Founders Bolt Cutter - Founders Brewing Company

dbc5

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml poured into Duchesse De Bourgogne wine glass. I had this beer on tap at the Founders 15th Anniversary party, but this is my first serving from a bottle. Thought the serving temperature at Founders was a bit too low, so I'm interested to see what I pick up with this tasting.

A: Pours an attractive amber with a 1.5 finger, off white head off a moderately aggressive pour. The head slowly recedes, but leaves a nicely, off white coating across the top of the beer.

S: Picking up a ton of caramel and toffee, as well as a present booziness. There is apparent sweetness in the nose as well. Maybe some vanilla. Hop spiciness is noticeable. Not picking up much bourbon presence.

T: Buttery caramel, booze, and a pretty strong hop presence. The alcohol is fairly present, although the sweetness offsets it somewhat. A slow sipper; I imagine it will take me awhile to work through the bottle. Some vanilla notes in the back end. As the beer warms, I'm getting some faint character from the bourbon maple barrels. Its far more muted than in CBS, but I am tasting a similar character. It definitely isn't a major player in this one, more a minor, background presence.

M: Thick and sticky. Almost an oily character after swallowing, which I attribute to the strong alcohol presence. Fairly low carbonation.

O: Being honest, this one is a bit of a letdown, as I had extremely high expectations when it was announced. I hoped the maple bourbon barrels would have a strong presence and contribute a unique character to the beer. In the end, the barrel plays a minor role in the overall drinking experience. The beer ends up primarily being a big, boozy, hoppy American barleywine. While that isn't necessarily a bad thing, it leaves me wanting a bit more. Will be interesting to see what some time in the cellar does to my remaining 2 bottles.

I do think this is one of the beers that needs to be drank at room temperature. Because some of the unique aspects of the beer are fairly subtle, they get somewhat lost when it is served too cold.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 01:57:55 | More by dbc5

Kinsman

New Hampshire

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

First review in a few months and not a bad beer to start back up with. Fills the glass with a beautiful coppery red color and a nice tan head on top.

Beautiful vanilla and oak notes up front with a caramel/toffee undertone. Notable alcohol aroma and even a bit of spice in there to round things out. First sip builds on the nose with a wave of sweet and heat. Bourbon and vanilla along side a healthy kick from the 15% makes for one hell of a barleywine. Definitely a slow sipper. Heavy mouthfeel as expected. Wish I had more to cellar as it's a bit too boozy right now but the price tag will keep me from doing that.

Overall, one can pretty much expect greatness from anything Founders puts out and Bolt Cutter is no different. Not a bad way to spend a quiet Friday evening.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 01:32:51 | More by Kinsman

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter at cellar temperature.

L – Deep amber color with a 3-finger frothy, bubbly cream-colored head. Really nice retention and some lacing. Clear with a good amount of bubbles.

S – Caramel malt, some leathery notes, grapefruit and pine hops, and a big whiff of alcohol. Hops are pretty subdued but become more apparent after agitation (pouring, swirling, etc.).

T – Starts off sweet with caramel malt and molasses and rapidly progresses to bourbon heat. Vanilla and maple notes become more apparent as the heat smoothes out. Some bitter grapefruit hops come out at the finish. This is pretty lightly hopped for an American barleywine, but it seems to fit here for some reason.

F – Medium-to-full-bodied with good carbonation, a velvety and chewy mouthfeel, and a sweet and dry finish. There is a definite throat-warming sensation from the alcohol.

O – Out of the American barleywines that I’ve had thus far, this may be one of my favorites. It is definitely on the sweeter side of the scale (although never cloying) and only seems lightly hopped but, as I said before, it seems to work very well in this instance. I think it certainly tastes better than it smells and is more complex than the aroma suggests. Furthermore, I think the body and mouthfeel suit the beer well. Definitely worth trying in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 02:07:11 | More by BlackBelt5112203

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a tulip glass)

A- This beer pours a slightly dense but clear aged copper brown body with a bubbly light tan head that sticks to the glass and sluggishly slides back into the beer.

S- the nice sweet caramel malt aroma has some candy sugar notes that come through as the beer warms and a slight spicy character with some ether hints in the finish.

