Founders Bolt Cutter - Founders Brewing Company

joefuzz

New York

4.93/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

pours deep orange with a very small off white head

smells is fairly hoppy for a english barleywine some amazing citrus notes with a slight sweetness.

taste like a iipa on the first sip...as it warms the malt character shines through with a slight oak taste if i didn't see 15%abv on the label i would have never guessed

mouthfeel is on the lighter side with light carbonation

overall if you are comparing this to king henry you will be very thrown off. this beer is exquisite in its own right...something completely different, awesome beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 07:27:11 | More by joefuzz

YCantWeNotBeSober

Michigan

4.9/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A day to remember. Arrived to Founders on BoltCutter Release Day #1, November 11th, 2012. We made our presence known as the first in line at this ticketed event. We were greeted by a kind-spirited employee, who'se heart bears the striking resemblence of St.Nicholas on the magical eve of Christmas, suggesting we join our fellow beer brethren in the masses of the parking lot....We were obviously early. When the Clock stuck noon we were ushered in to the sound of the chicken song. As beer geeks frantically rushed to the store, our excitement reached epic proportions...would our trials and tribulations be worth the anticipation? Skip ahead to minutes later, after purchasing our bottles and appropriate bolt-cutter glasswear, we trekked across the street to experience our gift from the brewers, perhaps aj offering from the benevolent gods above. We poured the liquid gold into our glasswear. Gather round pals, for the tale of Boltcutter....

A: Pours a Bright copper red-orange, reminiscent of the rare Bengal Tiger pelt. A fluffy egg-shell white head rising from the depth of this untamed beast. Gives way to an elegant spider-web lacing (most likely resemembling the fierce Sydney Funnel-web spider (atrax robustus)

S: A bouquet of fresh Hawaiin Pineapple, Dark amber maple syrup from the majestic maples of Vermont. A slight tone of biscuit, just as grandma would prepare on our bi-weekly sunday brunch. The aroma truly fills the nares with gifts of joy and happiness.

T: Heavy Tropical Overtones with a mellow presence, giving one the feeling of an awe-inspiring autumnal sunset. The aforementioned pineapple dominates like a stallion with it's mare. As one sips the brew, the warmth of red dying coals of a huntsman midnight fire. A Floral Hop bitterness, as bitter as the loss of the beloved family ferret (RIP Gerdy).

M: Thick like a swollen Baboon rump. Creamy like fresh-churned butter as would be applied to grandma's bi-weekly biscuits. A light carbonation teases the tongue.

O: As this review comes to a close, the experience shall not be forgotten. The legend of the BoltCutter shall be passed down from generation to generation just as the stories of our time that define a people....I miss Grandma

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 18:53:24 | More by YCantWeNotBeSober

FoundersPounder

New York

4.83/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- Small amounts of lace and deep amber, but still lighter than I expected.

S- Bourbon and Vanilla hit the nose instantly. Cinnamon, Nutmeg, even got a little Coffee and Chocolate in there somewhere. Extremely Flavorful.

T- A lot hoppier than I was expecting but what a pleasant surprise. Malt and Vanilla most prominent than the Bourbon/Boose, as it reveals its 15% ; still fantastic for an ABV that high.

M- Full bodied; Warming

O- Another fantastic brew from Founders. Might even be my 2nd favorite to date behind the CBS. Stocking up on this and plan on aging as many bottles as possible to share on special occasions for years to come.

Viva La Nemesis

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 20:41:58 | More by FoundersPounder

maristfan

New York

4.75/5  rDev +17%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Heard this was being released to the public today so I made a special trip to my local beer bar Mosaic in Astoria Queens to give it a try. Poured from a 750ml bottle.

For 15% this is a very approachable barley wine. A perfect amber color and inviting smell, it doesnt have the fear factor smell lots of barleys do nowadays. The mouthfeel is all about the syrup at first but then it finishes almost light on the tongue. You can taste the effort to balance it with the citrus of the hops, tons of flavor, but it's not overally boozy. I really like this beer. Founders knocked it out of the park again. It doesn't take long before I'm sharing it and the bottle is done. Can only imagine what age will do to this beer, it is already nuanced and complex, tons of malt and I'm usually not a malt loving guy. If you can, get a bottle for you and a friend, it's an awesome share.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 00:28:04 | More by maristfan

augustg

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Copper reddish color witha thick light tan head that dissipates fairly quickly.

