Backwoods Bastard
Founders Brewing Company

Backwoods BastardBackwoods Bastard
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From:
Founders Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Ranked #3
ABV:
11.2%
Score:
96
Ranked #792
Avg:
4.35 | pDev: 10.11%
Reviews:
2,096
Ratings:
8,931
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 13, 2024
Added:
Jan 30, 2007
Wants:
  1,086
Gots:
  3,515
Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts, a bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark fruit. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Foxman:
Photo of Foxman
Reviewed by Foxman from New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
It pours a quite clear mahogany with dark amber margins. A thin finger of light tan head dwindles in an instant to fine surface swirls. Cords of lacing rope the inside of the glass.

In the aroma, the malt is dense and obviously sweet with brown sugar, toffee, and plum, and earthy with cocoa and medium strength coffee. A touch of soy and a vapory vent of alcohol round things out.

Upon sipping, thick malt washes in with sloe, brown sugar, mocha coffee, and unsweetened cocoa, not to mention molasses and dark toffee. Baked biscuit and roasted nuts provide a ground for a warm current of overt alcohol. Mere hints of hop spice tease before malt asserts again with slightly sweet caramel and dark baked bread. Bitterness builds steadily toward a finish that crisps but never forgoes the grain as it fades. This is a tasty malt beast with no pretense or pretending.

Between medium and full bodied, the flow is like light treacle and it ends with a dry gust.

First comes malt, second comes malt, and third comes the malt, always malty, nutty, and earthy sweet. Lord, I wonder what the wort smells like as it boils! Anyway, this malty bastard also sports a seriously buff ABV that heats and hazes. Still, it drinks happily, if malt be your thing. So I'm not sure if I mentioned malt, but it is malty, and damned proud of it. Enjoy it, friends, for the no-airs prideful creation it is.
Nov 20, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.54 by tommyd313 from Pennsylvania

Mar 13, 2024
 
Rated: 3.96 by RoyalKaiju from Kentucky

Mar 03, 2024
 
Rated: 4.38 by YeastEnthusiast from New Jersey

Mar 02, 2024
Photo of Tolianych_Pivomnabuhanych
Reviewed by Tolianych_Pivomnabuhanych from Vermont

5/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A solid 11% barrel-aged ale aged in oak bourbon barrels. Moderate caramel sweetness, rich yet elegant malts, a hint of ripe fruit like very ripe figs and plums.

It's a sipper, ladies and gentlemen. Do NOT chug this one down.
Feb 26, 2024
Photo of BigMac59
Reviewed by BigMac59 from Texas

4.28/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours very dark copper to dark brown, almost black.
Beautiful dense head which dissipates to a thin remnant with normal lacing.
Smells of scotch, bourbon, caramel and malts.
The bourbon taste comes through with notes of fruit (someone mentioned apricots) and some sweetness (caramel, chocolate, malt).
Lovely mouthfeel, just right for a rich scotch ale.
Overall, World Class.
Feb 12, 2024
 
Rated: 4.7 by Jacob313 from Michigan

Feb 03, 2024
 
Rated: 4.25 by drstalker from Illinois

Jan 20, 2024
 
Rated: 2.96 by SeanP99 from North Carolina

Jan 11, 2024
 
Rated: 4.43 by kds2437 from Texas

Jan 02, 2024
 
Rated: 4.07 by TreyJ88

Dec 26, 2023
 
Photo of Dathon
Reviewed by Dathon

5/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Incredibly smooth. This beer hits on just about everything. The initial flavor is caramel with a lingering flavor of oak, malt, and the added note of some sort of dark fruit not sure which but it comes and stays on the finish. I am a big fan of blackrocks barbaric yawp but I don't know if any beer in this category can compare to the backwoods bastard. Everytime I try this beer I am blown away. incredible.
Dec 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by Nyoder

Nov 26, 2023
Photo of Jay430
Reviewed by Jay430 from Montana

4.9/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
I’m no beer judge or can describe every little nuance in a beer. But I love to drink all different kinds of beer. And I absolutely love this beer. Scottish and Irish are my go to’s I must admit. With that being said I have tried and also home brewed a lot.
Looks yummy in the glass and the smell will make your mouth water. Taste is everything you like about Scottish Ales without anything being an assault on your taste buds. The bourbon flavor and aroma are immediate but pretty subtle and don’t take over in anyway. Even at 11% it’s almost impossible to sip this beer.
It leaves you with a bourbony chocolate taste in your mouth and in your nose.
If you even think you like Scottish beer and have a chance to try this, I highly recommend it.
Nov 22, 2023
 
Rated: 4.41 by Iggy88 from Ohio

Nov 07, 2023
Photo of Lanoke12
Reviewed by Lanoke12 from Michigan

4.93/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Great strong scotch ale. The bourbon adds to the complexity and deepens the malt flavors. Definitely a great sipper on a crisp night. Perfect for the fall or a late night any time of year.
Oct 31, 2023
 
Rated: 4.19 by FrancisM12 from New Jersey

Oct 28, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by Bear1964 from Nebraska

Oct 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.15 by AJB46

Oct 06, 2023
Backwoods Bastard from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 8931 ratings