Founders Brewing Company Curmudgeon’s Better Half Old Ale at 12.7% ABV | 35 IBU (C$8.49 at Oak & Vine, 355 ml, best before 13-Aug-2019, acquired 29-Sep-2018, reviewed 11-Nov-2018)
Appearance: clear medium amber with one finger of creamy ivory head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: molasses, maple syrup, nuts, vanilla, oak, coconut, bourbon, dark dried fruit. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-full slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration warming finish. (4/5)
I dunno about “better half”, but I was feeling markedly less curmudgeonly after a few sips, and suspect I’ll be downright goddamned jolly after the whole thing. Mind you, the 12.7% of rocket fuel probably has more than a little something to do with that. I’m not entirely convinced I’m actually getting bourbon here, or whether I’m associating that from the boozy vanilla and woody notes. Any way you slice it, though, it smells wonderful, tastes great, and bites far less aggressively than the ABV suggests it should. All in all, it’s actually fairly easy-drinking, and though sweet isn’t cloying. Really good stuff. (17/20)
8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
