Founders Dirty Bastard - Founders Brewing Company

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled from a bottle at The Sunset in Boston.

This Scotch Ale poured a cloudy, tea-colored brown with tan foam that settled flat. The smell was caramel malty with a hint of spiciness. The taste was very nice: malty, caramel, light sweetness, and only a slight hint of alcohol. The alcohol was well hidden. The mouthfeel was smooth with full body and modest carbonation. The caramel malt flavor lingered pleasantly. This was a very nice beer. It was somewhat unusual for the style, in my opinion, in that it was less sweet than many Scotch Ales that I have sampled.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2005 19:37:21 | More by UncleJimbo

Winter

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours brown with virtually no head. Aroma of caramel, malt and a slight smokiness. Full-bodied mouthfeel. Rich sweetened malt flavor on the front. Caramel, toffee, the tiniest hint of chocolate. Nice hop snap as it rolls over the tongue, just before the finish starts. Enough bitterness to balance the malt. Finish lingers with hints of smoke and more caramel. Alcohol is masked wonderfully for its 8%. I couldn't detect it; in aroma or taste.

This has a nice overall body for a scotch ale, but lacks something. I think I was looking for a greater malt flavor. Something a little deeper; fuller. Dirty Bastard is a litlte hoppier than I expected too. If I was in the mood, I'd probably seek this out again.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2005 02:20:06 | More by Winter

alexgash

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Murky brown body that reveals violet-ruby highlights in the light. Capped by a creamy, light sandy head. Laces the glass nicely. Aromas of sweetish caramel and chocolate, with a rich, smoky, peaty accent and a whiff of Scotchy alcohol. Rich sugary malt up front, along with dark fruits (plums) and chocolate. Light smoky character throughout. Tannin-like bitterness leads into a bitter, woody finish with residual brown sugar sweetness. Big, thick, full, creamy, exquisite feel. A nice beer, and unlike most Scotch ales I've had.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2005 23:33:32 | More by alexgash

meathookjones

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I always look forward to a Founder’s brew I haven’t tried as they have always impressed me. Appears a deep reddish brown with a small cap of tan foam floating on top. The foamy topping dissipates fairly quickly leaving some scattering of lace to decorate the glass. Malty sweetness fills your nose with notes of dark fruits and a bit of chocolate. The fruits notes really stand out as this warms, pleasant but a bit simple overall. Chocolate covered fruits are tasted first before a hint of alcohol. There are roasty malt notes as well. Finishes with a roasty chocolate sweetness. About a medium body though a little thin but smooth. Easy drinking stuff here. Tasty brew that I could easily drink several off but not quite up there with the best in the style. Thanks for sharing tikkigodxxx.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2005 17:10:35 | More by meathookjones

Vancer

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ummm, Hmmm!! Dirty Bastard indeed! Poured a great hazy brown/ruby red with a lite brown head that quickly dissipated (unfortunately). However, the taste was superb, great caramel, malt (was that some scotch whisky?) start with a lite hop finish. Whoo, a medium texture that chewed a little bit. Got a nice alcohol glow. Gonna look for more Founders varieties in the future, and would luv to see some more D.B. Scotch ale in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2005 14:25:28 | More by Vancer

GIVEMEBACKMYSON

Alaska

4.38/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is two parts red and one part amber, with a look as dirty as the name implies.
Lingering are smells of barley, cereal, raisins, caramel, alcohol, tobacco, and firearms.
In the beginning, there was caramel. And it was good. Being unsatisfied with caramel alone, some pungent prunes and burnt toffee were added. Some grass, some grit, and some of grandpa's cough syrup completed this dirty ass bastard. Chew and swallow, do not waste.
I love a dirty, muddy, gritty scotch.
You filthy dirty bastard.
Thanks for the brewski, MoeSizlak

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2005 16:13:26 | More by GIVEMEBACKMYSON

silenius

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This has a sweet malty nose with some bubblegum in the taste coupled with dark malt flavors with raisin overtones. It has a thick mouthfeel and is on the sweet side. The carbonation in this is abundant and contributes to a nice mouthfeel. The hops impart a bitterness to the beer that cannot offset the sweetness. It is too sweet in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2005 23:14:42 | More by silenius

bnuttz

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

pours a murky copper, with a frothy dirty looking head. Nice head retention on this one. Smells alcoholic and of caramel. Taste is caramel and toffee followed by a blast of grassy hop bitterness, and finishes off with some warming alcohol to it. Mouthfeel is pretty full and good for the style. Drinkability is pretty damn good for being 8+%. Overall a solid scotch, Founders is becoming one of my favorite breweries.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2005 23:22:05 | More by bnuttz

Sycodrummer

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a bottle of this from the Sunset Grill and Tap in Allston, Mass. Poured a short stubby 12oz. bottle of it into a pint glass forming a 1 finger head that lasted the entire length of the sample and left some decent lacing. The Neck lable warns those would be drinkers who can't handle its ABV to go back to their swill beer.

