Underground Mountain Brown
Founders Brewing Company

 

Not sure how I dont have this one rated. Having a 2019 vintage in 2023. Definitely fallen off but a once very nice beer.

 

12 oz bottle
Bottled On Date: 08.08.2019
Consumed on: 30 Apr, 2023
Glass: Snifter
ABV: 11.9%
Serving Temp: room temp


Look:
Opaque black with a 2+ finger creamy dark khaki head. The head slowly dissipates to 1 finger high and then to a thick ring and thin cover. Lacing is excellent.

Smell:
Coffee with some Bittersweet chocolate. Also brown sugar and vanilla. More than a touch of bourbon.

Taste:
Sweetened coffee with a hint of cream starts the sip off. These are joined by notes of anise/black licorice fairly quickly. Some char then shows up and the coffee becomes more prominent. Bourbon notes underlie the entire sip. The sip finishes a bit boozy with coffee and bittersweet chocolate. There is also a slight sting at the end and some warmth from the alcohol.

Feel:
Smooth and mouth-coating. Very noticeable warmth and a sting from the alcohol. The body is medium-light.

Overall:
A quite tasty and complex brew. It is a nice companion to a rainy, slightly chilly spring evening. The beer has held up quite well over for being 3.75 years old. The coffee has (if I recall fresh samples correctly) faded during that time, but it is still very present.

Bottled on 7.29.19

Poured into the ol' weizen glass at fridge temp.

Onto this however; pours a deep dark hickory with a fairly impressive head that left some consistent and sticky lacing and settled into a 1/4 finger ring. 4.25

Strong brown sugar,medium roast-esque coffee, and robust chocolate. Hints of bourbon-like vanilla and caramel. Sweet but not at all overwhelming and I'm really digging it. 4.25

At fridge temp I get medium coffee again, some lighter chocolate, and just a bit of bourbon vanilla and caramel.
Warmed up the coffee almost fades away to leave behind the bourbon and some more noticeable booze. 4.25

Body is surprisingly drinkable and a tad heavier than light, and lighter than moderate. Very drinkable for a higher abv, which again is a win in my book. Hint of booze, but not lingering. Warming for just a minute or so before fading. 4.75 damn I wanna give this a 5 really bad I enjoyed it that much.

Overall definitely the most approachable and not overwhelming bigger beer I've consumed to date. Flavors were dynamic, and brilliant in a way I don't usually see in the style. This took them all and perfectly balanced them. 4.5

Best before July 18, 2020. I'm not ok with that! Absolutely perfect beer 3 years later.

The beer pours deep brown - mahogony colored beer with a beige head.
A lot of lacing on the glass that stays forever!

Nose: Caramel, oak, Bourbon barrels, hazelnut, vanilla, almond, roasted malt and coffee.
Taste: Barrels, vanilla, oak, hazelnut, coffee, caramel malt, roasted malt notes, bourbon, cinnamon, chocolate and toffee.
mouth: Full body. Low ans smooth carbonation. Dry and sweet. Light bitter ending.

Absolutely AMAZING! Love this beer!

 

pours a dark brown with a tan head that poofs. nose; coffee, roasted malt, cocoa, & vanilla. taste; the nose all comes through on the tongue wrapped in oak bourbon barrel notes. some ethanol, but very well controlled for 12%. medium mouthfeel & heavy carbonation. quite an easy drinker at this abv. founders knows how to do beer!

 

 

2019 version poured from a 12oz. bottle into a beer can shaped glass. Coffee is up front. I didn't care for this is much as I'd hoped.

 

2020 edition poured from bottle kept in my beer fridge for the past 2 years, into a snifter. Dark brown almost black with a rusty light brown thin head leaving a narrow ring of lace. The smell is sweetened coffee and bourbon, vanilla, oak. The flavor is very much like the smell. Sweet upfront, rich roasted coffee, a slight alcohol burn that flashes a bit like a sip of bourbon. Finishes oaky, cocoa, and a bit of sweetness. Overall a very nice barrel aged beer that’s almost like sipping a bourbon and coffee cocktail. Perfect for a rainy spring evening.

 

2019 bottled tasted in 2022. Poured at fridge temp. Pours a nice murky brown with light brown head. Good carbonation - tiny bubbles throughout. Nose is hazelnut, chocolate, coffee, maple, and a bit of pipe tobacco. The taste is fantastic. Tons of dark coffee. I love Sumatra coffee, although I'm not sure what the roast level is here. I prefer a darker roast. Not really picking up much bourbon. Mostly dark roasted malts and coffee. Dark chocolate, burnt toffee, some dark cherries, and a leather/tobacco note. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and the aftertaste is a nice mix of sweet and bitter. Overall, a wonderful brown ale with coffee and bourbon.