Founders Centennial IPA - Founders Brewing Company

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

4.04/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

P: Slight haze in a effervescent body of glistening copper. Minimal white lacing that sloppily grasps the edges.

S: Grass and dry hay with a touch of honey. Citrus and melon bitterness with a natural but sweet toasted malt aroma. Sun baked plastic trash bag funk. Faint bubblegum fumes. Not getting a lot of pine out of this but it is timid.

T/M: The fruity melon and citrus notes continue with the syrupy malt base. Natural flavors like grass and hay combined with a herbal undertone balance the sweet and bitter. Medium-full body with a crisp carbonation to create a great body. Finish is dry with a carbonated bite. Spicy alcohol with a undertone of pine once warm.

O: Great IPA that has complex but balanced flavors. This ipa is more malt foreard that aggressively hopped. Founders is just fantastic. I have yet to be disappointed with anything they have to offer. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

04-12-2013 21:49:43 | More by Hopswagger

rodlavers

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Reviewed from notes taken at Yard House on 02/17/13.

Served on tap, appears with less than a finger of sold white head, great retention/cling, hazy golden orange in color, with notes of copper.

Smell is not particularly powerful, but it is sweet and hoppy.

Taste is similar to smell, but malty and citrusy and much more present. It has a delicious sweet citrus aftertaste, very zesty.

Amazingly smooth feel, nearly perfect, great texture.

Overall I find this to be a unique IPA compared to what I am used to; it's sweeter than normal, but the feel renders its drinkability very very high. Cheers.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2013 00:24:52 | More by rodlavers

BigCheese

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

only tried this once back when I was a novice, time to revisit. 12oz bottle 1 month old.

A: A clear light copper, thin white head. Not a ton of lacing.

S: YUM! Straight grapefruit rind, citrus, pure hops. Smells like a fresh pack of centenial hops I use for homebrewing.

T: Hops right off the bat, pure grapefruit, a hint of pineapple maybe, a tiny bit of honey maltiness, but hops really shine through. Its got a bite at the end leaving the palate slightly dry. Great showcase of centennial hops. Very strong hop flavoring, great extraction of flavors.

M: Big carbonation, leaves palate rather dry. Medium in thickness.

O: Steriotypical american Ipa, and thats a complement. Big hop aromas and taste, quite bitter. Not for amateurs. real deal holyfield. Just what the doctor ordered to remedy a hop craving. Reminds me most of Smutty Finest Kind. Very solid overall IPA, a bit overpriced in mass.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2012 02:55:11 | More by BigCheese

rangerred

Tennessee

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on draft in a pint glass.

Poured a slightly hazy medium copper with a one finger off-white head. Moderate head retention and lacing.

Aroma has lots of citrus mixed with some light pine. Quite floral actually. Nice bready malt is detectable as well as some caramel.

Flavor is pine/citrus with a healthy dose of caramel and toast. Nearly perfect balance between malt and hops with neither one overpowering the other. Bitterness is moderate and quite smooth never becoming harsh. Very drinkable and truly one of the benchmark IPA's.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2012 20:52:30 | More by rangerred

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Draft at JRyans Syracuse NY for 5$

Appearance – CLear copper colour with a large size frothy and fizzy beige coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation and there is some great lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, hops, caramel, grapefruit, pineapple

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel, and hops. There is also some grapefruit and oranges mixed with a ltitle bit of pineapple. It ends with a citrusy sweet hoppy aftertaste.

Overall – Probably one of the better IPA's I've had. There is a lot of hop flavour and some great citrus taste. This might be my new go to IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2012 14:24:13 | More by spinrsx

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

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

Pleasant copper in color; light head; nice orange-smelling tones on the nose; robust lacing; lacing lasts through the entire beer; good balance of malt and hop; definitely hop-driven however; slightly minty but mostly hoppy...and clearly Centennial-hop forward; leaves a lot on the tongue after it's gone; kinda busy; a 'blue collar' IPA to me. Solid overall.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 00:59:32 | More by SkeeterBoganski

JackieTH

Minnesota

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

Enjoyed on tap at 2012 Autumn Brew Review, from notes.

2-oz pour was a hazy orange with a half-inch of white head, and minimal lacing. Smelled slightly floral but strongly of citrus pith and resins. Taste was flavorful orange citrus pith, pine resins. Overall is moderately bitter on the palate. Medium body, creamy, nicely carbonated. Overall a nice flavorful IPA that benefits from dry hopping.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2012 02:20:55 | More by JackieTH

UCLABrewN84

California

4.1/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap for the 4th Anniversary event at Blue Palms Brewhouse in Los Angeles, CA.

Pours a hazy orange with a foamy tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of citrus zest, citrus fruit, and malt. Taste is much the same with a medium amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2012 01:16:42 | More by UCLABrewN84

schoolboy

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I've had this bottled a number of times but now also on tap at the Grog Shop. The tap version is VERY similar to bottled, but somehow seems tamer and more balanced. Smoother too.

