Nemesis (2010)
Founders Brewing Company

Bottle received as an extra in a trade some years ago. Guess I had better drink it.

Appearance is interesting. Dark brown, almost black body, thin white head.

Nose is sharp, piney hops with a caramel or molasses sweet malt component.

Flavor is dark and rich, sharp hops show up midway and dominate the finish. Smooth caramel malt slides across the tongue.

Tangy and tantalizing on the palate. The low carb does not prevent this from being a pleasure to sip.

Almost a black IPA, almost a Double Bastard type strong ale. This is a delicious and unique brew. For an older beer, this has held up remarkably well in my cellar. The hops are still huge. Wish I had sampled this while fresh as well.

Bottled on 3-9-2021. This is the last bottle of the 4-pack I bought way back in 2021. The first few bottles were harsh and not very good. THIS bottle, however, is actually quite amazing. The flavors have mellowed and blended fantastically.
Poured into a snifter at about 40F, which is a little cold, but we'll see how it goes.
Pours pitch black with a thin layer of off-white head that dissipates fairly quickly into a sparse film
Smells of raisins, toffee/caramel, plum and booze.
Taste is quite interesting with mostly caramel and raisins but with a nice bitter kick in the middle that makes it so nicely balanced. I figured 3.5 years would decrease the hops to nothing, but really they come through very nicely. Finishes quite dry actually.
Feel is full bodied, fairly boozy, but at %12abv, it's much less noticeable than one would think
Overall, very nice aged beer. Far better with a few years on it than fresh imo.

12 oz bottle. Pours brown with tall, long-lasting, foamy off-white head. Aroma is caramel malt, dark fruit, brown sugar, cherries and piney hops. Body is full and crisp. Bready, caramel malt, brown sugar, dark fruit, herbal hops and chocolate covered cherries fill the mouth. Finish is long and very bitter. Delicious brew.

 

Bottled on 3-8-21. The dark fruit smell and taste as well as the creamy mouthfeel make this a beer a winner! I had this years ago and I'm glad my buddy gave me 2 bottles. Don't pass on this beer in the store if you like the style.

 

Bottle courtesy of acurtis.
Nice dark fruits, toffee, and brown sugar.
Also oxidized cardboard and flat.
Past it’s prime clearly.

 

Friend finally cracked this one after aging it for 9 years! It aged very nicely, and was lest boozy over time (per my friend who had it fresh 10 years ago).

 

 

reviewed blind

stubby into my fw glass

a-dark cola colored with a thin half inch tan head

s-dark fruits followed by some oxidation, possible bourbon in the faint background, this guy is definitely getting up there with age

t-follows the nose, lots of dark fruits than some oxidation and than more dark fruits/possibly barrel? it taste up there with age

m- mouthfeel is thick, carbonation is on the lower side. this guy drinks 7-8% but i’m guessing its up towards 12-13% mellowed with age

o- this was fun, the second half was WAY better than the first half, it really opened up and had some very tasty flavors

 

12oz bottle thanks to Toby. Dark amber with a small beige head. Sweet malts in the aroma and taste, some root beer barrels, cola. Kind of sweet. and sticky.

 

12 oz bottle

Pours jet black almost still.. Big notes of tobacco, chocolate, roasted coffee on nose and palate. Mouth feel is viscous almost chewy and bit of a hop presence on back end. Coming through slightly oxidized however the low carb level i think is an attribute to this beer.

 

 

 

A dark brown beer essentially, rolls red to the edge thin lighter brown head, 1/5". Aroma was hot. Boozy.

Taste had more heat. Lots of caramel, hops, bitterness, malt, alcohol. Some brown sugar, toffee notes.

A good not great barleywine.