S- HOPS! and soem malt but the hop presence really stands out on this one. Not a bd thing at all but unexpected from a Barleywine

T- The Hops come through again upfront followed by some really srong pineapple and vanilla notes. Bitter finish and a bit of burn at the very end of this beer. Not overly boozy at all.

M- Good mouthfeel overall Not to thin.

O- This beer is excellent and I feel will age very well. Can'y wait to try another in 6 months or so.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 03:35:19 | More by augustg

jvillefan

California

4.61/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A: A deep orange/yellow/amber color the an ivory white head that disappeared quickly.

S: Suprisingly, there was a lot of hop character present in this beer. There was subtle toffee in the background.

T: Bitter on the front end and the back end. The middle is composed of rich caramel and toffee.

M: Very heavy with great carbonation which was a pleasant surprise given that it was a 15% beer.

O: One of the best barleywines I've had. It is up there with King Henry, Mother of All Storms, and Abacus.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 06:56:01 | More by jvillefan

Thickfreakness

New York

4.58/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Apparently, picked this up a couple of weeks before the actual release... lucky me! Here we go!

A- Poured at just below cellar temp into my Bruery Tulip. A gorgeous copper/amber hue that shows excellent clarity. A thick and fluffy three finger head that holds on nicely as it slowly fades leaving chunks of thick lacing all over my glass! Kinda like looking thru orange blossom honey... clear, yet thick enough to distort whatever lies behind it. Better carbonation than I would have thought.

S- WOW! Caramel candy corn, brown sugar and butter grilled pineapple, ALCOHOL, vanilla sugar, and some toasted nuts. Butterscotch, mango, papaya, marshmallow, sweet pink grapefruit with a nice sweet malt backbone. Picking up alot of hops for an English Style B.W. This has a wonderful depth, but I bet as the alcohol edge mellows in a few years, this one will really shine and become world class.

T- Maple Creme Brulee-Flambe!!! Huge alcohol as I expected from a 15% B.W. so no surprise here! Lots of grilled tropical fruit notes. Like grilling pineapple and mango with a brown sugar butter sauce! Has some little hints of nutty pancakes with light amber maple syrup, marshamallow, caramel rum syrup and freshly scraped vanilla pods. Butterscotch with a shot of dark rum may better describe this fine brew.

M- Nice and chewy like a cinnamon sticky bun with vanilla icing. Really glides down your throat, especially as it warms up. Burns like a nice scotch going down. Like liquid toffee. Carbonation really dies down and becomes thick and viscous as it comes to proper temp. Buttery and honey with a warm glow.

O- This is really fantastic and should develop and get even better with age. Sweet like honey nectar, pineapple, and vanilla caramel candy. Notes of maple syrup, vanilla, tropical fruit and butterscotch... The alcohol is really huge on this one... but that's not something I mind. Really nice on a chilly fall night.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 21:42:53 | More by Thickfreakness

anth0ny

Michigan

4.58/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Deep, hazy orange color with a thin off white head, beautiful baby lacing delicately clinging to the top edges of the snifter.

Massive aroma with a full blast of pineapple and hints of caramel and booze. Woah!

Unbelievably smooth mouth for the ABV, huge syrupy body with massive hop, fruit, caramel and bourbon flavor profiles. Dangerously drinkable.

A massive sipper with a bold, enjoyable flavor. Fantastically integrated. Everything from balance to carbonation is off the chain. Founders is known for their barrel aged specialties such as KBS, CBS, and Backwoods Bastard, and this one is right on par.

*Extra notes - Had this on tap twice as well as a bottle. I'm noticing a considerably larger alcohol dominance on the nose and tongue out of the bottle. I'm definitely going to age my second bottle to see if it tones down to taproom quality.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2012 06:35:17 | More by anth0ny

josephwa

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - Solid carbonation, white head, golden copper color.

