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Bolt Cutter
Founders Brewing Company
- From:
- Founders Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
- ABV:
- 15%
- Score:
- 90
- Avg:
- 4.05 | pDev: 12.1%
- Reviews:
- 247
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Mar 24, 2021
- Added:
- Nov 03, 2012
- Wants:
- 215
- Gots:
- 666
Bolt Cutter is a cellarable barley wine with an ABV of 15%. Dry-hopped with a mountain of Cascade hops, it’s balanced by a malty sweetness and spicy complexity, resulting from barrel aging some of it in bourbon barrels, some in maple syrup-bourbon barrels and some not at all (standard fermentation only). We’ve allowed the beer to mature in bottles and kegs since July so that it would be perfect for its release next month. Bolt Cutter pours a deep copper color and is best sampled at different temperatures to allow the flavors to unfold.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Hopstout:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by BeardedWalrus from North Carolina
4.53/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.53/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottled in 2012, poured into a brandy snifter. Color is a beautiful mahogany brown, with some burnt orange in direct light. Nose is big and sweet, lots of brown sugar and maple. Taste is similar, with sweet caramel, toffee, and oak notes delivering a delicious experience. The feel is slick and sweet, with with a relatively mild body that makes it surprisingly drinkable at 15% abv. Overall, it's another great brew from Founders, and i count myself lucky for having gotten a bottle.
Mar 24, 2021Reviewed by SFC21 from Florida
4/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottled in 2012, so just about 8 years of sleep on this big guy.
Look is rusty/copper body that still has some carbonation left. Nose is butterscotch, dark bread, and sweet potato. The nose barely carries over to the taste, though, as the hops and 15% ABV takes over. A lot of bourbon notes, overripe orange, big, earthy hops and a slightly medicinal finish. Pretty smooth and not a lot of heat considering the ABV. I cellared this one as the initial reviews in 2012 said it was too hot and needed time. I'm glad I did, this aged really well.
Aug 13, 2020Look is rusty/copper body that still has some carbonation left. Nose is butterscotch, dark bread, and sweet potato. The nose barely carries over to the taste, though, as the hops and 15% ABV takes over. A lot of bourbon notes, overripe orange, big, earthy hops and a slightly medicinal finish. Pretty smooth and not a lot of heat considering the ABV. I cellared this one as the initial reviews in 2012 said it was too hot and needed time. I'm glad I did, this aged really well.
Reviewed by TreyIsWilson from Michigan
4.19/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A - Pours a clear amber with a thin off white head. Light amount of soapy lacing.
S - Aroma is caramel, oak and bourbon.
T - The taste is toffee, caramel, grapefruit rind, oak, piney hops and bourbon.
M - Medium body with medium carbonation. Sticky mouthfeel with a dry mouthfeel.
O - After 7 years this is still a big bad beer. The flavors are pretty well rounded with a big boozy finish.
Dec 22, 2019S - Aroma is caramel, oak and bourbon.
T - The taste is toffee, caramel, grapefruit rind, oak, piney hops and bourbon.
M - Medium body with medium carbonation. Sticky mouthfeel with a dry mouthfeel.
O - After 7 years this is still a big bad beer. The flavors are pretty well rounded with a big boozy finish.
Reviewed by Joe_Tool from New Jersey
4.09/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Let this one sit. Got a case of it back when they were making it. A bunch of my good friends took some off of me so I didn't have to tell the wife I spent $220 on a case of beer. I said let them sit for 5 years as it was horrible then. It improved a lot but was a bit of a disappointment. Still hot and cloying. If you still have one, wait. It's not worth cracking it yet. It may never get there but it certainly isn't yet.
Jun 16, 2019Reviewed by dafla67 from Pennsylvania
4.5/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Just drank a bottle last week (March 2019). Simply awesome. Pour a murky amber. Aroma of pine, bourbon & malt. Tastes so smooth even after 7 years. Full bodies. I am a Barleywine fan and this is one of my all time favorites. Needs to come out of retirement, more so then a third year in a row of CBS (and I really like CBS as well).
Apr 04, 2019Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.25/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottled 2012; drank 2/27/14.
Murky bright orange hue.
Bright white head; minimal lace.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Oak, caramel, smoke & grapefruit flavor; age hasn't harmed this sturdy monster one bit.
Feb 19, 2019Murky bright orange hue.
Bright white head; minimal lace.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Oak, caramel, smoke & grapefruit flavor; age hasn't harmed this sturdy monster one bit.
Reviewed by GregBarleycorn13 from New York
4.66/5 rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.66/5 rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Had in the cellar the last 6 years. I can't remember a better barleywine I've had in a long time. Still a great aroma and taste was all that a barleywine should be. Even after six years. Too bad it's not being made anymore.
Mar 25, 2018Reviewed by Davepoolesque from Massachusetts
4.08/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bottled in 2012, 15th Anniversary Ale. Another one of the first beers I ticked away in my "cellar". This must have been a beast back in the day. Pine, chocolate, caramel, toffee and oak. Medium bodied. Still lots of pine resin, dry bitterness. Eh, Big American Barleywines aren't really my bag. This is still going strong. Could probably easily age another 5 years.
Jan 19, 2018
Bolt Cutter from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating:
90 out of
100 with
1361 ratings
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