T- The smooth sweet caramel malt grows as the beer warms and takes on a brassy wheat malt flavor. The finish of pungent hops and alcohol gently round out each sip.

M- The medium mouthfeel has a thick texture in the finish that is thinned by an alcohol warmth that hangs in the mouth.

O- This is a big monster barleywine with a gentle alcohol heat for 15% ABV and I was surprised at how much hops presence was in there aswell. It was a nice beer to taste but I would have preferred it without as much alcohol. This beer was a night starter and night ender in one bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 22:07:52 | More by rhoadsrage

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a 50cl (17oz.) snifter glass.

Appearance: Right off the bat it pours your simple amber but you look at it has more of a cinnamon-rust color that is somewhat hazy. Head not so thick orange tinted just about 1/3" off the body.

Smell: Light alcohol scent, not crazy over it but it has a barley feel to it which is impossible to dislike.

Taste: The strong alcohol is very evident, you drink you feel. It has almost like a scotch feel to it combined with what real beer is. Barley so strong and a taste that lingers in your mouth.

Mouth: With a sweet after-taste, you feel what quality is. Not exactly smooth but just right texture combined with medium carbonation.

Overall: Made this my first beer for the year 2013 and I have to admit that I think I made the right choice on how to start the year. I lately have been taking a liking to barleywines and this one is on top of it's game. Grab a glass and lust it, Salud!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 07:33:29 | More by BlurryVisi0n

Gobzilla

California

3.63/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: poured a pale amber brown in color with pale yellow highlights and a thin head that left very little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: lots of malty sweetness upfront in the aroma with grassy earthy notes, booze heat, plenty of hop character and mild caramel but with slight brown sugar presence.

T: caramel sweetness was more noticeable on the palate with a good hoppy profile that was accompanied by grassy earthiness, plenty of bready malts, the booze was all up in your grill with a touch of underlying brown sugar.

M: the brew was medium in body with a moderate amount of carbonation which had a sweet, malty, hoppy, boozy and crisp finish.

O: I honestly was a little let down from all the hype but then again it's just hype after all. It can be that I've had some AMAZING barelywines lately too. I was just decent and nothing more

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 00:53:59 | More by Gobzilla

tectactoe

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours an amber-copper color, sort of cloudy and hazy with an off-white head that settles quickly after a hard pour, no real lacing to mention. Aroma is heavy and thick; sweet toffee, burnt sugar, rosey fruits, plums, figs, juicy dates soaked in booze, light vanilla, oak, a touch of wood. Taste hits hard up front with sweet, burnt brown sugar, booze drenched raisins, figs, plums, some backwards woodiness. Creme brulee comes to mind with the burnt sugar and slight vanilla hints. Butterscotch in the background maybe, too. Hop profile is a bit ashy and dry with a light perfume aroma to them, adding a reasonable amount of bitterness to make sure the sweetness isn't cloying (which it's not). The booze profile is mostly reminiscent of bourbon-whiskey; it's warming and relevant and noticeable, slightly warm and a little more so as the beer approaches room temp, but it's never too hot to drink. I would imagine this would mellow out a bit and become excellent with some more time on it. Thick, sticky, heavy body, low carbonation.

Surprised by how good this was, reviews were pretty mixed so I didn't know what to expect. While it was pretty tasty, I think it might mellow out a bit more with some age. Unfortunately, the price tag on this one is a little much for what you're getting.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 22:19:50 | More by tectactoe

Florida9

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A fine looking beer. Clear, light chestnut brown. Forms a moderate sized white head that reduces to a very large, very bubbly ring around the edge. Leaves some large clumps of lacing on the way down.

S: Fairly hoppy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Mostly orange and other citrus with some citrus rind, a small bit of pine, and a lot of caramel malts, and even more pungent alcohol.

T: Taste is sweet. Very sweet. Lots of caramel malt, but there's a lot of hops as well. Citrus and citrus pith. There is some very light barrel character on the back end, with some light notes of oak and vanilla, but they are most overpowered by the hops and the strong pungent boozy character.

M: On the heavier side with a mild viscosity. Lower-medium carbonation. Mild to moderate bitterness.

