Spite - Homegrown
Founders Brewing Company

Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Founders Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
81
Avg:
3.44 | pDev: 21.22%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
20
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 08, 2012
Added:
Jul 20, 2009
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.5 by schwee from North Carolina

May 08, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by keithbrouillette from Michigan

Mar 20, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by amrozga from Michigan

Dec 09, 2011
 
Rated: 5 by Brew33 from Ohio

Dec 01, 2011
 
Rated: 3 by mmcnaughton from Michigan

Nov 18, 2011
Photo of LanceW
Reviewed by LanceW from Michigan

1.74/5  rDev -49.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
I had this beer at the brew pub and was not impressed. I have had alot of different infused beer but this one is by far the worst. I could only take a sip and left it on the table to that everytime a new friend showed up that had to take a sip as a joke. No-one at the table of six enjoyed this brew. I have heard of people that like but I am not one of them.
Dec 05, 2010
Photo of klikger
Reviewed by klikger from Wisconsin

3.28/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
12 oz bottle served in a snifter. Thanks, levifunk - you're kinda the man. :)

A - Light amber with clouds and visible carbonation. Massive white head and decent lacing.

S - Hot chilis, crusty bread, and cinnamon.

T - Fresh chilis and some floral hops --> even more of a pepper explosion begins in the middle and lasts throughout --> very spicy finish with some additional earthy notes; slightly bitter

M - Medium-bodied, acidic, spicy hot, good carb

D - Not so much

I'm a huge chilihead, and I'm stoked to have tried this beer. That being said, it's not balanced enough to be especially enjoyable. It's not too (spicy) hot, by any means, just not well-rounded.
Oct 11, 2010
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

3.55/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Poured clear medium amber, under a typical looking lite tan head. Bright notes of green pepper in the nostrils, that carry through onto the palate. More then moderate, clean pepper bite going on. I liked it, but doubt this one would be favored by many. I'd like to give it a try with some spiced up Mexican or Indian food. Interesting, different and quite enjoyable brew
May 29, 2010
Photo of mcallister
Reviewed by mcallister from Ohio

3/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
Nice copper color with multitudes of carbonation bubbles and a quarter inch layer of white head.

Crazy smelling beer. Wasn't expecting this at all. Smells like fresh cut jalapeno's and other chilis, green bell pepper with only a slight hint of pine.

Man the beer in the mouth is pretty good. Nice biscuity malt, heavy carbonation, grassy, piney hop that suddenly turns to a burning sensation from the pepper with a green bell pepper finish. Much better than cave creek but still not sure about the whole "spicey" beer thing.
May 14, 2010
Photo of PeprSprYoFace
Reviewed by PeprSprYoFace from California

2.44/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 1
Got a bottle left over from some competition botteling that founders had done to some of their non regular brews.

Pours a golden hay color. No head. No lacing.

Wow. Talk about peppers. Smells like a pale ale with fajitas mixed in.

Tastes like nothing I've had before. It's spicy in my throat which I don't like. Such a weird taste. Don't know why I'm thinkin sandwitches. Maybe because it's kinda similar to pepper Jack cheese that I always get at subway or at the store. Don't think I'll be finishing this.

Mouthfeel is good. High carb. Nice maltiness.

Overall I can't say I like this beer. To weird for me. And my throat is burning. Gunna pour the rest.
May 07, 2010
Photo of paco1029384756
Reviewed by paco1029384756 from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a golden orange color with one and a half fingers of white head.

Scent of dry, spicy habaneros, a hint of hoppiness and a very light maltiness. Pretty balanced and tame, I wasn't really expecting that.

Taste of habaneros, earthy hops, and grain. Finishes with a warm burning sensation from the habaneros. This is probably the best example of a beer with hot peppers added that I have had.

Mouthfeel is light bodied with a nice biting spiciness.
Mar 27, 2010
Photo of TCgoalie
Reviewed by TCgoalie from Michigan

3.24/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
A golden yellow sight, virtually no head but there is the thinnest light head on the side.

Take a whiff of this fella and you get red pepper flakes and habenero...Stings the nostrils.

Wet peppery habenero bite that gets you in the throat upon swallowing this beer. There is some metallic taste before and after the spice of this drink. I would rate it about a 6 on the spicy scale.

The hit of this beer is a lot like a jalapeno popper or a teaspoon full of red pepper flakes.

This would pair perfect with some nachos, but not much else.
Feb 21, 2010
Photo of jampics2
Reviewed by jampics2 from Ohio

2.96/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
from a growler at the the Rozi's Founders event.

Looks good - yellow straw color, no hint of the impending destruction of my palette yet.

Smells mild, no discernible hops or malt. Touch of habenero.

