Founders 2016 Release Calendar

I recently had a 2011 that was fantastic. I usually by 1-2 cases/year, one to drink and one to enjoy over the years. With the exception of this past year's backwoods, I think it is fantastic after a couple years. The 2015 backwoods was better than any backwoods I have had fresh (I've only had 2009-2015 though so I can't comment on older bottlings)

 

It ages extremely well IMO. I typically buy a case a year and find that after 8-12 months, it really smoothes out. Last winter I had a '14 and '15 side-by-side and the wife and I agreed that the '14 was much richer and surprisingly complex compared to the '15. Either way though, both are great beers.

 

As far as a Backstage beer, I would like to see Doom back. That was an awesome beer! Aged one that drank great a year later.

 

I had a KBS last week, and I thought it was the best one I have had of this year. People say that KBS doesnt age well (if you can even call a few months aging) but the one I had last week was better than the few I had fresh, as well as better than when I had it on tap in May. Glad I sitll have 10 more bottles of it.

 

How had it improved?

 

I can't speak for @Bonedizzle, but when I had a bottle earlier this year (which would've put it at the one year mark), the integration of alcohol, chocolate and coffee were a wondrous thing - much more so than when it was fresh. Sometimes I find it a bit too boozy and/or coffee forward when it's fresh. Obviously, it all comes down to personal taste.

 

Perfect, I don't care for coffee forward beers, will have to cellar mine a bit longer.

 

There could be any number of reasons on why I thought it tasted better, with many of them not even having to do with the beer itself. I wasn't even really looking forward to having it, more of like "I should probably drink one of these again." And it was drank straight from the bottle on a hot summer night, and it was delicious and chocolatey and so finely balanced. I wasn't trying to focus on the taste and just was enjoying it for what it was. Sometimes you just have to drink the damn beer.

 

Looks like PC Pils is filling the last TBA slot:



Love the 15 pack format!

 

I'm a big fan of seasonal lagers. I'll definitely get me some PC Pils.

 

Any info on this? What American hops will be in it?

 

Just checked and found this http://tenemu.com/news/founders-bottling-pc-pils/07/2016

Hmmmmm, interesting... I wonder how pilsnery this will taste.

 

Here's what Founders said about the hop varieties in their press release:

 

There's some discussion on aging BB in this thread: https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/backwoods-bastard-2015.344050/

Needless to say, there wasn't a consensus on whether this is better fresh or aged. Here were my two cents on the '14 BB:

 

From what I hear they have no plans on bottling CBS.
Kegs yes, bottles no

 

Well that sucks. Hopefully the kegs get some distribution and aren't exclusive to the Founders taproom.

 

I Was told from a Founders employee the reason for kegs is to let everybody try it, if it was put in bottles it would be sitting in basements of hoarders

 

Yeah, good point.

 

Last time they did CBS Kegs they were in a lot of states...Minnesota had 5 or 6 at least

 

Coincidentally, I had a bottle of this last week. I thought it was still pretty damn good and hadn't really dropped off!