Smell is very malty upfront with a faint floral undertone to it as well. Taste did deliver the kick it warned about. Alcohol and malt were very dominant but also very very balanced to create an nice finish to every sip. Very well done here.

Medium-light on the palate and easy to drink. Not something to drink too quickly or too many of. The 8+% ABV is apparent and can catch up to you after a few.

A solid, all around good brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2005 19:10:34 | More by Sycodrummer

Beaver13

Colorado

3.68/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle. Pours a hazy copper brown with a fizzy tan head that quickly goes to a thin film.

Its aroma is sweet and slightly smokey molasses with some figgy fruitiness and a little chocolate.

The flavor is sweet caramel/toffee malts, a little chocolate, some dark fruits, a touch of smoke, and a dry bitterness at the end. The mouthfeel is very full, smooth and creamy.

Not my favorite style and a little too sweet for me, but this is a nice, well made beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2005 07:19:26 | More by Beaver13

Hhawk06

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this one based on the amusing name, I'm sure I'm not the first nor the last. Anyway, It poured with a mostly brown body and a very thin layer of head that produced a surprising amount of lace. My first reaction was how huge, chewy, and full bodied the mouthfeel was. There is a nice candied malt flavor that waltzes nicely with a brandy-like quality. The real beauty is in the finish. It starts with sweet licorice intermingled with faint grape and woody notes. Ultimately there is just enough balancing bitterness deep in the palate. Really an awesome scotch ale in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2005 01:11:50 | More by Hhawk06

putnam

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Already noted is this brewery's fascination with huge malt. Let's see what they do with a malt-lovers style such as this...
Reddish brown. Tissue-thin butter-colored foam. Aromas of maple wine. Flavors of white and black raisins, sharp, raw wood tannins and spiced red currants ornament a conveyor of maple and malt. The alcohol becomes a somewhat regrettable, overwhelming force, but then again, maybe I'm a "silk-wearin', poodle-walkin'" person -- a group warned on the neck label to get "back to the loch" rather than engage this beer. Silk hasn't touched me in over ten years (don't pity me) and I don't see poodles much. Pit bulls on the other hand -- I observe their movements around me frequently.
Funny neck labels are the Law for ambitious American craft brands it seems.

Idle question: Are Founders and Dragonmead using the same yeasts? Is there a cultural underpinning to the shared sweetness of their styles?

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2005 21:31:58 | More by putnam

cokes

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Murky auburn-leaning brown with a compact pale khaki head that quickly recedes to a skim.
Up front, the nose is all raisins and cola, but a boggy peat essence enters over time, along with rum-soaked cherries, and chocolate.
A flooding caramel begins things. In its wake lies black cherries, plums, milk chocolate, and overripe raspberries. But caramel, overwhelmingly, is the malt's manifesto. It takes an earthy turn late, with notions of mudballs and peat, with a whispering smokiness. Though this is sweet more than anything. Hops are herb-laced, and pack the end with a bit of buzzer bitterness. But balance, mostly, it what they strive for. The vodka closure is a bit unsettling, but that is mostly due to a prejudice against that particular spirit. That said, I've never experienced such a clear vodka expression in a beer before. It lingers on with a well-sketched vodka-cranberry impression. Some might love this, but I'll scramble for another draught to get that caramel back.
Plumper than medium, with a fine-textured, steady bead.
A bit raw with its grainy alcohol, and it has its moments (both pro and con) but regardless, this is a solid Scotch ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2005 03:31:41 | More by cokes

walleye

Michigan

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

from the bottle poured a nice dark ruby, with a tan head. aroma, malts, caramels, light smoke hints of raisins, and hops, with just a hint of alcohol, enjoyed the aroma of this one. flavor mlats, raisins caramels, chocolte, toffee, and some cheeries. this was a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2005 03:03:00 | More by walleye

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Tarnished scarlet red. Thin creamy beige head recedes to just a coating that actually sticks around for a while. A moderate amount of lacing comes in splotchy rings.

