Founder's Backstage Series so far...

CBS - just yes
Frangelic - Really liked the coffee
Blushing Monk - Lots of Raspberry, and got better with age
Better Half - least favorite, could have used more bourbon and less pure sugar

 

What barrels did they use on the Better Half?

 

To be honest I prefer the more readily available Founders offerings to the Backstage series. Not knocking it at all, just saying. Give me Backwoods Bastard over any of them.

 

I'm with kzoobrew. I'd take FBS over any of their special releases.

 

CBS
FMB
BM
CBH

CBS is amazing IMO. FMB is heavy on the hazelnut but smooth and satisfying. I don't really remember Blushing Monk b/c it was a year ago that I tried it, but it must have been better than CBH because I was just plain disappointed in the lack of barrel flavor after trying the CBS.

 

Same here, but for me the Imperial Stout is best, especially with a little bit of age.

That said, CBS on tap is way better than the bottles and I haven't opened Frangelic yet, so maybe that'll buck the trend.

 

CBS - Inconsistent bottles. Usually way too sweet.
Blushing Monk - Alright, but nothing spectacular. Much like the previous bottling that just sat on shelves around here for years.
Better Half - Only tasted one bottle which was cloyingly sweet. Originally had this as Kaizer Curmudgeon a couple years ago which I dumped the sample at a beer fest.

Overall: I'll stick to their regular lineup and seasonals if I want to drink Founders.

 

I would go:

Frangelic Mountain Brown
CBS
CBS
Blushing Monk.

Love that Founders launched this line though. It just further justifies them as the upper tier of breweries

 

*CBS
CBH

Auto correct

 

CBS
CBH
(I'll assume FMB is here, but haven't had it yet so can't say)
Blushing Monk, which is still the most disappointing beer I've had from Founders. Not tasty, but I'd much rather have just bought $15 worth of raspberries and eaten them. Way too sweet and fruity for a beer. I like it better than Cerise, but Cerise wins out for at least being reasonably priced.

I really want them to do Nemesis 09 again. It was easily on par with CBS, though nothing can compare to KBS.

 

Haven't had Frangelic yet, but for me it would go

CBS
CBH



(giant void)



Blushing Monk

 

CBH
Blushing Monk
FMB
CBS (It was good, just no where near what I thought it was going to be. As hard as it was to get, I would have rather got some FBS and just drove to Canada and consumed it.)

 

I enjoyed the three bottles of Blushing Monk that I had and am still anticipating my CBS, but my wife and I have been through over two cases of Double Trouble this winter/spring and probably do 2-3 cases of Centennial over the course of the year. (I know that doesn't sound like much for a year, but that's in addition to quite a bit of other beer, including stuff I brew.) So yeah, as much as I have enjoyed the Backstage beers that I've had, they could disappear and leave me with Founder's regular lineup and I'd be happy.

 

For me:

CBS
Blushing Monk
CBH

Haven't opened my Frangelic yet. I'm with Kevin, give me Backwoods and FIS and I'm one happy guy.

 

FMB
CBH
CBS
BM

FMB was the first one I've had that I really loved right away. CBH was way too sweet out of the bottle, but a bit more enjoyable on draft. CBS was way too sweet both out of the bottle and draft. Same with BM. I think BM will be really good in another year or so. And I'm probably being a bit unfair to CBS because of the hype train that surrounded it before it came out. Now if only I could get my hands on a bottle or two of FMB

 

The one thing I'll say about all the Backstage brews is that I wish they were in smaller bottles. I've gotten halfway through all four of these beers and thought "that was plenty". All four have been rather sweet beers.

Conversely, I drink a Backwoods Bastard and I'm always tempted to open a second one.

 

Backwoods and KBS are by far the two best Founders brews I've had. But I have also tremendously enjoyed the first three Backstage releases, and I'll likely be sampling FMB tonight so we'll see. I'll continue to buy just about anything Founders does, they do an incredible job.

I just wish I could try CBS on draft. The bottle I had about two months ago was like a creamier, silkier KBS. Very, very good, but I didn't get much maple. I got some sweetness, but from what I hear the maple is magnificent when CBS is very fresh. I looove maple, so this would still be worth chasing down for me. Or, if Founders releases it again, I'll do anything I can to get a bottle at Release and then drink it ASAP.

 

CBS
BM

-large gap-


CBH
FMB

I opened my FMB last night. I didn't like it at all.