O: This one really reminded me of an "Imperial Devil Dancer" if there was such a thing. Sweet, hoppy, and boozy this one was more like a triple IPA than a barleywine, offering up very little barrel character, but lots of sugar and lots of alcohol. A good beer, but far from "exceptional."

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 03:07:48 | More by Florida9

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy burnished copper with a huge frothy whit head that persists forever. Aromas of sweet sugary malt, brown sugar, pine and earthy hops with a touch of alcohol and a hint of dried fruit. The flavor is sweet rocket fuel. Sweet sugar, molasses, prunes and cherries with a solid shot of earthy pine hops. The alcohol is present enough to remind you that this is a big beer, but I've had more obtrusive alcohol presence in smaller beers before. There's a solid shot of hop bitterness I would assume to counter the huge malt bill that this must have. Medium to thick body with a moderate level of carbonation, and a sweet syrupy resinous lightly hot mouthfeel. I enjoyed sipping on this for most of the night. It is a touch hot, maybe that will mellow with time, but I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 02:30:48 | More by johnnnniee

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +9.9%
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

kscaldef

Oregon

2.18/5  rDev -46.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

The creation of a new style? Possibly the first quintuple IPA. Very hoppy and very strong, and little else to be said about it. Medium amber color, with no head. The body is fairly thin, which exposes the high alcohol content in a harsh and unenjoyable way. No barrel character to be found. Not actually a drinkable beer. Maybe it'll mellow with time, but I don't have high hopes.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 21:46:17 | More by kscaldef

webmanspidey

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a golden amber color with a light head. Smells are very sweet honey and malt with some crisp hoppiness. Taste is a mix between a sweet bold malt and crisp hops. The alcohol blends in pretty well for being this heavy. There are also some nice hints of vanilla and oak.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 02:40:25 | More by webmanspidey

gabedivision

New York

4.13/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 ounce to a snifter glass

A- crystal clear ruby red, minimal carbonation, 2 finger slightly off white head that forms a tight white bubbled lace around the top of the glass

S- toffee and caramel up front, citrus hops shine through, grapefruit, mango, sweet toasted malt, booze soaked dark fruits.

T- brown sugar, sugary Malts, big toffee, earthy notes from the hop bittering, cherry wood, very aggressive with an alcohol at the end

M- very big and bold in body, very sweet, smooth like bourbon, finishes dry

O- wow, big huge complex barley wine, great hop flavoring, extreme mealtimes, great all around, the alcohol is hidden very well also.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 03:29:23 | More by gabedivision

FanofHefe

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +10.6%
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

deltatauhobbit

Maine

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice amber color, not much of a head though and no lacing.

Smell has huge sweet malt aroma, caramel being the most dominant, some toffee, decent citrus hop presence at first but soon is pushed out of the way by the malt, can pick up some alcohol which isn't that surprising considering its strength.

Taste is very malt heavy yet the citrus hops are surprisingly strong and help balance the flavor from being too sweet, also surprising is the lack of heat, the alcohol is definitely there and present but much tamer for a young 15% barleywine than I would have thought.

Very tasty and normally I would recommend aging barleywines but the current citrus hop presence ages a lot and will only fade with time.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 22:51:16 | More by deltatauhobbit

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.23/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml, November 2012
The Bruery tulip

A: Pours a slightly cloudy deep orange/amber color. Initially about a full finger of slightly off white head. Actually sticks around a while. Some lacing bits. Seeing some alcohol feet.

S: Getting big hop notes. Big citrus and some piney hints. Then big caramel and toffee underneath that. No bourbon at all unless it comes up later. It does smell sweet on the nose.

T: Up front, you do get some hop bitterness. Some of that orange marmalade, other citrus, etc. Getting nice bready malts. Some slim caramel and toffee. I get that maple sweetness....which I guess is from the barrels. Lots of booze does so its face later as you start.

M: Big medium bodied here. Not as thick as i thought it would be. Some booze.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 16:13:40 | More by inlimbo77

champ103

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +9.9%
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

Gmann

New York

3.43/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a pretty caramel/deep copper color. The cream colored head is short but frothy, dense bubbled and settles inot a sparse cap.

