Founders Backwoods Bastard
Poured into a Foothills tasting glass. Forms two fingers worth of creamy off-white head that rests on top of an amber-copper body. Leaves nice waves of lacing. Looks quite good. Sweet malts, honey, bourbon and vanilla rise up from the glass. A little earthy and oaky with a touch of alcohol. Sweet and bready with light bourbon and vanilla. Malt backbone has a little bit of spice to it and plays nicely with the barrels. Tastes like there is a bit of rye in here as well. Nicely done. Body is smooth with a good helping of warming booze. Almost creamy, but the carbonation on the finish breaks it up a bit. Touch of bitterness on the finish. Drinkability is good for 10.2% barrel-aged scotch ale. Sweet and boozy, but there is some nice bitterness that evens things out. One bottle is enough for me, but quite enjoyable on a cold night. I like this just a touch more than the non-barreled offering. As usual, Founders brews tasty beers.