Founders Centennial IPA

Founders Centennial IPA:

Unfiltered and dry-hopped, this India Pale Ale has a really nice balance and a bit of zip to it. Less floral and a bit drier than some other IPAs I've had. Centennial has a medium body and refreshing flavor but it's not as citrusy and flowery as, say Green Flash West Coast IPA or Ithaca Flower Power. And as an IPA, the paleness does shine through and isn't completely masked by the hops. Definitely drinkable and not nearly as rich as another Founders classic Double Trouble.

Founders Centennial IPA is a really dry pale ale with hops that remain in the background until the aftertaste. But dry as it is, there is also a malty earthiness that holds the beer together. Not sweet, mind you, but a touch of caramel peeks through. Pretty smooth and drinkable with a nice mouthfeel and just a hint of spice.

Founders has its own style and distinct flavor profile, but if it helps to compare and contrast, here are a few beers I've had recently (and you, good citizen, may be familiar with) that may be in the same ballpark: It's kinda like Sierra Nevada Torpedo meets River Horse Hop-a-lotamus plus a little bit of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. All in all, it's a really nice IPA with just enough complexity to keep it interesting. The highlight is its fine accessibility. This brew is worth taking to a barbecue so you can show off your good taste in beer without going overboard.

Founders Centennial IPA:

Representation: .90

Accessibility: .925

Style: .85

Personal Preference: .875

Total Score: 3.55 Flags

Founders Centennial IPA (Citizen Review)

What: Founders Centennial IPA 7.2% abv
Where: Casa McCuen (Collingswood, NJ)
When: May 16, 2010
What-have-you: "Founders makes some good beers, and this IPA was calling my name. With some recognizable maltiness to it, the hops were still the star of the show, and that is what I demand from an IPA. Another test I have is the half-way test. Halfway through the bottle, I like to stick my nose in, take a whiff. Yep, still hoppy. I like that. As I look at the bottle, I notice it mentions that it has been dry-hopped and it is unfiltered, which intrigues me. I would be interested in comparing this IPA and its brewing process to other IPAs, see which ones I like better. I have heard that this is actually much better on draught, which is never surprising, but I think this is another solid performance by Founders and a very nice IPA."

Founders Round-Up

Founders Brewing Co. Round-Up:

When you think of Michigan, the 26th State in the U.S. of A., you might think "Wow! That state looks like a giant mitten!" or maybe "I love Motown music!", and here at The Ferment Nation that is exactly what we think, but we also think that Founders Brewing Company is one of that state's finest contributions to the Union. Located in Grand Rapids, MI, Founders Brewing Company has been creating some really great crafts beers since 1997. The Ferment Nation is a fan of theirs, and we wanted to re-cap some of the beers we have already reviewed.

Founders Imperial Stout:

Imperial Stouts got their name because of their intended audience: royalty. So if you have the grapefruits to call your stout "imperial" you'd better be prepared to back it up with quality you can taste. Founders Imperial Stout does that and more. [Read the full review]

Founders Double Trouble Double IPA:

Another wonderful offering from Founders. This Double IPA is really hoppy and bitter and goodness gracious dry! Even though there is a slight floral sweetness to this brew because of the serious hoppage, the finish is outrageously dry like a wine finish. [Read the full review]

Founder's Red's Rye:

Had this beer several times on tap at Cork, once at High Street Grille, and now in a bottle. Damn fine. Simply described as "red ale made with rye", this beer has a lot more than that to offer a real beer lover. [Read the full review]

Founders Imperial Stout

Founders Imperial Stout:

Imperial Stouts got their name because of their intended audience: royalty. So if you have the grapefruits to call your stout "imperial" you'd better be prepared to back it up with quality you can taste. Founders Imperial Stout does that and more.

Oh, it's imperial alright. Founders Imperial Stout has regal implications, with a velvety smooth mouthfeel and formidable body. Definitely high viscosity. It is dark and dark with a richness you can see. This beer is ginormous. Just seeing its inky visage in the glass, oily lacework and grayish-brown head should let the casual observer know that this is no ordinary stout. The aroma is non-threatening, maybe a hint of of cocoa sweetness; and the first sip follows suit... but just wait for the after effects: The huge body materializes and brings with it some deeper flavor phantoms: coffee perhaps, or molasses. but something else adds to the body-- oatmeal or milk sugar? Not sure. There's an interesting hop profile here, too. With 90 IBUs (Hop-heads, take note: that's the same as Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA) the brew seems to get a little drier, not sweeter, as the drink moves along.

Founders Imperial Stout ranks high up on the charts -- comparable to two of my regional faves, Victory Storm King and Weyerbacher Old Heathen. Style and Representation are big scores. Accessibility may be trouble because of its rich bitterness and boozy tendencies (10.5% abv does not a "session brewski" make) and Personal Preference is a crapshoot. I think it's wonderful but I don't want to stock my fridge with a case of it. I have to wake up at some point, after all.

