Founders Frangelic Mtn Brown

I paid $20 at a place in Rochester Hills. I've been going there pretty regularly since I moved to our Troy office and this was the first time i was able to be on a wait list for something there. I was annoyed at the price, but not having another option I bit the bullet and bought it. Sure it was about $5 more than I wanted to pay, oh well.

 

Still had all of this (except Stone Vanilla) when I ran by last night. Surprised they still had Fruet, and $2 cheaper than what I paid in Indy. Vas is usually a couple bucks higher than other places around, so this was a surprise. Also still have White Oak.

 

It would be more expensive to use real hazelnuts--exactly one of my point. Founders cut a corner here by using fake-tasting hazelnut coffee. Perhaps it was cost-prohibitive to use real hazelnuts for a large release like this, so they compromised the quality of the ingredients they usually use. In my opinion, there were better options: a more limited release, charge more to reflect the actually cost of producing the brew, or release another brew that you didn't have to make a compromise your usual standards. They have plenty that would have been better choices.

Cognitive dissonance in action...

Actually, I didn't notice the side of the label after a drank it and found it to be unpleasant...

I know everyone's palates are different, but frankly even if you didn't pick up the unpleasant taste, whether it be from artifical flavoring or an artifical sweetner, this brew tastes like bad gas station hazelnut coffee--it doesn't even taste like good coffee complete with an unpleasant saccharine taste (for me). It's got me questioning quite a few palates or again I'll just chalk it up to that fact that Founders can release anything liquid on a limited basis and it's going to get a 90 rating on BA minimum.

 

My palate is just fine, thank you, and I enjoyed this beer very much.

 

I question anyone who takes up a vendetta against a beer/brewery because they "cut corners" and lowered themselves below your standards by using artificial ingredients when you say you will continue to buy their beers. Then when suggested by another BA to stop buying Founders, you call them "extremely unoriginal". Do you think you are the first person to not like a hyped beer then make a thread/rant bashing it?

 

Get a new beer guy.

 

Not surprising that a Michigan fan would make a decision like that.... Overpaying for a mediocre product... just like your football tickets =P


(All in good fun... born and raised in Columbus)

 

Frangelic mountain brown was pretty good. Do any of you know how difficult it would be to get actual hazelnut flavor into a beer without insane complications/astronomical cost? The beer tastes good, is EXTREMELY affordable as far as founders goes, and isn't lying to you on the label.. Are you people really this arrogant? Get over yourself.

 

You're out to make some new friends, aren't you Yogi?

 

I wish I had better options on my return commute but I'm going to frequent a few other places more.

 

No, I don't have a vendetta against Founders and there is a difference between healthy debate and a rant. I heavily support them and will continue. I'm just able to separate myself from that fact that nearly every brew Founders has bottled up until this point is exceptional, and that goes for their year-round stuff as well as their seasonal and special releases, and am able honestly critique this brew for what is. I actually wasn't the first to describe the taste of FMB as bad gas station hazelnut coffee--another BA did--(I'll add artificially sweetened bad gas station hazelnut coffee), however its the most accurate description I've heard. I am confident that another brewery that didn't have Founders well-deserved reputation released this mess as a reoccurring release it would be lucky to be at an 80 in the ratings.
As I stated before it's a perfect example of cognitive dissonance. If you aren't familiar you should be able to find a definition quite easily.

As far as questioning palates, I went a bit overboard and respectfully retract that comment. Sorry, if I personally offended anyone including you, MordorMongo.

 

I thought it was pretty tasty. It's not the most complex beer, but I found it to be super, super drinkable. I wouldn't believe it was 9% if I hadn't downed the whole thing to find out myself. That's pretty impressive in a brown ale. It reminded me a lot of Panera's Hazelnut coffee which I happen to like on some random occasions when I want a flavored coffee. I tend to get lots of "artificial" flavors with coffee beers. Even some of the best. However, I didn't feel like this one screamed artificial flavoring to me. To each their own.

Also, I like Founders but I am sort of all over the map on their stuff. I don't really like FBS, but I love KBS. I thought CBS and CBH were both ok but nothing special, but I love backwoods bastard. This falls more into being one I'd consider buying again.

 

Some stores suck. We only received 12 bottles and sold them for $12.99 which was regular mark-up.

 

Is it the best of their Backstage Series? No. But that doesn't mean it's not a damn good beer. I didn't get any of the "fake" flavors from the bottle I downed last night. The nose was amazing. I got up this morning and my kitchen still smelled faintly of coffee from the empty bottle on my bar. I also didn't find it to be too sweet. It's pretty damn hard (for me at least) to get overly excited by a brown ale but this one is pretty unique. The alcohol was masked very well, I could only get a slight tinge of the booze in the finish as the beer warmed. In Charlotte they're going for less than $15 a pop and I'll likely pick up one or two more on my way home today, if supply holds out at my honey hole.

 

FMB is in the house at Binnys in Lakeview along with Devil Dancer.

 

Indeed

I have a pretty good idea of where that is. If its where I'm thinking funny thing was when they put me on the list I was told it would probably be 30, Needless to say after I got what I needed from other more reasonable places I cancelled my spot. Its a place I frequent pretty regular too I must admit I was surprised that they were marking it up like that, its not something Id noticed them doing before.

 

They probably told you $30 because that is what they charged for CBS and then continued to sell Better Half at that price as well. I passed on the Better Half. That place in notorious for overcharging, but has a pretty good overall selection.

Drinking a FMB right now and it is damn tasty again, screw those who keep talking about the "fake" hazelnut taste that they detect. If you don't want it, BM me and I'll give you my address to ship it to.

 

I will be driving through Grand Rapids tomorrow evening, does anyone know if they still have FMB in bottles? I noticed it's not on Tap as of Yesterday.

 

Not on tap, but as of yesterday there were still bottles in the Tap Room.