S - Mild aroma to this one. But what I do get is honey, sugar and caramel.

T - Hoppy, honey, caramel, and malty. A great mix of sweet and bitter.

M - Alcohol burn for sure on this one and well carbonated. Not thin, nor thick.

O - Extremely tasty. I love it but wouldn't go out crazy with purchasing more of this. Aging would help this brew in my mind though.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2012 15:42:38 | More by josephwa

vfgccp

New York

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Barcade BK, Founders tap night.

A - Low offwhite head with ok lace and retention. Cloudy burnt sienna, cognac body.

S - Huge apple brandy nose, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, dried apple, light caramel.

T - Soft round booze, caramel, dried apricot, vanilla extract, sharp oak, dark brown sugar. Long afterglow of warm booze caramel and nutmeg.

M - Expansive mouthfeel with a solid body. Great staying power without feeling syrupy.

O - Insanely smooth. I can't believe this is 15%; it could definitely get you into a world of trouble if you're not paying attention. A stellar barleywine.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2012 21:31:54 | More by vfgccp

smcnulty1981

Rhode Island

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A: clear golden orange color with a slight off white 1 finger head with a god ammount of lacing and alcohol legs

S: good ammount of caramel malts and warming vanilla very sweet smelling
Slight dank hop smell no alcohol on the nose

T: vanilla and caramel with a slight hop bitterness there is a slight hint of alcohol

M: full mouthfeel very sticker and lingers for awhile

O: great beer overall asome15th anniversy beer for founders and its a shame that this beer will be brewed only once

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 03:02:37 | More by smcnulty1981

Greywulfken

New York

4.49/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: center-pour into tulip: clear deep amber with orange highlights; slim head of tan slips away without a trace

S: chewy caramel; suggestion of candied bitter orange; warm brown sugar sweetness

T: alcohol was a little sharp up front; warming, boozy; sweet orange and coriander in a solventy pool; some malty roasted/burnt orange rind

M: at just below room temp, medium body, no real carbonation, some astringence (alcohol); slight chew up front, but then dissolves and slides quickly across the palate; boozy aftertaste - probably a good cigar beer

O: hey, look, its Founders and its a barleywine. You know you're not going to go wrong. This was an excellent barleywine, but (yes, a but) I was not stopped dead in my tracks. I've had Founders Nemesis 2010 (an American barleywine), and plenty of other b'wines - this is up there with the best barleywines, but I don't know that it clearly displaces the best of the bunch.
It is obvious that you need to buy this if you see it, and I credit those with the discipline to store this for a couple of years. It will no doubt be fantastic.

Aged really well: had one on 3/2/13 and it had already morphed into a superior beer than it started off as - more citrus notes on the tongue and nose, all the malt and hop flavors melded and mellowed; super smoothness and deliciousness.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 04:08:09 | More by Greywulfken

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This poured out as a reddish orange color with a thin white head on top. The head settles just leaving some scattered spots on top and some very thin lacing on the glass. The smell of the beer is potent, very big orange citrus notes here as well as some earthy hops and plenty of ethanol. The smell almost reminds me of a cleaning product of some kind but at the same time it still smells good. The taste of the beer gives of some massive malt characteristics, it's boozy and sweet, elements of caramel and apple in there some maple and some bitter hops as well. The mouthfeel of the beer is medium to heavy, it's smooth and oily, lightly carbonated. Overall it's a big beer, lots of nice things going on in this one. Might be interesting to have again someday once it's been aged for a little. This beer has a lot of complexity and is very good. Definitely worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2012 01:21:22 | More by Knapp85

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.48/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750 ML poured into a snifter

A- Pours very syrupy . A half a finger of a dense off white head. A ton of alcohol legs. A hazy copper color. A menace of a looking beer.

S- There is a lot of hops on the nose. A slight sharp pine, some overly ripened grapefruit. Caramel and toffee. A slight vanilla and a nice oak character.

