is the first time I've had this beer, its a nice mild pale ale. I could use some more hops, but I don't think that's what Founders was going for, probably shooting more for an entry level craft type beer. Nice solid beer that might end up in my fridge when non beer geeks are coming over.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 22:44:42 | More by johnnnniee

JackieTH

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy gold-orange with a white foam that dissipated quickly without lacing. Smell is caramel malt and light citric pith. Carbonation zings the tongue then fades into a mild citrus pith and resin bitterness. Some grassy elements. Malt washes into semblance of balance. Medium body. Finish is fairly clean with slight lingering bitterness. Nothing to really complain about nor to rave of here. Solid pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 03:19:11 | More by JackieTH

TangTKE402

New York

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured golden-brown from a stubby bottle, into a pint glass. Had a nice, white, 1-finger head on it that lingered for a bit, and settled into a nice thin heady blanket. Effervescent and clear.

S: Light, crisp, dry. The malt character underneath is brightened by the dry hoppiness. Dry pine needles, toast, and some cologne on the nose make this airy and inviting.

T: Smooth, bright, crisp, and cheery. Notes of toasted oat bread up-front with a light barley middle, and a crisp, clean hop finish. Middle-of-the-road bitterness, but just enough to brighten the entire character of the beer. Notes of freshly cut grass, baked bread, some sweet peaches in there, a touch of citrus, and some sediment. Flavors complex enough to appreciate, but light enough to not get bogged-down in.

M: Light and a bit thin, with a smooth feel in-mouth, and a dry, wooly after-feel. It's a nice beer in the mouth, but is lacking a certain something. Good for a beer you want to drink a lot of, though, which brings me to...

O: ...A great session beer! Tasty, but not overpowering; light, but with some complexity; alcoholic enough, but not so much that you'll risk it all on 2 beers. A nice summer time Pale Ale, that doesn't get bogged down in the nitty-gritty, this light, crisp, refreshing beer is as tasteful, yet playful as the Mucha gracing its label.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 02:17:10 | More by TangTKE402

dogfishandi

New York

3.9/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle at fridge temp poured into a snifter. bottled 06/04/12.

pours out a golden color with about one fingers worth of white head, fairly big bubbles. spotty lace at first. decent retention until the very end of the glass. some sediment visible.

cereal grains, just slightly buttery, some pale base malt balanced by grassy, citrus hops. lemon citrus, maybe even a little smarties in the aroma.

cereal grains, some very light caramel malt balanced bicely by a grassy citrus hop. some nice sharp bitterness in the finish lingers.

medium to light in body, slightly dry finish.

a solid, super clean, super sessionable pale ale. not something that i would need to run out and get more of, but id definatly drink this again if i crossed paths.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 20:30:46 | More by dogfishandi

sommersb

Tennessee

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

Tasted On: 07-15-2012
Freshness: Bottled 03-12-2012
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Tulip pint
Purchased: Received in a trade

A: Clear, with an orange-yellow color. The head is white and creamy, at 2 and a half fingers high, showing good lacing and retention. A pretty stream of bubbles is seen coming from the bottom of the glass.

S: Aromas consist of hops, both citrus and floral.

T: The taste is mainly of hoppy bitterness; spicy citrus/grapefruit hops, with a light malty backbone.

M: Moderately carbonated with a medium body. The finish is dry and bitter.

O: Very good representation of the style.

Thanks to TheBishopco for this one!

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 23:15:32 | More by sommersb

riversider76

New York

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy golden with a thin white head. Not much retention, and just a bit of lace. Aroma is of tart fruit,and grassy,piney hops. Body is light with just a bit of carnonation. Taste is hoppy upfront with a touch of bready malts in the finish. Far from the elite in this style, but still good.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 00:32:54 | More by riversider76

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on 05/07/12

A: Pours a hazy glowing golden orange to light copper in color with some very light visible carbonation near the surface of the beer and a moderate amount of particulates in suspension. The beer has a half finger tall light beige head that reduces to a thin film covering the entire surface of the beer along with a couple of small thicker patches and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of earthy and lemon/citrus hops with lighter hints of toasted + bready malts.

T: Light toasted + bready malt body with some very light hints of caramel malt sweetness. On top of the malt body, there is a light presence of earthy and citrus/lemon hops. Light bitterness in the finish but it does not linger.

M: On the lighter side of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Crisp.

