Founders Dirty Bastard
I found a 6 pack of these squatty 12oz brown bottles at Springbrook Liquors in Bloomingdale, IL for the not so cheap price of $14 even including tax. No freshness date or any information about the beer except on the neck label where it lists the alcohol content at 8.5% and the IBU's at 50. The beer poured a dark ruby color but turned violet when held directly to the light. I could only get a 1 finger tan head out of it that lasted only about a minute, and only produced a moderate amount of spotty lacing on the sides of the glass. The smell was really malty, as would be expected for this style and considering they brew this stuff with 7 different malts. I'm picking up caramel, roasted malts, and even a bit of chocolate aroma along with some dark fruits. Nice malty sweetness, but balanced with 50 IBU's worth of hops. Lots of caramel, roasted malt, and bittersweet chocolate flavor along with a little fruitiness (dark rather than citrus). Then all of a sudden the hops kick in and the beer goes from a sweet start to a slightly bitter and alcoholic dry finish. Well made and delicious. Rich and smooth mouthfeel leaning close to full bodied with only moderate carbonation. Very easy to drink despite the 8.5% alcohol. You really only feel it in the swallow and it's not overpowering, so I'll have no reservations about opening a second one.