T- A crisp bitterness up front. Followed up by an obvious alcohol presence. It sweeps over with a bit of the oak flavor and dry feel. There is a very slight touch of bourbon and vanilla. The malt profile of this beer is very caramel and toffee forward which is accented nicely by the vanilla. Hop flavors are more dominant on the nose. The hops are slightly citrus and overly ripened fruits, flavors of an aged IPA.

M- Thick and syrupy. I wouldn't call it hot but it is without a doubt a very warming beer. More drinkable then I was expecting. Good carbonation and a bitter palate.

O- This is a beast of a beer. Approach only if your ready to embrace some intense flavors. I like fresh barley wines, barrel aged barley wines and barley wines aged at least a year. I like the fresh ones because they have an intense hop profile, and aged ones because the hop profile has died and allowed the malts to take over. This beer is sort of stuck in limbo between the three, partially aged in barrels for about 5 months total. Its good now but I see it as a beer that will improve incredibly with age.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 23:40:41 | More by TwelveOunces

FanofHefe

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber poured into a Duvel tulip. Clear, dark amber body with strong red tint and a one-finer tan head. The head dissipates very quickly and leaves a smattering of lacing.

More impressed by the aroma than I thought I would be. The hops definitely jump out early with a combination of citrus and light tropical notes. Solid caramel malt aroma blends with the hops nicely.

The flavor is a little stronger on the caramel malt side than the original aroma. But, enough of hop presence to make for a solid barleywine mix.

Surprisingly, very little notice of the alcohol for such a strong abv. This is one of, if not the best, barleywines I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 00:17:59 | More by FanofHefe

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.46/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

On-tap 1/8/2013 at Track 84, in Warwick, RI served in a flight glass.

A: The beer is a deep amber color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains brown sugar, bourbon, vanilla, caramelized malts, some alcohol and some hops.

T: The taste starts out very sweet with flavors of caramel, brown sugar, vanilla and bourbon. Then a significant alcohol stings quickly follows as you would expect from a beer with 15.00% ABV. The malt character is hearty and there’s a mild but complementary hops presence creating a very good balance for such strong and sweet beer. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Very tasty, goes down dangerously easy, not too filling, very strong kick, very good representation of style, this is an excellent sipping beer to drink for as long as you can handle it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2013 17:31:43 | More by TheManiacalOne

champ103

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a copper/orange color. A dense, two finger white head forms with excellent retention. Rings of sticky lace is left behind. Really impressive considering the ABV.
S: Hops and malt intermingle in great balance. Tropical fruits, toffee, bread pudding. The alcohol is really well masked in the nose. Excellent.
T: Follows the nose with a great balance of hops and malts. Toasted malt, tropical fruits. Reminds me of bread pudding and toffee over fruit. Almost fruit cake like even. All the layers are there. A peppermint spiciness as well. Like peppermint candy in the finish. Love it.
M/D: Surprisingly medium body, lighter that I was expecting. Not that it is thin or watery at all, just not as resiny as I was expecting. Good carbonation and very smooth. The alcohol is incredibly well integrated, well basically nonexistent. Which make for a great warming, sipper.

Wow, I really love this. I was afraid this was going to be to messy and busy. It reminds me a bit of fruit cake, and I am one of the strange people that like fruit cake. While I can see how some people might be put off. I think it works perfectly. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 04:42:32 | More by champ103

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured in to CBS Snifter.

A - Dark amber; slightly translucent. Half a finger of tan coloured head.

S - A big sweetness up front with caramel and toffee aromas coming through. Some citrus and a bitter hop presence also come through. No oak is detectable in the nose.

T - Big sweetness from the malt base up front that adds caramel, toffee and brown sugar flavours is balanced out by a massive hop bitterness and a touch of citrus. A warming alcohol presence also helps to balance out the massive sweetness. The oak is present but is very much secondary in this beer. Although a warming alcohol presence is noticeable, the alcohol is very well hidden overall considering the 15% ABV.

M - Full body; thick and chewy. Light carbonation. Full of sticky hop oils.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 14:56:29 | More by TheSevenDuffs

rapidsequence

Virginia

4.44/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle (I think, maybe its a 750) bought for an exorbitant sum at Ned's.

