Wulver & Backwoods Bastard

I don't do the home state thing on Beer.....Buckeyes Yes beer no!!!! KBS is my favorite of all time so there you go. And they have some great breweries up north they're no slouches!!!

 

From my reviews Wulver 4.6, Backwoods Bastard - 4.58. In terms of personal preference, Wulver by a much wider margin.

 

I was just sort of thinking of the whole homerism thing that people like to jump up and down on... then I just sort of realized.... he wait a second (not of course by any stretch the College football fan) that's Michigan right?

People are also more familiar with what they have available to them too.

I can certainly remember my first and multiple BBs, and the first Wulvers I had. I obviously had the BB first but the 4 pack I went through 1 bottle and just didn't have the same feelings about it.

I know... everyones emotions were crushed I can tell... mine included

I did however take the other 3 bottles to a tasting where others got some of it as well, and they enjoyed it.

 

WHen is Wulver released? did I miss it or is it new to the shelves?

 

I would be shocked if you couldn't find some near you.

EDIT: they make a lot of it and it lingers due to price, methinks.

 

THanks i am in Pittsburg so a stone throw from Akron where this stuff is made, I will keep my eyes open.

 

I love both beers but agree Wulver has a slight edge over BB. But you could easily call either one the 'benchmark' and get away with it.

FYI, Appalachian Vintner in Asheville had cases of Wulver in early March. BB doesn't last but maybe a few weeks in market.

 

I give the edge to Backwoods Bastard, but it's close.. would have to do a side by side to really tell.. both are great..

 

My wife prefers Wulver, while I like Backwoods better.

CW BB Scotch is an entirely different animal, and IMHO the one of the three that benefits the most from cellaring.

 

DoIt!!!!

 

Of course your opinion is wrong since it is different than mine I do disagree with the home state bias based partly on name recognition and availability. Even though Founders distributes here, Bastard is not sitting on shelves year round like Wulver does (price does help that). Sure, people take pride in their home stuff, especially if you are from Akron, but I think many people are calling this one as they taste it because we all want what we cant get (insert 3 Floyds beer here), but are predominantly favoring the one we can. That carries some weight.

Wulver is just much smoother (going with both fresh/new). No matter which you prefer, this is the only part I believe to be fact. I dont think any experienced drinker in a blind test would pick Wulver as the beer with higher ABV.

As far as comparing the 2 breweries I agree 100%, not even close. What an incredible lineup. Somehow their porter seems to be overlooked a bit. Maybe because it is year round? That is the other part -hype (deservedly so) and limited availability. For reference, BB has just under 6,000 ratings and Wulver is still under 1,000 though. If you put Wulver in Founders bottles, it would disappear like KBS. Bottom line is they are both exceptional brews that everyone should be lucky enough to try.

A couple of interesting side notes, Wulver is the first beer that I actually thought was better in a previous release.

Thirsty Dogs Scotch Ale, Twisted Kilt, oddly is not the base beer for Wulver. It is actually one of very few of their beers I dont care for.

Should add a poll to this thread.

 

About $26

 

I've always been a little underwhelmed by Backwoods Bastard personally. Every year I buy it and every year it lets me down. Not that it's a bad beer, but I've always found it a little barrel-forward and one-dimensional. Wulver to me is a more complex beer with a broader array of flavors.

 

This^^^^

 

Go to any Giant Eagle and it will be there. It's not cheap but as the general opinion goes in this thread, it's very good.

 

Wulver is noticeably better than Backwoods. But have you tried Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Scotch? It puts them all to shame. The proof is in the blinded tasting

 

My ratings:

Wulver 4.75
Backwoods Bastard 4.25

 

No but I will put it on my hit list!!!

 

I just opened my first Backwoods of the year on Monday, and it wasn't quite as good as I remember. I set a few down to cellar and I have another few to drink now, so hopefully my taste buds were just off that evening. I did drink it on the heels of a Global Warmer, so maybe my palate was not in the best shape.

Anway, I just bought a split 4-pack with 2 Backwoods and 2 Wulvers. I'm planning on doing a side-by-side now and after 1 year to see how they compare.

Anyone else do this?

 

ISO Wulver!!