Founders Bolt Cutter - Founders Brewing Company

C2H5

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

12-28-2012 21:20:24 | More by C2H5

b2611

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

06-18-2013 14:19:46 | More by b2611

TargaFlorio

Indiana

4/5  rDev -1.2%

06-17-2013 23:34:03 | More by TargaFlorio

alamode

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

06-17-2013 18:36:10 | More by alamode

MastaShonuf

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

06-17-2013 07:02:49 | More by MastaShonuf

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -1.2%

06-16-2013 13:47:46 | More by Stevedore

rgilbert

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -13.6%

06-14-2013 15:32:53 | More by rgilbert

Eighty

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

06-13-2013 20:20:15 | More by Eighty

djre4orm

Virginia

4/5  rDev -1.2%

06-13-2013 18:38:04 | More by djre4orm

shangwang

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.2%

06-13-2013 02:10:40 | More by shangwang

BAsbill

California

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

06-13-2013 00:19:32 | More by BAsbill

gtermi

Texas

4/5  rDev -1.2%

06-12-2013 04:06:48 | More by gtermi

Cvescalante

Texas

4/5  rDev -1.2%

06-12-2013 03:59:09 | More by Cvescalante

Matthewpakula

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

06-11-2013 18:58:20 | More by Matthewpakula

goblin7704

Ohio

4/5  rDev -1.2%

06-11-2013 17:09:14 | More by goblin7704

beercatbrew

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

06-10-2013 23:07:01 | More by beercatbrew

hagbergl

Massachusetts

4.14/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Boltcutter was on tap at the Pub at UChicago this spring, somehow. This place gets way too many good beers for what it is. Awesome, dude. 10 oz. serving in a small tulip (and 10 oz. proved to be more than enough!).

Appearance (4/5): Dark red, ruby highlights when help up to the light, and small one finger bubbly off white head. This is a very good looking barleywine.

Smell (4.25/5): Some nice big, piney hop notes mingle with a caramel sweetness and a bit alcohol heat in nose. You can tell instantly that this one is a big American-style, hopped-up barleywine, since it has a lot of the typical characteristics of the style. Only a bit of barrel character is evident. Less than I was expecting.

Taste (4.25/5): Flavor follows the nose to a T. Very hoppy in the beginning with some piney, grapefruitiness going on. Big and sweet malt takes over in the middle, playing off the hop oils very nicely. Lingering bitterness in the aftertaste. Bourbon barrel character does come through in the taste: subtle flavors of vanilla work their way onto the palate. But this beer is dominated by massive hop and malt presence. Alcohol is well-masked and only a steadily increasing warmth in the chest tells you this is one fierce beer.

Mouthfeel (3.75/5): Sticky, resinous, and full-bodied. The lower carbonation is appropriate to the style. This beer is a true sipper–one to be nursed for a while and allowed to warm. You'll be rewarded in more ways than one if you take this one slow. Some may find this beer cloying. I think it's great, just not the most drinkable beer ever.

Overall (4/5): Another really solid beer by the amazing brew team at Founders. There aren't too many things to complain about, though I would like to see the ABV come down a little and more barrel character in the flavor. Definitely was well worth trying. Very good.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2013 22:54:55 | More by hagbergl

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.73/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a dark gold with a thin, creamy white head. Head retention is surprisingly good, though only a minimal amount of lace is present in the glass.

S: Aromas of almonds, nougat, herbs, grass, pine, juniper, toffee, caramel, vanilla, biscuits, and peppery, prickly alcohol are present on the nose.

T: Complex notes of fresh bread, caramel, biscuit, toffee, maple syrup, brown sugar, toasted almonds, nougat, vanilla bean, and butterscotch are balanced by intense flavors of lemon, lime, herbs, grass, juniper berry, pine, and pepper. The finish is fiery and intense with resinous hop and bready malt notes overwhelmed by a pungent surge of alcohol.

M: Full-bodied and sticky. Carbonation is delicate and restrained. Alcohol presence is incredibly intense. This beer must be sipped very slowly.

O: This is a solid barleywine, but it is a bit harsh and over-the-top. If the alcohol presence were reigned in a bit, this would be much more likable and easier to drink, but as is, it's a bit rough around the edges. Not a bad example of the style by any stretch, but also not Founders' most refined effort either. Worth trying at least once.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2013 18:07:02 | More by mrfrancis

BuckTuckian

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

06-10-2013 13:46:48 | More by BuckTuckian

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.54/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Bottle opened on 6.2.13

A - Pours a dark orange-light brown, clear, with a small light tan head with good retention.

S - Caramel, booze, oranges.

T - Caramel, bitter orange, lots of booze heat.

D - Good carbonaiton with a medium body. Good heat and bitterness.

O - Caramel is nice, but he thin and hotness with a bit to much bitter orange.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 04:57:13 | More by HuskyinPDX

MNPikey

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -1.2%

06-09-2013 04:17:41 | More by MNPikey

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

4.01/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Appearance: Cloudy amber with a small white head.

Smell: Maple, strawberry hard candy, figs, caramel, coconut, toffee.

Taste: Now that this has some age, the maple backbone is much more apparent. The hops have also receded from when I had first tasted it, as expected. At first, it was like a 3x IPA masquerading as a Barleywine; now it's coming into its own. I see great things happening to this thing down the road as the hops continue to recede and the malt sweetness/complexity becomes more apparent.

Mouthfeel: Not thin by any means, but on the medium side for the style.

Overall: I find it a bit odd to rate something 8/10 and call it OUTSTANDING, but this beer to me is at least/around an 8, despite all the criticism. It's just getting better, and will continue to do so with age. The hops are receding, and this is getting better every day.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 03:46:39 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

MattAnderson99

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +17.3%

06-07-2013 14:52:13 | More by MattAnderson99

americ

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

06-06-2013 12:51:19 | More by americ

POTABLE83

New York

3.25/5  rDev -19.8%

06-06-2013 12:47:32 | More by POTABLE83