Appearance: Exceptional clarity. Copper or iced tea colored body. Decent head with a stiff pour, fades to spots. Good lacing.

Smell: Sweet, hoppy, and hot. Rich caramel malt and maple syrup as well as vanilla notes. CItrus and pine. The alcohol stings the nose, especially with deep inhalation.

Taste: Delicious caramel and darker toffee is up front. Maple flavor is complementary and not overpowering. Vanilla and some woody barrel flavor. Cascade hops flavor and lots of bitterness. Big alcohol bite at the end.

Mouthfeel: Slick and sticky. Full body almost chewy, but not too much. Coats the tongue. Long sweet, boozy finish.

Overall: This is a great beer. Lots of nice complexity. Price is nearly prohibitive.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 02:03:54 | More by rapidsequence

davey101

Connecticut

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

750ml bottle into a tulip glass. Served at cellar temperature. The bottle sat around for a day or so and I noticed a bit of floating cloudy sediment at the bottle of the bottle.

A - Pours a clear dark red/auburn color. A dense two finger creamy off white head forms but disappears quite quickly leaving behind a thin and spotchy cap with thick soapy edging. Eventually the cap vanishes and its just the edging. Decent amount of retention and lacing with clinging alcoholic legs. A swirl creates another dense head and a lively cascading effect. Beautiful looking beer!

S - Chewy toffee, bourbon soaked figs and raisins, brown sugar, maple, burnt caramel, vanilla and marshmallow. Some bright citric and piney hops. Extremely complex and layered, the aroma is just so busy. Has one of the most present and enjoyable alcohol presences I've experienced in a beer.

T - Starts off with toffee, caramel, and butterscotch and then some interesting tropical notes from the hops. Mango, peaches, and pine. Its not hoppy in the way that an American style BW is hoppy, its just...present with no real bitterness. Waves of warming bourbon, oak, vanilla, and dates. Very complex with each sip bringing a new element. Maple, butter, brown sugar, candi sugar, cotton candy; very sweet!. Just a huge amount of flavor here. A touch of warming alcohol but this does not feel like 15% at all.

M - Dense and creamy mouth feel, slightly syrupy. Excellent mouth feel for such a high octane beer.

O - Excellent, excellent, excellent beer. It stands out from the other barrel aged english BW's in that it has more of a hop presence than the others while still retaining those huge notes of toffee and butterscotch. This is drinking extremely well fresh, the alcohol is barely noticeable and only seems to compliment the intense and decadent sweetness with a pleasant warmth on the end. Flavors and aromas are top notch. Not quite a King Henry, but awfully damn close.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 03:39:12 | More by davey101

Shane-o86

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

A- Pours into a glass a blood orange with a one finger head that disapates after a minute or so. Leaves nice lacing objects the glass the entire time.

S- Immediate smell of crisp hops and Carmel.

T- Taste the hops at first but they soon mellow out and the malty Caramel taste takes over. Alcohol taste is present but not overwhelming for the ABV. Slight fig aftertaste.

M- Almost creamy mouthfeel but remains very crisp.

O- overall a very good barleywine, however there are similar if not better ones for less money.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 20:48:18 | More by Shane-o86

cosmicevan

New York

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

Bottle procured locally...enjoyed from my bolt cutter glass that arrived earlier today (thanks founders!!!).

a - brew poured a transparent orange amber brown with a thin fizzy head that bubbled away leaving a lip of fizzy head on the glass and some bubble islands on the surface. steady carbonation could be seen swimming to the surface for several minutes after the pour. lacing was all tiny bubbles clinging to each other to create a chunky lace look. looks good.

s - i love me a good barleywine and the smell is fairly spot on for what i like. great candied toffee malt with a glazing of fresh dank hop to really thicken things up and give it a maple syrup crossed with butterscotch type of vibe.

t - first sip is classic american barleywine. great mix of hops and malts. has a really great hopped out butterscotch vibe. the booze is there for certain, but i feel it is fairly integrated considering the heft on this beer. i've had many harsher barleywines at lower abvs.

