Highball Drifter
Founders Brewing Company

Highball DrifterHighball Drifter
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From:
Founders Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
Ranked #77
ABV:
11%
Score:
91
Ranked #6,434
Avg:
4.1 | pDev: 7.56%
Reviews:
78
Ratings:
208
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 05, 2024
Added:
Mar 24, 2021
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  9
There’s a new sheriff in town – meet Highball Drifter, a barrel-aged sipper inspired by our favorite bourbon-based cocktails. The second entry in our Bottle Shop Series, Highball Drifter presents aromatics of caramel and vanilla, dried fruit and spice while hints of cherry and bitter orange peel whisk you away like a tumbling tumbleweed. Call us old-fashioned, but we think you’re going to love it.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by PathofChaos:
Photo of PathofChaos
Reviewed by PathofChaos from Maryland

4.45/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance:
Murky, burnished copper with a sleek slip of white, sandy froth. Limited retention but what remains at the edge of the glass unexpectedly showcases a long coattail of cascading lace.

Bouquet:
Candied orange peels and maraschino cherries, sparingly drizzled with grenadine syrup. All floating atop a fine finger of brown sugar bourbon.

Feel:
A slick, supple medium, dotted with dainty champagne bubbles. The heft and viscosity are remarkably similar to an Old-Fashioned cocktail, and even includes the same sultry, citrusy booze heat linger.

Taste:
Bing cherries tumbling in a gentle elixir of sticky molasses, orange marmalade, and peaty bourbon. Its linger is a soft breeze made from wisps of brûléed brown sugar and sun-warmed oak.

Overall:
An elegant balance of tart and bittersweet.
Oct 09, 2021
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.87 by Sparty1965 from Michigan

Jan 05, 2024
 
Rated: 3.65 by BeerKegger

Nov 24, 2023
 
Rated: 3.91 by TreyJ88

Nov 24, 2023
 
 
Rated: 4.34 by sisterofba from Maryland

Nov 06, 2023
Photo of UWDAWG
Reviewed by UWDAWG from Washington

4.34/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 12 ounce bottle dated 6-9-22 into a snifter.

Look- Ruby brown, opaque, sudsy light brown head, above average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Bourbon, cherry, caramel, oak, vanilla, orange, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Bourbon, cherry, orange zest, mildly spicy, vanilla, caramel, between medium and high strength of flavor.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, average carbonation, mildly creamy, moderately bitter, mildly mouth warming, mildly spicy.

Overall- Ruby brown and opaque with above average head retention and lacing. Bouquet was bourbon, cherry, caramel, oak, vanilla and orange. Flavor was bourbon, cherry, orange zest, mildly spicy, vanilla and caramel. Feel was between thin and medium body with mild creaminess and mild mouth warming properties. Overall this beer provided a great drinking experience. Lots of complexity and plenty of strength in flavor and bouquet, but a bit thinner in body than expected.
Sep 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.55 by Jacob313 from Michigan

Sep 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.19 by oberon from North Carolina

Aug 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.1 by sd123 from Georgia

Aug 12, 2023
Photo of stortore
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois

4.24/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12 ounce bottle into a snifter. Bottled 7/7/21, had 9/1/21.

Pours a clear copper color, with a quarter inch foamy head and light foamy lacing. Aromas of caramel, orange peel, vanilla, light malt, light bourbon. Has a spicy aroma. Flavors of bourbon, vanilla, malt, orange peel, light cherry. Has a spicy flavor and a little herbal bitterness. Smooth, a very good light to medium body, well carbonated.

Does a very good job of being what it says. Everything shows well, except maybe the cherry. Don’t know the real cocktail, but this was certainty enjoyable.
May 22, 2023
Photo of kitch
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong

4.01/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
A 12 fl. oz. bottle, bottled on 6th July 2021, poured into a snifter glass.

Appearance: A rusty orange brown colour with a thin half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving nice lacing.

Aroma: Cocktails, orange bitters, dried orange peel, caramel, vanilla, with light candied cherry notes.

Taste: Lightly sweet, malty, candied dried fruit, orange bitters, orange peel, citrus zesty, candied cherry, oak, with notes of bourbon and vanilla.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Overall: An enjoyable sipper that’s very cocktail like, as it’s name suggests; and also with an aroma that was really good.
Mar 02, 2023
Photo of Bluerabbitbell
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2/5/23 Poured from 12 oz bottle purchased from Washington Beer Store.

Color is brown with minimal white lacing.

Aroma is boozy, sweet bourbon, raspberry, honey, orange and coriander.

Immediate boozy honey and sweet cherry, orange and even caramel. Smooth in the mouth with a lingering honey taste in the tongue.
Feb 05, 2023
Photo of vette2006c5r
Reviewed by vette2006c5r from Minnesota

4.48/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Highball Drifter pours dark amber with a long-lasting, smaller head. The aroma is sweet, boozy, orange liquor note. The flavor is filled with boozy orange notes, sharp cereal, hints of earth, and cherry. Good body and feel. Overall, a very, very nice and tasty cocktail beer.
Jan 28, 2023
Photo of LifesAnesthesia
Reviewed by LifesAnesthesia from Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
L - Dark copper with nice red undertones with a light tan head that dissipates somewhat quickly leaving behind some lacing
S - Sweet bourbon, bright orange and cherry, cinnamon, caramel
T - follows the nose: sweet, rich bourbon up front and throughout intermixed well with bright orange and cherry, notes of cinnamon, caramel, and vanilla - some toffee as well
F - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation
O - A well executed cocktail ale
Dec 31, 2022
Photo of Beerbubby
Reviewed by Beerbubby from Indiana

4.42/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Brown with light white head that disappears immediately. Smells of alcohol and chocolate. Taste is also chocolate and nutty. Mouth feel is what you would expect. Not syrupy but heavy.
Dec 24, 2022
 
Rated: 4.37 by beerjerk666 from Florida

Dec 22, 2022
 
Rated: 4.49 by arzt from Germany

Dec 12, 2022
Photo of Mitchster
Reviewed by Mitchster from Michigan

3.99/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
11% ABV, 25 IBU's per the bottle. Bottled 7/7/21.

Pours out to a murky deep brown forming a nice off yellow head with good retention and lacing. Carbonation is a little mild, around 2 carbs or so. Aroma of raisins, dates, figs, prunes and caramel vanilla suggesting boozy sweetness.No off aromas/flaws. Mouthfeel is syrupy, chewy and dense bodied. Taste is of raisins, dates, prunes. It was a little difficult to pick out, but there is a very brief flash of mild orange going on here up front, but it is quickly overwhelmed by the dark fruits that follow up. More akin to a mixed fruit cocktail syrup. As it warms, the orange nose blooms, but wet newspaper creeps in and tends to be overwhelmed by the dark fruits as well. Bitterness is very mild, this is a sweet beer. I am an avid bourbon and bitters enthusiast and I do not pick up on any bourbon or bitters character at all. In the very late aftertaste, we're talking minutes, there is a bit of grainy cereal sweetness.

I tried a few dashes of angostura in it to see if it helped balanced the sweetness. It really brought out the orange notes but in a bad way. Have you ever smelled smashed fruit flys? That smell.

Well, an interesting experiment. Can't say I would recommend it or want to drink it again though.
Dec 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4.24 by nyrblue2 from New York

Dec 03, 2022
Highball Drifter from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 208 ratings