Regardless, Centennial is a hoppy, pungent AIPA as they should be. Interesting, robust and unique. This is one of my favorite Founders, along with Double Trouble. Nice.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2012 01:24:33 | More by schoolboy

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Blue Monk in Buffalo. Poured into a nonic, and enjoyed on one of the hottest days of the summer.

Amber-russet in colour, nice sturdy inch head of foam, sticky lace graces the sides of the glass. Great looking brew.

Nose is pine, citrus, lemon, caramel, juicy hops and all sorts of American IPA goodness.

A terrific American IPA that is complex enough to savour, but in this heat and when it's this tasty, it disappeared from my glass all too quickly. Lovely caramel malt, great hop presence - though not that full blast I always crave, still delightful. The lemon-citrus character of the brew makes a bold statement, but generally speaking this brew is impeccably balanced.

Add this to my list of go-to American IPAs - lovely mix of flavours, and sheer drinkability. Great stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2012 19:03:48 | More by JohnnyBarman

ehammond1

California

3.43/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On Tap

2012 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest
Paso Robles, CA

Clear orange with a small off-white head that leaves some irregular lacing.

Mild citrus and earth components make up a somewhat simple, though pleasant enough aroma.

The flavor is similar to the aroma, with mild citrus, big bitterness, and flavors of earth and leaves coming through strongly.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Good enough, though I don't feel like I need to seek this one out again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2012 21:45:24 | More by ehammond1

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

a hazy amber pour with 2 fingers head which disappeared within about a second. great lacing. smells were pretty basic consisting of pine and grapefruit with a hint of sweetness (honey).

bitter taste of dirt at first followed up by all pine takeover. really can't taste anything other than hops!

slightly creamy and fizzy, medium body. overall, this was a good ipa from Founders, typically i think their ipa's taste like dirt and burtn rubber.. just my experience so far with them. this one actually tasted GOOD. had a slight soapy after taste to it which was slightly off putting in the end, i think it may have been better if they just balanced it out and made it a hint sweeter.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2012 07:43:43 | More by facundoCNB

dafla67

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tulip glass.

A: a cloudy orange color with a frothy finger of head

S: citrus, hops and pine

T: incredible balance between the hops, citrus and malts. The transition between flavors is smooth and unnoticeable.

M: light (very much so for an IPA); crisp and refreshing

O: one of my favorite IPAs. A superior blending and transitioning of the flavors resulting in a delicious IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2012 14:16:46 | More by dafla67

HopHead84

California

3.55/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

5/20/2012

On tap at Urge.

A: Dark orange with a slight reddish tinge. Dark in color for an IPA. Clear body with an inch of beige froth.

S: Tangerine flesh melds with grapefruit rind and orange flesh. Lightly floral with some pine. The nose gives the impression of balance, with insistent bread and caramel notes.

T: Expressive orange and grapefruit flesh with balancing caramel and bread and a moderate sweetness. Maltier than I expected. There's some orange pith and a little alcohol in the finish. The beer is moderately bitter throughout.

M: Medium body with upper medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is sticky, smooth, and dry.

Overall: Solid but unmemorable. I wish I'd ordered a taster rather than a pint.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2012 05:02:10 | More by HopHead84

brentk56

North Carolina

4.48/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: The clear amber colored liquid arrives at the bar topped by a couple of inches of foam that leave a nice pattern of lace

Smell: Grapefruit pith and pine with a hint of toffee

Taste: The toffee arrives up front and provides the backbone for the dominance of grapefruit pith and pine; crisp and clean with a bitter, citrusy finish though the malts persist underneath

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with crisp carbonation

Overall: My kind of IPA - lots of citrusy hop flavor and just enough backbone from the malt

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2012 18:02:39 | More by brentk56

diddly

New York

4.45/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap in a pint glass. Good off white head with some thickness, but didn't last too long. Aroma is rich. Some definite malt scent, but more hoppy, with a variety of choices - some citrus, but more floral, with a little pine for good measure. Taste us excellent for the style. Good balance, but obviously for the style, the hops shine. I'd say the piney hops come through the clearest, but there's a complex mix there. Mouthfeel is just right, with a medium body and good carbonation. Overall, a very fine ipa that I would love to spend some more time with.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2012 21:24:15 | More by diddly

squidtrick

Washington

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a light amber-orange, light white head.

S: Rich hops, a bit of malt. Basic, flat smell.

T: Hoppy, but not overly so. Just right: not too bitter, not too sweet.

M: Very smooth and drinkable, crisp.

O: A solid IPA, exactly what you expect an IPA to taste like. That is: good, but not particularly interesting.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2012 02:01:27 | More by squidtrick

socon67

New York

3.58/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Orange pour. Nice foamy head, with some carbonation. Clarity is nice on this one.

S - Smells flowery, and fruity. First thing I thought of was Fruit Loops cereal. Nice scent, but seemed like it was a bit artificial.

T - Mild flavors of malt and a gentle bite of hops at the end that add some citrus notes to the flavor.