Don't waste this beer on a novice. Rookies need to earn their way into the imperial court. It's a must-have for stout lovers and Founders fans. Cheers!

Founders Imperial Stout:

Representation: .99

Accessibility: .89

Style: 1.0

Personal Preference: .925

Total Score: 3.805 flags

Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (Presidential Brief)

What: Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
Where: The Blue Monkey Tavern (Merchantville, NJ)
When: January 13, 2010
What-have-you: "A the Blue Monkey - Founders 'Kentucky Breakfast Stout.' Rare as hell. Delicate yet hearty, complicated yet simply satisfying. Worth ordering anytime you can get it."

Stout Beers: A Brief Introduction (Ferment Nation TV)

From the office of the Vice President:

We are going to be adding more videos to Ferment Nation in the coming months, some of them for the novice drinker, some for the experts, but we would like to hear from you! What kind of videos would you like to see more of? Let us know!

In the meantime, enjoy our Brief Introduction to Stout Beers.

Founders Breakfast Stout (Presidential Brief)

What: Founders Breakfast Stout
Where: PJ's Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: September 23, 2009, 9:59PM
What-have-you: Better than I remember, which is un-freakin'-believable. Rich 'n bitter 'n smooth . Kinda strong, but not too boozy.

Founders KBS

Founders KBS:

The Amazing Kosmicki's Highly Acclaimed KBS is good for what ails ya. Warms you all the way to your very skeleton. Founders has done it again -- pushed the bounds of normal everyday brewing and kicked boring beers in the groin. How serious is KBS? It takes Founders own Breakfast Stout behind the woodshed to teach it a lesson. Not that the Breakfast of Champions needed any more complexity -- what with double chocolate, oatmeal, and coffee and all. But soak that breakfast in a bourbon barrel and you've got an elixir that's guaranteed to make even the most potent snake oil look and taste like a glass of muddy water.

KBS is a little drier than the Backwoods Bastard and is definitely a stoutish brew with excessive flavor. Step right up and experience a revelation... A veritable sip of Salvation if ever there was one. Stout lovers and Bourbon cask-conditioned lovers need to find this beer if you can. The body is outstanding and the bourbon essence is clearly evident though the bitter chocolate and coffee notes are not overpowered. Black as pitch and deep in flavor, it sticks to your ribs and then kicks you in them. At 11.2% abv, this is a breakfast for the truly fearless (or those with nothing to lose). Now quit stomping around! El Presidente needs his medicine.

Founders KBS:

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: .85

Style: 1.0

Personal Preference: 1.0

Total Score: 3.85 Flags

Ferment Nation Beer Blog

Founders Backwoods Bastard

Founders Backwoods Bastard:

Bourbon Barrel Aged Ale is fairly dreamy. Don't let the title fool you--this is no Deliverance style backwoods hillbilly rotgut. No, not at all. This groovin' full-bodied ale has enough sophistication to intrigue the palate of the most cosmopolitan among us. The bourbon flavor is apparent, especially if you slug down some of this brew from the bottle (Somehow the aeration gives it a more "shot o' whiskey" feeling to it); but to really experience the complexities of the bourbon and caramel flavors, please pour this backwoods beauty into a chalice-style glass. Besides drinking it, try not drinking it. A few bottles of this brew are worthy of collecting a little dust next to my barleywine collection. The full body, the caramel-like sweetness, the swirling sea-foam head, dry wine finish and fruity nose lend themselves to comparisons with rich ales like the barleywine style. And hell, at 10.2% abv, it should age nicely right alongside my Insanity (Bourbon Barrel aged Blithering Idiot by Weyerbacher).

Who should try this beer?

• Anyone who is adventurous and eager to try new things.


• Anyone who likes other bourbon-aged brews


• Anyone who likes bourbon


• Anyone who likes barleywine


• Anyone who is slightly nervous about the man on the label hacking them to ribons if you don't squeal like a piggy

Founders Backwoods Bastard:

Representation: .975

Accessibility: .975

Style: .99

Personal Preference: .98

Total Score: 3.895 Flags

Related Reviews:
Founders Dirty Bastard
Founders Breakfast Stout

FermentNation.Blogspot.com

Founders Double Trouble Double IPA

Founders Double Trouble Double IPA:

Another wonderful offering from Founders. This Double IPA is really hoppy and bitter and goodness gracious dry! Even though there is a slight floral sweetness to this brew because of the serious hoppage, the finish is outrageously dry like a wine finish. Smooth to the tongue and easy to swallow, Double Trouble has a bigger body than one might expect from a dry, bitter IPA -- but its viscous consistency coats the glass as well as the tastebuds.

