Sumatra Mountain Brown
Founders Brewing Company


- From:
- Founders Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- American Brown Ale
Ranked #4 - ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 95
Ranked #1,656 - Avg:
- 4.28 | pDev: 7.24%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 444
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 28, 2025
- Added:
- Dec 19, 2010
- Wants:
- 136
- Gots:
- 468
This bold, imperial brown ale gets its body from a team of malts including Caramel malt for sweetness, flaked barley for dense foam, a bit of Chocolate malt for its deep color and Aromatic and Munich malts to add even more depth. German and Perle hops add a touch of bitterness to balance the malty sweetness. The addition of rich Sumatra coffee takes this perfectly balanced imperial brown ale to a decadent level.
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Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
3.92/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
Copenhagen 29/9 2018. 35,5 cl bottle from Voldby Købmandsgård Webshop. A Sumatran (I suppose) Mountain in piss yellow tinged colors on the label. Promise of Sumatra Coffee.
Pours clear dark brown with small off-white head. Settles as small puddles of thin foam floating aimlessly around. No lacing.
Aroma is spicy and dark with a bitter twist. Moderately intense. Dark chocolate, bitter coffee, tobacco, brown sugar and a little hint of smoke.
Light carbonation. Quite thick, soft, creamy texture.
Flavor is heavy sweet followed by strong spicy bitterness. Light alcoholic burn. Aftertaste is bitter coffee with a little added sugar. Stays with me for a while.
Fine Coffee Bomb which manages not to remind me that I am drinking a quite strong beer.
Nov 28, 2025Pours clear dark brown with small off-white head. Settles as small puddles of thin foam floating aimlessly around. No lacing.
Aroma is spicy and dark with a bitter twist. Moderately intense. Dark chocolate, bitter coffee, tobacco, brown sugar and a little hint of smoke.
Light carbonation. Quite thick, soft, creamy texture.
Flavor is heavy sweet followed by strong spicy bitterness. Light alcoholic burn. Aftertaste is bitter coffee with a little added sugar. Stays with me for a while.
Fine Coffee Bomb which manages not to remind me that I am drinking a quite strong beer.
Rated by ttoadee from Texas
4.21/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
RB transfer
Sep 24, 2025Reviewed by Sinfull from New York
4.13/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Dark brown color. Nice, beige head. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, and hint of nuts. Notes of coffee and roasted malt dominates the taste. Moderate, roasted bitterness at the end.
Feb 27, 2025Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut
3.56/5 rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.56/5 rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottled 3/31/17.
Medium reddish brown coming out of the bottle settling into a very dark brown in the glass. Not bad looking, but also doesn't stand out in any way.
Aroma is highlighted by plenty of malts with a heavy does of caramel. Alcohol is evident, while finding the coffee after 6.5 years takes closer inspection.
The coffee is more distinct on the tongue, yet without the roast that I usually associate with it. It's clear that this is a brown ale, but with more alcohol than normal. Thinner than I was anticipating.
Overall, still solid. Doesn't light the world on fire, but zero complaints either.
Nov 04, 2023Medium reddish brown coming out of the bottle settling into a very dark brown in the glass. Not bad looking, but also doesn't stand out in any way.
Aroma is highlighted by plenty of malts with a heavy does of caramel. Alcohol is evident, while finding the coffee after 6.5 years takes closer inspection.
The coffee is more distinct on the tongue, yet without the roast that I usually associate with it. It's clear that this is a brown ale, but with more alcohol than normal. Thinner than I was anticipating.
Overall, still solid. Doesn't light the world on fire, but zero complaints either.
Reviewed by Brenden from Ohio
4.56/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: A medium-dark brown with some clarity and brilliant ruby hues in the light, it grows a light tan head up to a finger or two with moderate retention and lacing
S; Roasted coffee over some chocolate undertones with a distinct nuttiness; sweetness leads to earthy hops notes and just a whiff of heat into a bit of almost smoky malts
T: Sweetness of chocolate and brown sugar, toasty breads balancing, allows for just a kiss of hops to come through while altogether allowing the coffee to shine; lots of roast, no real bitterness to speak of, and a beautiful nutty note allow for exceptional balance. A phenomenal coffee beer and brown ale in all its aspects. A sweet but clean finish even as roasty flavor pull all the way through.
F: Medium body with good carbonation that keeps from being overdone, it flows smoothly all the way
Jun 26, 2023S; Roasted coffee over some chocolate undertones with a distinct nuttiness; sweetness leads to earthy hops notes and just a whiff of heat into a bit of almost smoky malts
T: Sweetness of chocolate and brown sugar, toasty breads balancing, allows for just a kiss of hops to come through while altogether allowing the coffee to shine; lots of roast, no real bitterness to speak of, and a beautiful nutty note allow for exceptional balance. A phenomenal coffee beer and brown ale in all its aspects. A sweet but clean finish even as roasty flavor pull all the way through.
F: Medium body with good carbonation that keeps from being overdone, it flows smoothly all the way
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan
4.63/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.63/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
bottled 12/4/2017 - enjoyed 4/7/2022
Had this in the cellar and was going to send it out but thought I'd better make sure it was still okay. Why I didn't rate it 5 years ago, don't know. I did not need to worry. It was still very, very good.
Poured cola dark, definitely more brown than red or black and had a light brown head, albeit briefly. (Hey, after 5 years, that's pretty good for a brown!)
The aroma was malty and maybe had coffee. My nose is damaged so specifics are difficult.
The taste though. Yum. Malts forcefully drive this train, coffee plays along almost seamlessly. Any hop bite that may have been present years ago is gone. Just deep malts swirled and steeped in coffee.
The feel, well, for a brown a little viscous, but for a BA brown, spot on, not sure if it's better or worse than 5 years ago.
OA, Whenever I drink one of Founders BA browns, I wonder why it's not done more often by other brewers. Dang these are good.
Apr 07, 2022Had this in the cellar and was going to send it out but thought I'd better make sure it was still okay. Why I didn't rate it 5 years ago, don't know. I did not need to worry. It was still very, very good.
Poured cola dark, definitely more brown than red or black and had a light brown head, albeit briefly. (Hey, after 5 years, that's pretty good for a brown!)
The aroma was malty and maybe had coffee. My nose is damaged so specifics are difficult.
The taste though. Yum. Malts forcefully drive this train, coffee plays along almost seamlessly. Any hop bite that may have been present years ago is gone. Just deep malts swirled and steeped in coffee.
The feel, well, for a brown a little viscous, but for a BA brown, spot on, not sure if it's better or worse than 5 years ago.
OA, Whenever I drink one of Founders BA browns, I wonder why it's not done more often by other brewers. Dang these are good.
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3/5 rDev -29.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -29.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
355 ml bottle, from Systembolaget, shared by my son Steinar. Dark brown colour, small beige head. Aroma of cold coffee and brown malts. Distinct flavour of sharpish coffee and slightly dry malts. Not really a favourite of mine.
Apr 17, 2021Reviewed by mothman from Minnesota
4/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled 4/16
Tan head with some lace. Dark caramel brown color.
Reminds me of kbs without the barrels. The chocolate and coffee are almost identical. A bit lighter bodied. The coffee is great even after so many years. Solid brown ale.
Feb 28, 2021Tan head with some lace. Dark caramel brown color.
Reminds me of kbs without the barrels. The chocolate and coffee are almost identical. A bit lighter bodied. The coffee is great even after so many years. Solid brown ale.
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