Backwoods Bastard | Founders Brewing Company

4.17/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

3.78/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

Very oaky. Burnt sugar, raisin, dark fruits. Caramel, Strong whiskey flavor. Let this sit a while maybe NYD. Had another 5 months later, already less boozy. Bit more enjoyable.

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4.39/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Vertical comparison of 2014 and 2015 versions. Both in bottle. 2014 bottle date - 10/7/14. 2015 bottle date - 9/26/15. Appearance: Both a deep amber red/ brown, with minimal khaki foam head. 2015 version is almost perfectly clear, while the 2014 is noticeably murky and cloudy. Aroma: 2014: Rich oak and cherry dominate, with smoky tobacco and a touch of vanilla. 2015: A strong woody oak aroma with high vanilla and smoky notes. The cherry and tobacco notes picked up on the aged 2014 not present in the fresh 2015 version. Taste: 2014: Rich maltiness with strong cherrywood flavor, giving way to a distinct coconut and vanilla. Bitterness barely there. 2015: A strong punch of fresh oak wood and vanilla, with those flavors much stronger than the 2014 version. Fresh version has not developed the dark fruit/cherry flavors found in the 2014 version. Mouthfeel: 2014: Medium body with light creaminess and low carbonation and a touch of alcohol warmth. 2015: Medium body with a more syrupy character than 2014. Missing 2014 creaminess. Carbonation low, with a similar alcohol warmth. Finish: 2014: Leaves a malty finish with lingering cherry and coconut. 2015: Very malty on the finish with a lingering vanilla bean flavor. Overall: Can’t go wrong with either, both are amazing, but I prefer the 2014 aged version to the fresh 2015. 2014 has developed a softer melding of all the rich scotch ale and oak barrel flavors, with the development of dark fruit, cherry, coconut, and tobacco notes not found in the 2015. 2015 has a much sharper taste profile with fresh woody and strong vanilla that are present but subdued in the 2014 version. My advice, this is beer that is definitely better with some age on it.

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4.21/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

4.45/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Incredible beer, I agree with other reviews for the alcohol level this was very smooth. Hard to find beer, could only buy 2 four packs in my town in PA. Nice subtle taste and smell of chocolate, carmel and bourbon.

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4.78/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

5/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

4.35/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

4.84/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

It's pure nectar. Haven't been wowed like this in a long time. Get some.

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4.88/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

4.66/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.25/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.28/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

4.54/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Ill re-review my beers each year that theyre released. The scores rarely change that much in one direction or the other.

That said, this is one of my favorite beers to age. Time definitely does this bottle some favors. It ages gracefully.

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4.52/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

4.03/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

4.43/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

4.34/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.84/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2014 after a year of aging alongside a 2015... The 2015 is not amazing (right now) but this 2014 is money in the bank...

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4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Delectable. After the initial sniff, I was expecting a certain finish. That...I did not get. It was sweet, subtle, and smooth. Definitely a great way to end our night.

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4.77/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

This beer is outrageous! Never had anything over 10% that was this smooth. Light sweetness, mild warming alcohol, and just a touch of smoke. Bright garnet when held up to the light and clear as could be. I was expecting this to be overly sweet and burning with booze, but is was just the opposite. This beer walks softly and carries a big stick... errr, AXE! Everything here comes together so nicely it blows me away!

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4.14/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Now that Backwoods Bastard is a year-rounder, I feel less compulsion to hoard. I reached to the back of the bottom shelf and pulled out a random one, which happened to be from September 2015. Only half a finger of head for a brief moment, even with an aggressive pour. A bit surprising, it was a bit brighter and fruitier than is typical when fresh, with some pronounced black cherry notes on the nose and palate both. It's pulling a lot of oak from the barrel into the flavor profile--still nicely balanced, but the balance has shifted to accenting other components a bit more prominently after two-plus years.

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