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:
Wednesday at 09:27 PM
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 BEERchitect:
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.37/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
An honor to finally try this beer. I'm a huge fan of Bourbon barrel aged beers. Needless to say I have high expectaitons here after striking gold with everything else that Founders makes.

A sturdy and stead pour brings about deep mohogany and medium brown colors with a significant haze. An initial 1/2" head of dense off-white head falls to half that and remains firm from then on. A nice Belgian lace persists on the sides of the glass as the beer fades.

In Kentucky, we are used to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday Bourbon Balls. This delicate desert is very well exhibited in this beer. The aroma is chocked full of deep bourbony and cocoa aromas. Here, the maltiness doesn't end with the grains, but a malted milk note persists and inhances the intrigue. Just from the nose, this is one inviting beer.

Intense flavors of strong malts, deep chocolates, medium coffees and nuts, and bourbon-soaked fruits make for a great, great taste. Low on hop flavoring, the malts dominate here. Absolute delicious blend of molassas sweetness, bourbon undertones, cocoa, and mild campfire-ish notes make for a very well rounded and complex taste.

The body of the beer, once again, favors the malts but is well balanced with deep alcohols, fruitcake breadiness, and rich creaminess (again, like the malted milk thing- think Whopper candies soaked in bourbon). No phenolics or sharp alcohols, this beer is very well textured.

As far as Scottish Ales are concerned, this one is light on the peat and smokey notes. It emphasized the rich malty flavors and textures without becomming overly sweet. Combine all this with the robust chocolate and bourbon notes and we have a perfect desert beer for a Kentuckian.

Thanks RyanC84!
Jul 29, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.54 by tommyd313 from Pennsylvania

Wednesday at 09:27 PM
 
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