Founders Nemesis 2009
Served at 45 degrees and poured into a snifter. A: Wow, pours a beautiful clear rich copper color with a small white head and nice bubbly carbonation. S: I think we have a winner here. I smell Bourbon and Maple in that order and it is absolutely wonderful, hints of oak and vanilla rise as the beer warms. The barrel aging dominates the smell. T: Heavenly, I think was the first word that came to mind, the sweetness of the Maple Syrup and the Oak from the Bourbon compliment each other perfectly. Vanilla, Banana, Orange, Alcohol and subtle spice come through and finishes dry with a nice warming from the alcohol. This was just a spectacular beer that I certainly took my time to savor. M: Nice mouthfeel here, perfect carbonation allowed the complexity to really shine. D: Average here, the barrel aging provides a very forward Bourbon flavor that makes this a sipper. As it warms the alcohol becomes more forward, I could have had more that 1 but I would prefer to sip on 1 over a long period of time. Age will certainly tame the bourbon and I can see my rating in this category increase over time. Hands down this is one of the best beers I have ever had from Founders. I would only rank KBS ahead of this one. I highly recommend seeking this one out. Thank you Founders!