Founders - Curmudgeon's Better Half (2018)

yes but that was before I had a 2nd bottle of BCBS from a different batch. I couldn't taste bourbon in my first bottle but that 2nd bottle of BCBS was one of the best beers I ever had.

 

Forgive me for hijacking this thread, but i can find a Backwoods Bastard thread. Their website says it's supposed to be year round, but i haven't seen in anywhere. What gives?

 

Typo: I CAN'T find a Backwoods Bastard thread.

 

so create one

 

I picked up a 4 pack in Central New York on Friday. My vote goes with the overly sweet but enjoyable reviews. I liked it but will not buy more.

 

We've had it on the shelves here since it was made a year round offering. Ask the manager at your local shop if they can special order it

 

If I sat down at a bar and CBS and Better Half were on tap, I would ask the bartender to give me Better Half. I’m in the minority, in liking Better Half better. A good Old Ale is hard to find.

 

Just picked up a four pack and cracked my first bottle. I'm loving it, and will likely pick up more.

I can see how finishing a bomber on one's own might be hard, but find it humorous people would buy a beer with molasses added and aged in maple-bourbon barrels and then complain that it's sweet. (You want to complain about overly sweet, try Lizard of Koz.)

Better Half is definitely sweet up front and has some definite maple throughout, but it also has a very strong piney, earthy bitterness on the backend. To me, it is reminiscent of Backwoods Bastard -- yes, with maple -- and with both the bourbon and the hops much harsher and dialed to eleven.

To each their own.

 

Funny you mention Lizard of Koz, I actually loved Lizard of Koz. I found Better Half to be sweeter than it too. Also regular Curmudgeon has molasses in it and isn't overly sweet (sweetens a bit with age but not overly sweet). I know maple is sweet but I have had CBS and Morning Wood and found those to be sweet but not over done, I actually liked the 2. This Better Half I split a 12oz bottle and found it tough to take down 6oz. But hey I'm aging 3 and perhaps with some time I'll actually enjoy this beer.

 

Not to mention, in small servings, that sounds pretty good!

If you're in the adjunct stout/strong ale game, the beetus comes with the territory, and maple syrup barrels- forget about it, bring your insulin pen!!

 

I would do the same. I thought CBS was good, but there are a lot if sweet stouts on the market and relatively few BA old ales. I havr only had one Better Half, but thought it was more balanced with the oak, alcohol, and touch of hops than CBS was with the coffee and roasted malt.

 

I just picked this up tonight. I really loved it the first time I had Kaiser Curmudgeon. Better half from 2012 was amazing-it reminded me of Nemesis 2009 with all the floaties. I was surprised how clean my bottle was this year. I really enjoyed the 2018 release especially since it is in a 4 pack but I do not get the same maple character as I recall, also it seems a little thinner. That being said, I think this is one of the better barrel aged series offerings especially after the last two.

 

Sure I expected sweet, but I wasn't expecting obnoxious, borderline undrinkable, saccharine sweetness. It's been close to decade since I've had CBS, but I recall the maple being somewhat subdued, not at all what I experienced last night.

I need to decide whether to cellar, cook with, or give away my last 3. I think I might simmer some peach slices in 1 to serve over waffles tomorrow morning.

As you say, to each their own!

 

It definitely has more maple than CBS. Where in PA are you? Not worth shipping, but I'll take them off your hands if you're in SEPA.

 

Akron. Planning on being at the Bulls Head in Lititz next Sunday night. I'd take pretty much anything in trade. Message me.

 

I found 4 packs at Soapstone market on Connecticut Avenue, but I woukd guess it’s a year old.

 

I also enjoyed Curmudgeon. This sounds good. In the past five years I believe the quality of this brewery has gone down a bit. No more 10 dollar bottles of KBS? What to do other than cheapen the ingredients- I can't prove this but several brews especially KBS barely resemble what it was in their hey day. I had 2 cases of KBS when they were having waiting lists at every liquor store around here. I am not saying this to boast, but rather I had a lot of time to savor the original formula, it was world class, now just good.

 

I always wonder with KBS— did I change, or did KBS change? In the early years of its release it blew me away, and seemed to have huge bourbon character to it. With last year’s batch, I was wondering if it had even been in a barrel.

 

I like to think it's them not us.

 

I've never had any problem detecting the bourbon in KBS. A majority of the beer I drink is bourbon or rum BA, and I find KBS is usually pretty bourbon forward. Sometimes I'll get one that is more coffee forward, but that's the exception, and the bourbon is still pretty strong.