m - surprisingly smooth and not syrupy. make no mistake, this is a big beer and on the full bodied side, but not nearly as chewy as i would've expected. i was surprised at the outcry of the heat on this one, but then i remembered that i'm a fan of big boozy and hot beers, so what seems hot to some is not all that hot to me. if you take down big beers like this on the regular...which i think is fairly common on this site...then i don't think you'll feel that this is too hot, but make no mistake, this is a 15% animal.

o - overall, put me on the happy side of the fence for this beer. i'm definitely impressed. when i had heard 4 years in a barrel the only thing i could think of was idiot's drool (shudder...) and although i expected founders to knock it out of the park, i was definitely skeptical with the 4 year investment in the barrels. i love a good barleywine and this is a good barleywine. is this Abacus (b1)? is this Alpine Great? is this King Henry? no, however i'd put this one in the company of some of my favorite BA barleywines. definitely worth picking up.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 03:46:04 | More by cosmicevan

MattyG85

Minnesota

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

Poured from 750 ml bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep and hazy copper amber orange with a moderate amount of carbonation. About one finger of off white head that recedes into a thin patchy layer. Leaves a good amount of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A big kick of sweet malts, hops, and booze. Sharp citrus hop aroma up front with hints of orange, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, and mango. Some earthy hops and pine spice. Sweet malts with big hints of burnt caramel, toffee, biscuit, and yeast. Some brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup add to the sweetness. Barrel presence is pretty laid back with only slight hints of bourbon and vanilla. Alcohol scent is pretty noticeable as expected. A very big and good aroma.

Taste: Tastes as big and strong as it smells. Big presence of bitter and spicy hops up front. Notes of citrus grapefruit, orange, pineapple, mango, and lemon. Earthy hops and a sharp spice from pine resin. Fairly grassy. Big malt presence that adds some balancing sweetness. Notes of burnt caramel, toffee, yeast, and biscuit. Also some brown sugar and maple syrup along with a little taste of honey and vanilla. Slight taste of bourbon and wood although its pretty subtle compared to the other flavors. Alcohol heat rounds out the taste. Big and pretty good taste.

Mouthfeel: Heavy full body with a moderate amount of carbonation. Chewy, slightly syrupy, and pretty visceral. Finishes fairly dry. Lots of alcohol warmth is felt as expected.

Overall: A very good take on a American Barleywine. A slow sipper for sure and not for the faint of heart. Big hop presence that is very sharp. It will be interesting to see how this one ages.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 07:44:21 | More by MattyG85

lordofthewiens

Maine

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

On tap at When Pigs Fly. The first time I had it, I was overwhelmed. I went back on four consecutive days just to make sure I liked it as much as the first time. I did; a wonderful beer!

To begin with, it's a very pretty beer. In a snifter it was a beautiful chery amber color, very vibrant. The rather small tan head left a good deal of lace.

The aroma was some sweet fruit and citrus. Pretty boozy.

Lots of figs in the taste, other dark fruits noted. A bit of orange. Nicely hopped.

I expected it to be boozy, with an ABV of 15%, but I thought the alcohol was well-hidden, and didn't think the alcohol was too intrusive.

Loved this beer. Wonder how it would age.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2012 20:53:26 | More by lordofthewiens

thedoubler55

New Jersey

4.41/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: A transparent amber in color that leaves a nice fluffy off white head at the top, and very minimal lacing around the glass.

S: Lots of mape, bourbon and caramel up front, hints of brown sugar and barley, a nutty note on the tail end, for a barley wine not to much booze present.

T: Up front just like the nose, hints of vanilla and honey with slight sweetness from the brown sugar it seems, the booze is present but nothing crazy, a nice rum cake flavor as well on this one.

M: For the amount of booze it is not all that present, a warming brew, medium bodied slight carbonation and a bit of stickyness.

D: This brew was really good, I expected a lot from it and was not let down. Glad my liquor store held this one for me, very pleasant and great tasting, Thank you Founders!

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 18:53:10 | More by thedoubler55