Aroma: Cherries soaked in vodka. Sweet, ripened dark fruits. And a little smoky, peat maltiness.

Taste: Great cherry accented peaty malt backbone. Alcohol barely shows its head in this one. Some nice herbal and slighty grassy hoppiness accents delicately. Ripe fruit tones are big. And nice. A lingering dryness provides a little snap.

Mouthfeel: Excellent. This is one of those beers that kind of dissolves in the mouth. But it also has noticeable carbonation. Not flat by any means. Just a strikingly good balance. And the body checks in at about medium, maybe medium-full or so.

Drinkability: For a somewhat high octane Wee Heavy, this is one drinkable brew. It is a beer I'd return to often, especially in the winter, if it were available around here.

Many thanks to the Man, cokes himself, for my first sample of Founders. They're off to a good start with me.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2005 03:43:23 | More by Bighuge

ahking

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

What a great scotch ale! Malty and roasty, very smooth brew. A little peppery with a slight soy flavor. Color was a deep brown with little head (didn't notice much lacing), so there was nothing exceptional about the appearance. Alcohol content is noticable and had a nice warming effect. Not a beer you'd want to sit down and finish a whole six pack of. A nice domestic craft brew, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2005 18:16:34 | More by ahking

Skidz

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours out deep brown with orange running up and down the stream and sits a gleaming deep cherrywood in the glass with a fair sized tan head, fading to a light skim with some minor lacings.

Smells rich and malty, nice and toasty. Dark brown sugar, mollases and toffee are sweet to the nose. Faint hints of rasins and dates, mild prune appearance. Bits of spice and brown leafy aromas sit on the sidelines, it's all about the malts here.

Tastes sweet from the get-go. Mollases all the way and dark, nearly scorched caramel. Dark brown toast flavor with bits of graininess. Some flavors of Asian pears push out from the maltiness, skins and all. Nice hop bitterness, light that is. Some peppery flavors emerge. Finishes with nice bitterness with lingering toastiness and spicy hop flavors.

Smooth and creamy in the mouth with soft, delicate carbonation. Medium-full body, a bit less than expected.

Nice, rich flavors with an attractive spicy touch. Good times had by all. Just tasty all the way.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2005 05:21:42 | More by Skidz

rajendra82

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Came is a short 12 oz. brown bottle, with a nice quote on the neck putting me in the mood for the experience. The beer poured dark red with an inch thick head on top. Lacing was top notch. The aroma was malty and dusty with some floral hops peeking through. The taste was sweet (raisins, cherries, and chocolate), nutty, and smoky. The bitterness was minimal, and the aftertaste was clean. The mouthfeel was chewy with a tongue coating stickiness. A nice soothing beer for a damp and dark winter’s night.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2004 04:20:02 | More by rajendra82

mattcrill

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Really enjoyed the quote on the neck label. It's been described by other reviewers but it was fun to read before I drank this nice beer.

Appearance: Dark and cloudy carmel copper with a very thick, fluffy, and pillowy tan head. It looked like quite the bastard in the glass.

Smell: toffee, carmel, and nutty aromas abound. A definite alcohol backbone dominates.

Taste: Big! Pepper, ginger, light carmel with a coffee bitterness. Definite biting alcohol presence that is noted throughout. Leaves a certain drying "pucker factor" to each sip.

Mouthfeel: full bodied and slick due to the alcohol.

Drinkability: suffers some just because the alcohol is not shy about making it's presence known. Good stuff. Definitely something to warm the cockles in the winter.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2004 22:53:47 | More by mattcrill

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz. amber bottle with no apparent freshness date. Thanks to BeefyMe for this one.