M - An easily sessionable beer that if paired wth a spicy dish would make the fruit sweetness even more enjoyable.

O - Interesting beer, but not nearly as notewrothy as some of Founder's other offerings.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2012 15:27:23 | More by socon67

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.98/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Pours a medium golden-orange color with a one-finger white head. The head faded quite fast and left a moderate amount of lacing.

Smell – The aroma of citrus hops are the heaviest. There is however, a nice bready malt aroma and some more subtle aromas of pine and caramel mixed within.

Taste – The taste starts out a bit on the sweeter side with the malt and some caramel tastes. Right at the start there is a lighter bit of citrus hop flavor present that intensifies throughout the entire taste experience. It begins more sweet orange but evolves to being more lemony in the middle and grapefruit at the end. At the end a light pine flavor that also comes into the taste and when mixed with the grapefruit and malt round out the flavor profile quite well.

Mouthfeel – The body is a little bit above average in thickness with a slightly less than average carbonation level. These characteristic really allow the nice hop flavor transitions to be appreciated on the tongue.

Overall – A very nice drinking IPA with a good balance of hop and malt.

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2012 23:18:42 | More by Darkmagus82

bwan15

New York

5/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: a beautiful, deep burnt orange....decent, dirty blonde head that leaves sticky, bubbly legs all over the glass once it's settled down.

Smell: Hoppy manure and a bit of clean hay. A delicious, doughy malt character blossoms through the nose as it warms. 

Taste: Hopped to perfection. The bitter, pungent hops are favored over the sweet, grainy malt flavored in just the right amount. The hops have an almost minty etherealness to them, but the malt sparkles throughout, glimmering here and there even in the aftertaste. The burp is a delightful minty hop. 

Mouthfeel: like most of founders brews, exquisitely balanced and full bodied. Never overstays it's welcome, and after each swallow there is a pleasant astringency tickling the tongue and keeping the palate thirsty for more. 

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2012 21:39:50 | More by bwan15

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.13/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on-tap and served in a tumbler pint, the beer is a dark, clear, copper coloring with a solid, foamy, dense yellowish head. Aromas of rich and resiny hops with a mild floral highlight balance with strong caramel malt and citrus sweet notes. Smells great. Flavors are hop forward, with a bitter and resiny blast on the forward tongue, followed quickly with a rich toffee and caramel backbone that helps to balance and also spotlight the hops profiles. Tangy, bitter, and rich, the palate gets a quick jolt of tart grapefruit throughout, also. Rich, bitter, and hoppy aftertaste leading into a slick, dry, and clean finish. This is a damn good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2012 16:52:45 | More by GarthDanielson

drmarks

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My favorite IPA I have tasted at the moment. It came on very smooth and did not have too much of a lasting after taste. Was strong enough to last most of dinner without overpowering the food. Had a really nice color to it and lived up to its reputation as a good midwest beer

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2012 01:12:54 | More by drmarks

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had on draft at Peguin Pizza- poured a clear golden/copper color. Half-finger head nice streaming lacing.

Smell is subtle and well rounded- a little pale malt and a little bit of sweet hops.

Tastes like centennial hops for sure- to me it tastes like semi-tart apples with a mild dose of hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel is a little lacking for me- pretty weak carbonation. It does have a nice medium body and a little bit of carbonation. Perhaps this is better out of the bottle.

Update (in bottle): Generally a lot more hoppy from the bottle- smell is a lot more hoppy and taste is much more bitter. Would like to try again on tap because this bottle is much better than what I had on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2012 22:16:21 | More by Hopdaemon39

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A clear, dark golden-reddish amber with minimal head, no lacing. Mouthfeel has the oiliness I'd expect for its 7.2% ABV, but not the silky fullness I'd hoped for.

Aroma of sweet caramelized malts with subtle tropical fruit undertones. The flavour is well balanced between the initial sweetness and its pleasantly lingering, bitter finish, but more uni-dimensional than I'd hoped i.e. without the depth of citrus and tropical fruit notes I've enjoyed in other Founders beers.

Still an excellent APA, but not the benchmark of this excellent brewery (imo).

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2012 21:50:37 | More by hopsolutely

dejrrma

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

$5 for 16 oz @ brickstore. had on 2-25-12. served in a pint glass. here are my notes for the review:

a- a reddish amber color with a small amount of head. slight lacing.

s- hoppy, citrus, and slightly peperry (something not present from the bottle)

t- wet and hoppy, but the real bitterness doesn't hit me until the end, but when it does, it hits me hard with a distinct sharpness. great bitter ipa. it's got a bit of yeasty aftertase with a dry finish. the alcohol is barely noticeable.

m- smoother and lower carbonation than its bottle counterpart. leaves you with a bit of a cotton mouth. medium body.

o- still an awesome ipa. i'm glad i can either have it on bottles or on-tap. was not disappointed. that being said, i prefer the bottle version.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2012 05:34:40 | More by dejrrma