Founders Nemesis 2009
Somewhat surprising lack of head, barely gets to a half finger of cream white, weak retention and the lacing almost seems to be left behind by mistake. Fuzzy, cloudy glass of pumpkin orange liquid, shitload of sediment and junk floating about, no bubbles, honestly almost looks like a semi-frozen slushie, intriguing, if not attractive, all the way around. The nose if a full frontal assault of coconut custard, scotch whiskey, fresh maple syrup, vanilla bean, chocolate saltwater taffy, it's got it all, a short burst of peach and apricot fruit, nothing even remotely hoppy provided here, it's a steamroller of not only sweetness but sheer heaviness as well. Full-bodied, built as if it wants to foam out of your mouth, not that carbonation is too high, although it is super-fluffy, it just refuses to consider there's a part of your mouth it is not in. Vanilla, coconut, maple, caramel, toffee, butterscotch, exhausts the whole list. Boozy and close to "heady," but it is able to spread its ample girth out horizontally so you don't feel like you just took a 2x4 to the head. Green apple, pear and melon fruit meld with the guava, pineapple, poached peach flavors. No distinguishable hop presence. You have to give it credit for its monological tenacity but you could waterboard someone or make them drink 2-3 bottles of this. Said as a Founders slut. Enough already with the "this one goes to eleven..." mentality.