Poured a semi-hazy burnt amber in color with an initially monstrous tannish-colored head. After an eternity, it finally settled down to a finger-thick level. Sporadic lacing of the glass. Aromas are dominated by chewy-thick caramel. Notes of dark figs and spices. Flavor is very sweet, but tempered somewhat by a hoppy bitterness. Finish is a complex mix of sweetness, toasted grains, Heath bars, and a hint of smoke. Low-medium carbonation. Thick and chewy mouthfeel. Even with an ABV of 8.3%, this one is quite easy to throw down.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2004 02:35:40 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.63/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light tan, one finger-head that goes slowly leaving a good lace. Deep amber color. Light carbonation. Medium bodied. Nose is raisiny. Starts sweet with hops in the background, finishes with some bitterness. Still easy to drink, alcohol is not noticeable. $3.75 for a 12oz bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2004 00:18:48 | More by jdhilt

waughbrew

Massachusetts

2.75/5  rDev -32.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Chestnut body with a very small beige head that laces but does not stick around. Smell is cardboardy hops and bready malt with hints of alcohol, not unlike the Bigfoot aroma. Flavor is lightly cherry-like with some roasted grains providing the only interesting part. Very bland. Boring yeast leaves a dull finish. Medium body seems even bigger than it is because of the very low carbonation. Overall very lacking in flavor for a beer of this alcohol level.

Not bad, but not interesting either. Definitely below average. Not worth another shot.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2004 01:58:05 | More by waughbrew

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.3/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

"Auch! Yeh've nary had such a bonny taste of heav'n since pullin' yer mouth off yer mammy's teet. With more highland bitties and flavours than yer grandmammy's haggis, Dirty Bastard Ale ain't fer the wee lads. And if it's too strong fer yer silk-wearin', poodle-walkin' arse, then it's back to the loch with you, nessy!"

--Dirty Bastard neck label

Turbid dark iced tea brown infused with a generous quantity of crushed raspberries (visually speaking) and topped with an almond-colored crown that is as densely creamy as any you're likely to see. Thick sheets of lace are clinging voraciously to the glass. Dirty Bastard looks like no other beer; amazing since I've seen hundreds in the past year or so.

The nose is heavily toasted malty with undercurrents of chocolate and dark, dried fruits. I'm a little disappointed that there are no obvious smoky or peaty elements to the aroma. Perhaps they're buried in the beer itself and will make an appearance on the palate.

Great stuff! This is one seriously creamy, almost chewy, flavor bomb of a beer. There's a lot going on here: sweet dark caramel, bittersweet chocolate, bourbon-soaked figs and toasted black walnuts are all members of the flavor profile. I truly love hops, but these sweet, malty Scottish/Scotch ales are growing on me in a big way.

The finish is long and malty with the barest hint of alcohol. I don't mind a bit since it's so well-integrated that it's just another facet of this multi-faceted jewel. The body is medium-full at least and the mouthfeel is reminiscent of heavy cream.

Founders has quickly become one of my favorite breweries and Dirty Bastard has done nothing but move them farther up the list. If you like Scotch ales or just like big, rich, interesting, delicious beer, then you have to seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2004 23:09:19 | More by BuckeyeNation

Realale

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beautiful clear mahogany. Fine tight beige head settles to a thin complete cap. Just a beautiful beer.

Nose is really treacley over brown bread. All the richness is well-supported by a substantial whack of hops. It smells bitter. Not to style, but definitely keeps the nose from being cloying.

Quite full in the mouth with plenty of sweet malty goodness. The bitterness is there though to give it a remarkable degree of balance. Very soft water profile keeps from over-emphasizing the hops, and really brings a nice degree of integration.

Mouthfeel is quite pleasant, and there is surprising drinkability for a beer of this strength and maltiness. The hop level isn't to style, but it makes it a whole hell of a lot more interesting, and really improves the drinkability. Nice noveau strong Scottish.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2004 18:24:11 | More by Realale

nomad

Kansas

3.95/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

*Re-review: Alright, because it is a bastard, this beer takes awhile to mellow out. I've found that if the first bottle is a bit much, give the others a few weeks or more to age and round out. Then the burly symphony begins...

Pours the murkiest mix of brown, auburn, black, and swamp water I've seen in awhile, but its head is big, strong, and thick in a tough way. Nice enough to look at but the murk is a bit unappealing.

Smells and tastes quite bittersweet with large caramel flavors covered in roasted barley and molasses like tones. A full mouth of malt but some butteriness and some flat-out strange flavors that I'd put in the are of "toffee" or something like that. I am baffled as to how to describe the barley murk in this beer, but its not bias because I love Scotch and Wee Heavies. Mouthfeel is big but round, not fat and sticky - nicely done.

I don't know, but after a six pack its pretty damn tough to finish just one bottle. Its mean to compare but this is a rough mix compared to, say, Orkney Skullsplitter. A nice beer to have everyone once in awhile, but a real mouth-kicker that slows the quaffing down.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2004 16:07:25 | More by nomad