The aroma is very sweet and is dominated by a candied fruit malt presence and a strong tropical fruit hop presence. Very English barleywine aroma. Candied orange and apricot to go along with an overall toffee scent. This is coupled with a pineapple and mango hop aroma. Too sweet for my liking.

The taste starts off very much like the aroma. Big candied fruit and toffee presence. Overripe apple and pear provide some fruity flavor, some raisin as well. The hops have an apricot flavor but also a peppery and grassy bitterness. Though there is an array of flavor it doesn't have much depth to it. Not very complex in the malt profile. Some alcohol flavor in the end.

The feel is light, almost watery, with prickly carbonation. Some slight stickiness but nothing compared to the style. Very sweet on the palate but has some peppery bitterness to offset. Plenty of noticable alcohol presense, big belly burn with this one.

Disappointed in this beer. Has more of an english profile and lacks depth in the body. I am also not a big fan of the toffee malt/tropical fruit combination.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 00:25:50 | More by Gmann

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass.

5.0 A: Nearly clear dark orange color. Two and a half fingers of beige, frothy creamy head. Retention is insanely good for a beer this big and lacing covers the whole glass. Really impressed here.

4.0 S: Quite fruity with a lot of citrusy hops. Tangy fruitiness is what I'd call it as it meshes with the caramel and toffee backbone. Toasted malts with some strength. The hops also give a lot of floral aroma and perhaps a touch of herbalness as well. Peach, plum, and apple fruits from the malts. Booze is exceptionally well hidden as I can't smell any of it. It's good, but really isn't all that special. Solid hoppy BW nose.

3.5 T: Taste is good too, but it's surprisingly simple for a beer this big. A lot less citrus than in the nose with a lot more of the peach, plum, melon, and apple components. Lots of sweet neutral maltiness with lots of caramel and toffee. Again a heavy toastiness, which I like. Mild to moderate bitterness from the hops along with floral and herbal notes. Booze is much more noticeable in the taste, but it still doesn't seem like 15%.

3.5 M: Heavy body. Good moderate carbonation. Slightly chewy. Not a lot of creaminess. Light warming on finish. Not bad.

3.5 D: It's decent, but I probably wouldn't trade for it again as there are much better options out there.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 04:24:40 | More by DavoleBomb

dogfishandi

New York

3.83/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle at about fridge temp poured into a snifter. only a few months old.

pours out a nice, fairly clear, deep orange/ light copper color with a wonderful off white, tight head with great head retention. lots of sticky lacing and a good bit of legs are left on the glass. i maybe expected just a slightly darker color, but it still looks pretty nice.

initially i get some earthy, somewhat floral hops and lots of caramel malt sweetness. as it warms, the hops and malt are still there, but lots of booze seems to take center stage. not as complex of an aroma as i thought it would be.

tastes like a DIPA, and almost like SN- bigfoot a little bit. earthy, floral hops with enough bitterness to support an IPA. fairly thick deep caramel malt sweetness. lots of warming booze, but no real evidence that this was at all barrel aged. hints of toffee slightly charred sugars. finishes warming with lots of hop bitterness.

big, fairly heavy bodied, good carb for the style.

pretty much what it is, an american BW. but for such i highly anticipated anniversary beer from my favorite brewery, i expected a bit more. i was really hoping for more of the barrel aging to show through, which it hardly did at all. not really worth the price tag. hopefully some age can turn this beer around in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 23:48:33 | More by dogfishandi

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A week after this beer was released, I was still kicking myself for not seeking it out. But by a stroke of blind luck, I came across a bottle, and I’m still not sure how. Thank you, oh sweet and merciful beer gods.

A: Pours a rusty-bolt red, slight hazy but with deep color to it. Surprisingly big head for such a hefty, alcoholic beer, too, rising to a full inch of eggshell-colored cream at a slow, determined pace. Eventually the foam falls to nothing more than a few bubbles, leaving little specks of lacing everywhere as it does.

