Founders Brewing Company: Red's Rye IPA

Red's Rye IPA
Founders Brewing Co.
235 Grandville SW 
Grand Rapids, MI 
23. Specialty Beer

Aroma: (11/12)  

Huge citrusy / grapefruit aroma!  Smells

absolutely fantastic; I could smell this

beer all day long! 

Appearance: (3/3)  

Very much a copper hue.  Pours a nice

one finger head from the bottle.

Flavor: (19/20)     
Magnificent blast of hops accentuated

by the dry rye flavor; a great marriage!

This is just a super flavor that the rye

has added to this IPA.

Mouthfeel: (5/5)

Quite a nice body to this IPA, versus

other IPA's I've had lately (Surly Wet).

The hops hit the tongue first, then the

rye adds a nice complimentary kick

on the back end.

Overall Impression: (10/10)

Wow! Founders has hit it out of the park

with this beer! The rye gives this beer the

separation from all the IPA's I've had to

date! My favorite IPA so far, even over

Dog Fish Head.

TOTAL: 48/50

Founders Brewing Company: Porter

Porter  

Founders Brewing Co. 

235 Grandville SW 

Grand Rapids, MI

12B Robust Porter

 

Aroma: (11/12) 
Very nice roasted nose! I can tell this

beer is a strong porter.  Some chocolate

aromas as well.

 

Appearance: (3/3)  

Pours a very nice head.  Head is

fantastically brown.  Totally black /

motor oil-like.

 

Flavor: (18/20)

Some sweet roastedness.  Uncanny

resemblence to Bells Kalamazoo Stout.

Nice balance between roasted grains

and hops.  A truly great porter!

 

Mouthfeel: (5/5)
Body is nice and thick. Creamy mouthfeel,

possible use of oatmeal...

 

Overall Impression: (9/10)
This is one of the best porters I've had.

Everything from aroma, flavor and mouthfeel

are good / well-done!  Another great beer

from this brewery!

 

TOTAL: 46/50

Founders Brewing Company: Breakfast Stout

Breakfast Stout

Founders Brewing Co.

235 Grandville SW

Grand Rapids, MI

13F. Russian Imperial Stout


Aroma: (11/12) 
Big roasted grain aroma.  Coffee isn't subtle.
No hops at all.

Appearance: (3/3)
Jet black with brown head that really persists
and laces.  It is what one would expect.

Flavor: (19/20)
Roasted coffee, the coffee flavor is actually
subtle. There is no bitterness at all from the
roasted grains; really smooth!  Nice chocolate
notes, but these are subtle as well.  Fantastic
all-around flavor!

Mouthfeel: (5/5)
Exceptionally creamy.  Big bodied, as would be
to style.  Hops aren't noticable and are very much
in the background and need to be searched out.

Overall Impression: (9/10)
This beer is absolutely super! To style and very 
smooth. Coffee and chocolate doesn't overpower
in the least.  A great balance of chocolate,
malt, coffee and hops.  This is what
I look for in an Imperial Stout!

TOTAL: 47/50

Founders Brewing Company: Cerise Cherry Ale

Cerise Cherry Ale

Founders Brewing Co.

235 Grandville SW

Grand Rapids, MI
20. Fruit Beer


Aroma: (10/12)

Sweet Cherry aroma, not an artificial one
from extracts.  Hop aroma is absent as should 
be. Fruity esters.

Appearance: (3/3)
Bright red hue with a little haze. Slight red 
head, that persists over time.

Flavor: (18/20)
A really nice tart cherry flavor! A great 
balance of cherries, malt and yeast, that 
isn't too sweet; very smooth! Subdued hops.  
No real lingering tartness.

Mouthfeel: (5/5)

Extremely smooth, almost creamy.  High 
carbonation level, which adds to taste.

Overall Impression: (9/10)
An almost perfect marriage of fruit and beer.
Cherry flavor is not too sweet.  Extremely
pleasant and probably the best example of
a fruit beer that I've had - together with 
New Glarus' Raspberry Tart.

TOTAL: 45/50