Founders Nemesis 2009 - Founders Brewing Company

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.63/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip. Bottled 02/03/10

Thanks a billion to Sweemzander for hooking a bunch of this up. ...Now I just need more...

A - An extremely tall pour is still quiet and gives off a barely two-finger cream head. It's dense but retained poorly (from the alcohol I'm sure). It leaves a mountainous silhouette of lace though. Carbonation bubbles rise lazily through the beautiful clear orange-amber color as if it's maple syrup.

S - Just utterly complex on the nose. Tons of light bourbon and rich maple. Crazy nose full of hints at different things is just toying with my olfactory sense. A lot of coconut and pineapple too which is almost pina colada-like. A mild warmth is a reminder this is rich with alcohol. Malt-rich with little in the way of hops, caramel notes poke out as well. So delicious smelling.

T - Warm alcohol is immediately present but not hot or burning which is surprising for it's young age. Lots of caramel malt undertones with a robust wheat flavor and dense breadiness. Fruit bouquets abound here, possibly from hops or alcohol or both. Red apple slivers, pineapple chunks, coconut shavings, and juicy mango. A hop presence is apparent on the finish but besides possible fruity involvement, there isn't a noticeable hop flavor. The maple and bourbon lay low in the flavor which is surprising, again, for it's age.

M - Silky smooth and thick but not syrupy, Nemesis is a full, full bodied wheatwine with a tiny carbonation tickle to the swallow. It feels thicker than it is from the lack of carbonation. A smooth, not hot, alcohol warmth rises on the finish. Really sweet, no hint of bitterness.

D - Dangerously drinkable right now, it's going down so well. I can't wait to see how this ages but in order to do so, I'm gonna have to suppress my urge to drink and share all the bottles I'm hoarding. The nuances it already has can only get better and develop further. I'm hoping to see a bit less fruit and a little more maple and bourbon in the flavor later on. This is the stuff I wish my dreams were made of.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2010 01:59:18 | More by BeerFMAndy

hilgart1

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

05-24-2013 00:23:36 | More by hilgart1

ackeeper

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

05-21-2013 02:02:55 | More by ackeeper

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-20-2013 14:30:26 | More by InspectorBob

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-19-2013 00:39:11 | More by Photekut

TheRemyLeabeau

Ohio

4.94/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

One of my favorite beers of all time. I have only had it with three years of age on it I never had the beer fresh. It was honestly like drinking candy to me, the flavor was balanced throughout and as it warmed the sweetness seeped out even more than when cold. I honestly believe that its hard to consider a beer based of other people's reviews because everyone is so different that depending on your preferences you might like it/love it/hate it for any beer. So if you're like me and have a massive sweet tooth for sugar goods then this beer is right up your alley!

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 21:11:54 | More by TheRemyLeabeau

csustar001

Ohio

5/5  rDev +20.8%

05-13-2013 20:53:37 | More by csustar001

kscaldef

Oregon

3/5  rDev -27.5%

05-09-2013 21:12:23 | More by kscaldef

UCLABrewN84

California

4.14/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle shared at GRG1313’s tasting.

Pours a hazy orange with a foamy orange-tan head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is malt, caramel, toffee, vanilla, and bourbon aromas. Taste is much the same with vanilla and bourbon flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of woody bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with some nice aromas and great flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 01:02:50 | More by UCLABrewN84

dalepryor

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

05-07-2013 22:13:44 | More by dalepryor

zachattack555

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

04-28-2013 20:18:02 | More by zachattack555

Texasfan549

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -21.5%

04-28-2013 01:17:02 | More by Texasfan549

kjkinsey

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%

04-28-2013 01:07:50 | More by kjkinsey

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.4%

04-26-2013 22:50:24 | More by spycow

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%

04-16-2013 18:57:37 | More by cadaugherty

outoffocus

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -3.4%

04-06-2013 04:14:59 | More by outoffocus

brother_kenneth

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

03-30-2013 23:35:35 | More by brother_kenneth

RandyKemka

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -3.4%

03-30-2013 17:35:39 | More by RandyKemka

st9647v3

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

03-30-2013 03:52:22 | More by st9647v3

herman77

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

03-26-2013 23:25:23 | More by herman77

AndrewKroll

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%

03-22-2013 02:17:16 | More by AndrewKroll

FUwolfpacker

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

03-14-2013 14:29:28 | More by FUwolfpacker

siege06nd

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Bill for the trade...

A. Pours a very murky, wildflower honey color with an orangish tint. Very flat, only a trace of extremely tiny bubbles ring the glass. Sparce lacing. For the age and ABV, not bad.

S. That's the stuff...treacle, caramel, ripe fruit, vanilla, brown sugar, hints of chocolate, sawdust, even some herbal qualities. Vanilla and caramel are at the forefront. Good amount of honey and some maple as well. I also detect faint spiciness from the hops. Smells like a rum cake.

T. Follows the nose with a more pronounced barrel flavor and extremely prominent chocolate notes. Big kiss of bourbon on the back end, but not in an aggressive, off-putting way. Chocolate, caramel, maple, vanilla, and ripe fruit. There's an interplay on the mid that is distinctly melon-like. This rolls over the tongue like liquid dessert and hits a lot of beautiful notes along the way. Oh and did I mention hops? They've faded a bit, but they still assert themselves with a mildly spicy, bittering finish.

M. Sweet and decadent. Carbonation is still moderate which is impressive for the age. The crispness of the carbonation and the hops leaves a very neat finish that lingers long enough for you to savor but not so long that it overstays its welcome. This is a well balanced beer, a lot of bold flavors are integrated quite well here.

O. One of the best wheatwines I have had. Surprisingly good considering the age. If there is a dusty corner in your store where these can be had, I wouldn't hesitate to pick them up. Drinking great now and I don't see any reason why it won't continue to drink great on into the future. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 00:08:01 | More by siege06nd

BMMillsy

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

02-17-2013 03:43:54 | More by BMMillsy

randylangford

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

02-11-2013 04:38:36 | More by randylangford