S: Typical barleywine scents, but a twist – no, really, it smells like someone squeezed some lemon juice in here. It’s a tangy hop kick, almost acrid, wafting up effortlessly through the malts. Not a bad effect, actually: lemon and sour grape candy notes are causing some interesting interplay with the fig, caramel, molasses, and black licorice that run deep through the nose. Woody tones pick up on the back end, as well.

T: Holy hell, now I where this stuff got its name – pour some of this on a chain and you’ll cut right through it. Power in a bottle, but slow to deliver, the palate starts with a peaty, leathery earthiness and caramel nougat character. It’s all malt, but no sugar; how did they do that? Maybe it’s just that the other flavors are intense enough to push the residual sugars into the background. The hops come off in a stinging, astringent way, prickling with pine needles, blood orange, peach, and a touch of flowery hibiscus, and the booze isn’t far behind: its warmth grows to vodka-and-water solvent proportions before dying down to a more pleasing (though just as strong) taste of roasty Scotch. Yep, I’d say that’s enough to draw my attention away from any other flavor this beer can conjure up. Aftertaste is astonishingly light, leaving just a small taste of sherry and fruity candy on the tongue.

M: Fiery as all hell, but I’ve had IPAs feel thicker than this – sure, this is a sipper, but that’s really only because chugging it would be the liquid equivalent of the Cinnamon Challenge. Take heed: this beer is dangerously drinkable, as far as 10%+ beers go.

O: What the hell is going on in my glass? I think I like it, but that might just be the power of the Bolt Cutter luring me into its grasp. Give this one a year – no, two. Trust me, open it up next year to celebrate Founders’ 16th anniversary and you’ll be much happier. I mean, you’ll probably be just as happy, but at least it will stop your taste buds from burning off. Seriously, I think my hair is falling out…

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 23:16:26 | More by BarryMFBurton

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I hope this beer kicks it up a bit after warming. As it is right now, it's somewhat one-dimensional. It's nice and smooth with good malty tones. Bit of an alcohol burn on things. Overall, it's pretty nice. Too bad I don't have another to lay down to see how it ages. Regardless, happy anniversary Founders. Here's to the next 15 years.

(And it is opening up nicely, just so ya know.)

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 00:50:32 | More by RblWthACoz

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +9.4%
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

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.13/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours crimson/chestnut with 3 fingers of fluffy tan head. Insane lacing & above average head retention

S: Some pine & citrus, some boozey cakeyness as it warms

T: Brown sugar, pine in spades, a touch warming booze & woody hops up front along with dryness. Pineapple & grapefruit as this warms with a touch of cakeyness & more pine, just a hint of fruit cake there as well. Finishes with pineyness, backed up by treacle, dryness & pineapple upside down cake (like the kind they had in MREs) , plus a little booze sting

MF: Much chewyness, fairly firm carbonation, skews very hoppy

I liked this, would love to age some, but I suspect all the hoppyness would fade quickly. A sipper. Pricey, but I didn't feel cheated

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 03:12:17 | More by russpowell

MasterSki

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by someone at Zwanze Day. Chris I think? Served in a Zwanze glass.

A - Light off-white foam settles to wisps, a thin collar, and minimal lace. Mostly transparent amber body.

S - Maple, caramel, light vanilla, a hint of bourbon, brown sugar, some nutty notes. There's perhaps a touch of alcohol as this warms up. For an 'American' barleywine there's fairly low hop presence; there's perhaps a bit of pine mingling with the booze.

T - The taste is similar, with notes of rum cake, caramel, maple, honey-drizzled bread, and bit of oaky vanilla. Not a ton of bourbon flavor here; just nice sweet barleywine flavors that manage to avoid getting overly cloying thanks to a low but sufficient amount of hop bitterness. Alcohol is better hidden as well.

M - Some definite alcohol heat at this stage, but nothing overwhelming for 15%. Smooth texture, medium-full body, lower carbonation, and a mildly tannic finish. Perhaps a bit undersized for 15%, but still fairly big.

D - I was skeptical this would be good, but I ended up really enjoying this beer; enough so that I went out and bought a bottle. I suspect it will be excellent in 6-12 months, but it's enjoyable in small quantities right out of the gate. Congrats to Founders on 15 years!

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 06:26:17 | More by MasterSki