Taste is good for what it is - not my thang, but a pepper-forward beer that delivers unapologetic heat.

Mouth is actually great, a bit fizzy for some effervescent cool from the pepper inferno.

Drinkability suffers b/c I didn't want another 4oz pour, let alone a pint.
Nov 21, 2009
Photo of adamette
Reviewed by adamette from Ohio

3.45/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Poured from the tap at the brewery yesterday during my visit there into a clean, clear pint glass.

A Yellow brown translucent with ring head around the top of the glass. 3.5

S Green pepper! Intriguing, pervasive. 3.5

T Barley, pepper tastes. Sting of peppers lingers for several minutes, reminds me a bit of the habaneros peppers from Founders Hole Mole which I had yesterday for the first time. This is an interesting beer for sure. 3.5

M Big feel due to the pepper bite but physically it is on the thin side. 4.0

D Fair drinkability. There is enough to keep me interested but the pepper taste will drive down the drinkability for me, compared with, say, the Centennial IPA or the sublime Founders Hand of Doom.
Oct 19, 2009
Photo of BARFLYB
Reviewed by BARFLYB from Pennsylvania

2.34/5  rDev -32%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
On-Tap.

A- Spite pepper has that pale ale look, light golden tan with active bubbles seen rising. Not to much of a head on this just some bubbles that create a faint skim on the top, no lacing.

S- Wow, this really smells like pepa straight out of the kitchen. Big doses of black pepper and I guess some more varieties. A little underlining yeast with a trace of malt. It's really difficult getting anything else out of this besides pepa.

T- A straight blast of pepper right to the tounge that engulfs the mouth. It really takes charge while anything else that this beer may offer is out the window. Heat and habenero with some yeast on the tounge as well. Im not a huge fan of pepper, so im not a huge fan of this beer, basically because the pepper is huge. Did they do this out of Spite?

M- Im rating this a bit higher because in the end it does what a pepper ale should and that's deliver heat. The heat is felt on the tounge and down the hatchet. Im not really picking up any pale ale qualities to this, a bit one demensional. Light bodied with a bit to much carbonation as well.

D- Glad I tried it, but I wont be going out of my way for this one again, and that's not out of spite, it's because I just cant handle this beer. It probably would go well with cooking up some spicy dishes though, so it's got that going for it.
Oct 10, 2009
Photo of Thorpe429
Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois

3.52/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
On tap at Founders in July 2009.

A: Yellow gold with a white head.

S: Lots of chili peppers in the nose here...it was incredible how much this one actually smelled like I had a sliced pepper under my nose.

T: Not as much pepper as the nose, but that's a good thing. A little bit of heat comes with the pepper, as well as slight hop bitterness.

M: Lots of spiciness going on here. Fairly light otherwise.

D: Very interesting, but not terribly drinkable. All around, a very interesting brew.
Oct 05, 2009
Photo of madtowndmb1
Reviewed by madtowndmb1 from Wisconsin

4.12/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Had on tap at Great Taste: It poured a like most ale's again but the scent was very fun! The peppers were very present! I loved it! The taste was like a normal ale, nice, with a touch of hoppiness, but then the peppers take over. I like Pepper(Jalapeno) beers so this was very well done to me. Liked the burn and the lingering taste. The only problem with these styles are they are 1 and done's for me.
Sep 10, 2009
Photo of smibroncos
Reviewed by smibroncos from New York

3.7/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A. Poured a clear copper color, with a 1 finger off white head. Decent lacing on the glass.

S. Fruit, tomatoes, pepper

T. Some hop bitterness, citrus, lasting pepper bite.

M. Spicy medium bodied medium carbonated

D. Interesting, you have to like the hot pepper taste to appreciate this ale.
Aug 15, 2009
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.89/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Enjoyed on tap at the brewery. Yellow with creamy white head, light mouthfeel and very peppery. Good hoppy aroma. Gives heat, and then malts it away, rather takes the edge off quickly. This would be good with food, as a pepper should, but the salty peanuts just made my thirst worse. Interesting start to the day.
Had this two years later at the brewery and it was much improved.
Aug 07, 2009
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Served on-tap at Founders (!!!).

A: The pale ale is appropriately pale, a light yellow golden color that is translucent, save for the carbonation stream. Not much head.

S: The nose is freshly cracked black pepper. Very powerful.

T: The black pepper yields to cayenne in the taste. The heat arrives with a fury, delicious but hot all in one package. The heat lingers long after the sip is gone, overpowering all other aspects of the pale ale. If you like heat, try this.

M: Peppery heat is the dominant aspect, flavorful but intense. The heat doesn't leave your palate.

D: A very interesting ale. Too bad KBS and a maple barrel ale were on tap.
Jul 20, 2009
Spite - Homegrown from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 20 ratings