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Backwoods Bastard
Founders Brewing Company
- From:
- Founders Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Ranked #3 - ABV:
- 11.2%
- Score:
- 96
Ranked #791 - Avg:
- 4.35 | pDev: 10.11%
- Reviews:
- 2,096
- Ratings:
- 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 jbwimer:
Reviewed by jbwimer from Kansas
4.29/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Have had an aged version of this beer. Wanted to review one that was fairly fresh. Bottled on 10/12/13. Extra in a trade from the other site. Served a few degrees below cellar temp.
A- 12 oz. bottle poured aggressively into a Bell's snifter. Finger of a beige head gradually fades over a few minutes to leave a thin film on top of the beer. This is a very dark beer. When held to the light, it gives off a faint glow of deep ruby. Beautiful bastard.
S- This isn't an overly aromatic beer. But what smells are there are really nice. Bourbon and wood dominate, but not in an offensive way. It's really nice and smooth. I'm getting faint hits of cherry and vanilla. Some caramel. Figs, dates, raisins. Something along those lines.
T- Money. Bourbon is present the whole way through, and I love it. A mix of vanilla, figs/raisin/dates, wood. Really well done. Good job of masking the alcohol, except for the warming sensation. Which is usually a plus.
M- Really smooth. Not much carbonation. I would put it towards the heavier end of a medium mouthfeel, bordering on heavy. Quite nice.
O- It's obvious why people look forward to this release every year. I should have bought more. Maybe there's still some laying around. Would love to start a vertical of this beer. Tasty, well-balanced offering from Founders.
Jan 20, 2014A- 12 oz. bottle poured aggressively into a Bell's snifter. Finger of a beige head gradually fades over a few minutes to leave a thin film on top of the beer. This is a very dark beer. When held to the light, it gives off a faint glow of deep ruby. Beautiful bastard.
S- This isn't an overly aromatic beer. But what smells are there are really nice. Bourbon and wood dominate, but not in an offensive way. It's really nice and smooth. I'm getting faint hits of cherry and vanilla. Some caramel. Figs, dates, raisins. Something along those lines.
T- Money. Bourbon is present the whole way through, and I love it. A mix of vanilla, figs/raisin/dates, wood. Really well done. Good job of masking the alcohol, except for the warming sensation. Which is usually a plus.
M- Really smooth. Not much carbonation. I would put it towards the heavier end of a medium mouthfeel, bordering on heavy. Quite nice.
O- It's obvious why people look forward to this release every year. I should have bought more. Maybe there's still some laying around. Would love to start a vertical of this beer. Tasty, well-balanced offering from Founders.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Tolianych_Pivomnabuhanych from Vermont
5/5 rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
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, 2024It's a sipper, ladies and gentlemen. Do NOT chug this one down.
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
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, 2024Beautiful 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.
Reviewed by Dathon
5/5 rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
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, 2023Reviewed by Jay430 from Montana
4.9/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
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, 2023Looks 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.
Reviewed by Lanoke12 from Michigan
4.93/5 rDev +13.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
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
Backwoods Bastard from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating:
96 out of
100 with
8931 ratings
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