Preferences: Founders or Bell's?

Great comparison group. For me its Founders: KBS, Russian Imperial, Centennial, Backwoods, Old Crumudgeon, Dirty Bastard form an amazing lineup, plus I just had a growler of their Mosaic from a brewery visit that was also fantastic. Bell's - love 2 Hearted (have a growler ready to go tomorrow of it), that and Expedition are my two primary targets.

 

Founders here. Their stouts are no question supreme, and their IPAs and barleywines aren't bad either. I thought about if it were 2 years ago, when hopslam was just outright fantastic....but then KBS was a thing of real beauty too so founders takes it for me.

 

Bells for me, love 2H Ale, Hopslam isn't quite the same, but Kalamazoo and Expedition Stout fill a huge gap. Love KBS and Centennial, it is at least a good as 2H Ale, and very similar. Close though, both produce high quality beers in volume, and do it consistently, but I do but more Bells so by dollar amount Bells.

 

Damn, that's a tough one. I'd have to say top to bottom, Founders wins. The 3 standouts in Bells lineup to me are 2 Hearted, Hopslam and Expedition, but beyond that I don't go crazy over anything else from them. I love Expedition and I think it's very, very underrated.

 

Founders Breakfast Stout and Bells Oberon were big in opening my eyes and taste buds to amazing beer. I choose both.

<--- That's a Breakfast Stout my avatar is holding

 

Yes, especially on a nice day. I bring my kids there as much as I can on Sunday's for lunch because the garden is relatively empty and they have fun while my wife and I drink beer.

 

Founders by a slight margin for me

 

I find myself purchasing Founders beers more often than Bells, so that's my choice.

 

Prefer Bells

 

Founders makes beer, Bell's makes money...at least that was the sentiment of the Bell's rep I met in Indiana. He turned out to be quite the tool...and while that experience in itself is not a factor in this choice...Founders has more better beers...I don't mind the opportunity to vent my disappointment.

 

This is tough. Lets try some comparisons:

Points to Founder's:
Coffee Stout: FBS >>> Java Stout
Porter: Founder's Porter >>> Bell's Porter
Harvest Ale: Harvest Ale >>> Harvest Ale
DIPA: Double Trouble >> The Oracle
Pub-only Offerings: Founder's >> Bell's
Misc. IPAS: Red's Rye + Devil Dancer + All Day >> Hopslam + Kalamazoo IPA
Shelf Fruit Beer: Rübæus > Cherry Stout

Points to Bell's
RIS: Imperial Stout <<< Expedition Stout
Old Ale: Curmudgeon <<< Third Coast Old Ale
IPA: Centennial <<< Two-Hearted
BA Stout: KBS < Black Note

Draw
Pale Ale: Founder's Pale = Bell's Pale (+ MWPA)


Other Stuff I Like (no good comparables)
Bell's: Kalamazoo Stout, Amber, Best Brown, BB Cherry Stout, Oarsman, Consecrator, Lager of the Lakes, Q Falls, Wild One, Roundhouse, BB9K, Batch series.

Founder's: CBS, Bolt Cutter, Mango Mag, Sweet Repute, Blushing Monk, Backwoods Bastard, Dirty Bastard

Conclusion:
I'll give this one to Founder's by a nose. Bell's better availability of stuff in the "Other" category does tighten things up a bit, and the upcoming Planets Series could even push them over the top.

 

I prefer Bells by a wide margin. Really like their Amber and stouts.

 

Oh hell, yes!

 

Most of Founder's seasonals are a miss for me, and I wasn't blown away by limited releases from either of them.

Two-hearted, Founders porter, and FBS are all incredible though, so I guess Founders takes it 2-1.

 

Love 'em both in a way that's not mutually exclusive.

 

To make it even more worth the drive, Dark Horse is on your way to K-zoo.

 

Label art. Nothing else matters.

 

I love them both, but I'll award it to Bell's only because I love Two-Hearted.

 

Founders and its not close. Best beers I've had (4.25 and higher) from both in my order:
1. KBS - Founders
2. FBS - Founders
3. Panther Cub - Founders
4. Harvest Ale - Founders
5. Black Note - Bells
6. Imperial Stout - Founders
7. Hopslam - Bells
8. Red's Rye - Founders
9. Two Hearted - Bells
10. Centennial - F
11. Curmudgeon - F
12. Backwoods Bastard - F
13. Dirty Bastard - F
14. Kzoo Stout - B
15. Smoked Porter - F
16. Double Cream Stout - B
17. BA Kzoo Stout - B
18. Oracle - B
19. Consecrator - B
20. Double Trouble - F
21. Donkey Stout - F

 

Really like both breweries, but Founders edges out Bells in my opinion. This is just going by my subjective taste of a decent amount beers I've tried from both breweries.