O: This beer is pretty easy to drink and is quite refreshing. There is a pleasant flavor with light amounts of bitterness that makes it enjoyable. Just about sessionable. I find this one enjoyable enough to want another right now.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 23:31:44 | More by dbrauneis

57md

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pale copper with a half finger of head that does not stick around very long. There is the mild aroma of hops in the nose. The flavor profile is very drinkable with light maltiness and a nice dry hoppiness on the finish. One of the better pale ales out there.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 08:57:18 | More by 57md

Reaper16

Alabama

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz. bottle served into a nonic pint glass

Pours a slightly hazy tangerine color. Half a finger of off-white head. Great lacing despite the small head size.

Unconventional hop profile here (or at least that's how this 3.5 month old bottle is presenting itself): I mostly pick up on lemon, lemongrass, and soft herbal notes like lilac. There's some light green hop notes... approaching pine but not quite that strong. The malts aren't aggressive on the nose. This is a balanced beer -- not through the artificial way of making both hop and malt character very strong and calling thus balanced, but by having actual balance. It's a soft aroma, but a nice one.

That softness carries over to the palate. Soft green hop flavors of stalk and pearskin, soft biscuit malt flavors. Soft herbal notes of honeyscukle and orange. Very solid.

Overall, this is a really solid pale ale. It's not in any way an aggressive beer, but it's also super-easy drinking. Why people here in Alabama put up with shit pale ales like Sweetwater 420 is beyond me; more bars here should carry this very approachable craft beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 19:21:41 | More by Reaper16

srv33

3.38/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Golden pour, slight haze, fine small head, good lacing. Smells like a lager, pine, a bit of grapefruit, bread. Taste is much the same, decent hops though fades quick, doesn't linger much on the palate. Possily my least favorite Founder's thus far, though still a solid beer, and a good pale ale - from someone who often isn't a huge pale ale fan.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 23:38:43 | More by srv33

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass.

3.0 A: Moderately hazed dark orange color. Just one finger of frothy whitish head that fell fairly quickly and left no lacing.

4.0 S: Dirty earthiness and spicy hop aroma. Orange citrus fruitiness. Bready/biscuity malts. Moderate malty sweetness. Very nice.

3.5 T: Again, dirty raw hoppiness. Earthy, spicy, citrusy, and herbal. Good amount of orange, bready malts, and maybe a touch of old, wet hay.

4.0 M: Medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Reasonably creamy and a light chewiness. Good here.

3.5 D: I like what they did with this that separates it from the majority of APAs which are much cleaner.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 22:01:38 | More by DavoleBomb

AwYeh

California

2.4/5  rDev -35.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter; unfortunately, the bottling date didn't seem to hold on this bottle, though I do believe this particular bottle is less than two months old.

A: Pours a slightly hazy, vibrant, autumnal copper-golden color with just a thin coating of head. Some slight lacing is left behind.

S: Pretty faint when compared to the bevy of pale ale options out there; I'm picking up some light biscuity malt and lesser pronounced bits of floral and citrus hops.

T: Hops come through in the flavor, offering some bitterness and flavor; they're rather earthy and floral here, without much of the citrus flavors pulling through. A bready malt backbone stabilizes things. Not much really pops out at me here, though the taste is by no means offensive; in fact, it's almost watery at times with its lack of character.

M: Medium-bodied with lively carbonation, which lends the beer a creamy character. Fairly smooth with a moderately dry finish.

O: Extraordinarily easy to drink and quite refreshing, but largely because the beer doesn't seem to ask much of the drinker– this is a pretty straightforward brew, with a light sweetness upfront followed by light bitterness on the finish, and the sweet/bitter qualities largely overshadow any particular flavors. I have nothing but love for Founders, but when I look to buy a pale ale in the future I will probably look for a different option.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 05:40:33 | More by AwYeh

tlazaroff

Virginia

3.45/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Immediately I liked the nose on this one. Very floral and fresh. Just what I was looking for to chase that Old Curmudgeon.

The beer looks GREAT in the glass! Fluffy white persistant head, nice lacing, and a nice golden honey color with a slight haze.

Bread and floral notes are in the flavor. It opens up with those floral notes and the bread comes in on the finish. Not really doughy, but like a freshly baked Italian bread. Nice and light faire.

Light bodied with light carbonation too. It translates to thinness on the palate. Overall it's not bad, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 04:01:16 | More by tlazaroff