Curmudgeon
Founders Brewing Company

As we can perhaps discern from the label, this is an unapologetic, strong beer. It pours a dense, cloudy brown color, and has an oaky, almost scotch-like scent. It tastes like an english ale with a dollop of good whisky; although it has a certain pervasive boozy flavor, one that is certainly somewhat unbalanced, it's appropriate for the style. This is a full-bodied beer, almost to the point of chewiness. It's not what I'd call eminently drinkable, because of its kick; I found myself sipping it absently, like a neat whisky.

 

 

 

 

A 2016 version, poured out of a 32oz crowler that I picked up @ SLL in Sept. 21. I’ve always enjoyed this beer fresh and cold, but leaving this beer out and sipping my way through it was great for exposing the beer’s full spectrum of aromas and flavors. This is one of the most inviting beers, if based on looks alone - a beautifully clear deep amber body is capped with a dense light tan head that clings to the glass as it slowly recedes. Note that the last of the crowler poured a bit murkier and more caramel colored than amber. The aromas are initially dominated by a mix of over ripe orchard fruits and darker, sweet, dried fruits on a raisin toast-like malt base. There is a hint of vanilla and a good dose of other oak-barrel, bourbon-like alcohol flavors to stiffly balance this beers rich base. As it warms, there’s nutty/hazelnut, caramel and toffee notes that come forward in the taste. If there’s a moment where the hops shine, it’s mid-finish where they come across as mildly herbal and lightly spicy. Medium to full-bodied with just enough carbonation and abv to keep the beer from coming across as too heavy. I haven’t had many old ales as of late, and the [English] one’s I remember were quite different. Overall, for someone who really likes big, complex, aged ales - this beer is a standout.

 

 

 

 

355 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgaard. ABV is 9.8%. 50 IBU. Cloudy brown colour, low beige head of poor retention. Sweetish malty aroma, notes of caramel and oak, hints of dark dried fruits and alcohol. Not as sweet flavour as I feared, malty and oaky, caramel and dried figs, well balanced with the hops, a nice bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. Would buy again.

Just about as beautiful a brew can be. A request for a pint came from a tap, in a clear glass vessel. The color is a dark copper, bright, yet not translucent. The head is just barely biege, enduring and contributes to some wonderful glass lacing. The aroma is malty, almost stout-like malty. This is also good inside the mouth. It's rich, sweet, smooth and malty. But that's not all. Molasses and hops bring an earthiness that, without being bitter, enhance what would make a good ale, like a Wee Heavy Scottish Ale. The almost 10% ABV is unnoticed. That it's on the heavy side is a good thing, for any lighter, it would go down too quickly for the overall welfare of its consumer. Overall, complexly excellent.

 

 

 

 

16oz mason jar on tap from the Craft Beer Hop Shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation: 12 oz. brown bottle with no dates, served in a tulip glass.

Appearance: It develops a thin, half finger head that disappears almost immediately and leaves behind a layer of big bubbles that stay until the end. It's a murky, light brown color.

Smell: It's a sweet smell of plums, raisins, molasses and malt with a hint of alcohol in the background.

Taste: It's sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. There's dried fruit, molasses and brown sugar. It finishes with an earthy, oak note and some alcohol.

Mouthfeel: It's smooth, slightly oily and strong but not heavy at all with a medium body and low carbonation.

Overall: Even though it goes heavily towards the sweeter side, it's not cloying and the sweetness is not one dimensional. There's a lot of different elements to unpack and discover which makes this a really good beer.

 

 

 

Burnt orange in color with a nice light tan head. Update: the 2nd 12oz bottle was much flatter, headless. Pleasant aroma of molasses, plum & alcohol. Taste is bitter sweet. Nice flavor: plum, raisin, molasses,alcohol, brown sugar, oak flavors & malt. Medium viscousity. Excellent.

Having lived in Great Britain for 4 years, I have a taste for English and, particularly Scottish ales and stouts. This is a full bodied brew that is very smooth drinking.

Draught 8oz snifter at the Brass Tap here in Baltimore. Definitely, prefer this to the "...Better Half", and even the Smuttynose "Really Old Brown Dog". Nice color with a head that eventually disapates leaving a nice ring. Malty smell & taste with a smooth feel that hides an alcohol punch.

12oz bottle into Tulip
Bottled on 12/30/16 2 years old
Pours a deep red almost brown with thin tan head
Aroma is caramel, oak, and yeast
Taste follows the nose with a big malty start intense but not overly sweet caramel, golden raisin, yeast undertones, followed by oaky dryness and subtle bitter finish
The feel is medium-to-full bodied, syrupy feel, but has a medicinal dryness as well
Overall, I did not have this beer fresh (only bought it 'aged' recently) but this a super balanced complex easy drinking sipper, I'm really glad to have found this.