Totally drinkable for hop-heads but not for pretenders. At 9.4% abv, choose carefully. Maybe a bit too much to be a "session" beer but then again, a "session" only needs be two beers with this formidable beverage. I actually took about 1/3 of the beer straight from the bottle and it went just fine. But oopen this baby up in a glass big enough to put your nose in. Unlock a lot of complexity by getting all the senses involved.

OK, so what can I compare it to? You should try Founders Double Trouble if you like any of the following beers: Troegs Nugget Nectar (Imperial Amber), Weyerbacher Double Simcoe, Victory Hop Devil or Hop Wallop, Great Divide Titan IPA or Hercules Double IPA. I'm sure there are more comparisons to be made, but suffice it to say that Founders DT holds its own with all of the above. Not extreme, but bold and confident in its presentation. I'll be back for more.

Founders Double Trouble Double IPA:

Representation: .95

Accessibility: .90

Style: .95

Personal Preference: .95

Total Score: 3.75 Flags

Related Reviews:
Founders Breakfast Stout
Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale
Founders Red's Rye

Ferment Nation Beer Blog

Founders Breakfast Stout

Founders Breakfast Stout:

Double Chocolate. Coffee. Oatmeal. Stout. So yeah, that's Breakfast. 8.3% abv and all the vitamins and minerals you need to get off to a good start. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you know.

Bold and delicious with jump-starting coffee essence, mellowed out by chocolate (excuse me... double chocolate). The oatmeal provides a full-bodied brew that really sticks to your ribs.

Stout drinkers will go bananas over this beer. Again, Founders brews are bold without going over the top. Breakfast Stout is a perfect example of this: Bitter but not off-putting, a touch sweet, but in a dark chocolate kind of way, with an oatmeal base that holds it together rather than consuming the individuality of the flavors. The coffee and chocolate have a party together, frolicking in the oatmeal, celebrating the fading of night and heralding the arrival of the dawn. If the first thing to touch each of our lips in the morning could be Founders Breakfast Stout, the leaders of this troubled planet could work out their differences at the breakfast table like a big, happy family and mellower heads would prevail. I want world peace, damn it. And another Breakfast Stout, please. Big score on the way.

Founders Breakfast Stout:

Representation: .975

Accessibility: .95

Style: .99

Personal Preference: .95

Total Score: 3.865 Flags

Related Reviews:
Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Style Ale

FermentNation.Blogspot.com

Founder's Dirty Bastard Scotch Style Ale

Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Style Ale:

I gotta say, Founders is pretty hardcore. The beers I've tried so far are all bold but not extreme. No, wait: I take that back --- Devil Dancer Triple IPA is extreme. But be it known, good citizens, that the boldness continues with Dirty Bastard. The Scotch Style Ale is "up there" on my list of faves. With medium to full body and plenty of toasty malty goodness, Dirty Bastard has a taste of sweetness to go with the bitter punch. Finishing dry and bitter, your mouth wants more. There's plenty of flavor in this brew so take your time and savor it. From a bottle, pour into a chalice-style glass and use small draughts and long swallows. Make sure to breathe deeply through your nose and enjoy the wine-like bouquet before digging in. Feel free to make yummy noises as well.

Now, yes I said your mouth wants more. The little sips turn to greedy swallows by the time you're done, but at 8.5% abv, maybe you only need one. The admonition on the neck label will egg you on as if the bottle itself is calling you a sissy if you move onto something lighter. I won't, though. This beer is pretty big so don't be ashamed if you need to step away.

Who should try it? Scotch Ale people, Barleywine lovers, and hardcore Ale folks. There's something of a Dirty Bastard in everyone.

Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Style Ale:

Representation: .95
Accessibility: .85
Style: .95
Personal Preference: .97

Total Score: 3.72 Flags

Founder's Red's Rye

Founder's Red's Rye:

Had this beer several times on tap at Cork, once at High Street Grille, and now in a bottle. Damn fine. Simply described as "red ale made with rye", this beer has a lot more than that to offer a real beer lover. Acres of flavor with a medium body. Red Ales never had it so good. The rye is evident, but even more so when you're eating rye bread. Wash down a Reuben sandwich with this fine brew and put your taste buds to the test. Also clearly evident are the hops. Got a nice bitterness, especially at the finish.

Now this is a cool hoppy alternative to the super-sized IPAs that float around from time to time. See if you agree with this assessment: Sierra Celebration meets Hop Devil meets Dock Street Rye IPA. I wonder if I could have a tan and tan and tan with these three and check it out.

Much like the Hop Devil, this ale goes down very smoothly and may surprise you at 6.8% abv, so don't be afraid of Red's Rye, but respect it for sure. More like an IPA than a red, so Killian's drinkers are going to either be converted or disgusted. Either way, Founder's brews have impressed me since I first tried them a few short weeks ago. Red's Rye is a work horse of a beer, and highly recommended.

Founder's Red's Rye:

Representation: 1.0
Accessibility: .95
Style: .95
Personal Preference: .98

Total Score: 3.88 Flags