December 13 - Founders Brewing - Backwoods Bastard

Founder's Brewing Company - Backwoods Bastard (2014)

Usually, I throw my blog together from the notes I take on a beer after enjoying the entire thing.  Tonight I'm going to switch things up a bit.  Here's the reason why.  Tonight, I will be sampling and reviewing Founder's Brewing Company's Backwoods Bastard.  This beer is an ale, aged in bourbon barrels.  I don't care for bourbon, so much so that I avoided purchasing a Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout as well as the Barleywine version. I couldn't justify purchasing a 12oz bottle for over $10 for something I was going to most likely hate (or at least pre-judged).  If you're unfamiliar, these are like the most sought after beers that I've seen in a while

That brings us to tonight.  The bottle that I'm about to have was much more feasible to purchase, price-wise.  However, when RateBeer gives this a 100 on style and it falls in the 100th percentile along with the fact that Untappd reviewers give it an average score of 4.22 out of 5 I am almost obligated to try it, right?  With this all said, I bid you farewell for a few so that I can do my due diligence to those who want to hear all about it.

The beer poured a deep mahogany (I learned a new color last night!) color with a thin micro bead of off white head.  The aroma of this was masked at first because it was pretty cold, but as it warmed up slightly I got some woody and sweet bourbon notes along with strong caramel and slight fruity notes.  As the beer warmed further there was definitely a boozy aroma to this bad boy!

As for the taste, the first thing that popped into my head was that it tasted every so similar to Dogfish Head's Raison D'Etre.  However, after I allowed the beer to do it's job on the way down that opinion changed quickly.  After a few sips, my palate calmed down a bit after being overwhelmed by so many different flavors that are expressed in this beer.  Predominantly, there was a smooth bourbon flavor that mellowed to a sweet vanilla in the finish.  As it warmed further, the bourbon became that much more in your face, but for me, the vanilla helped to mellow it out so that it didn't overpower the rest of the ingredients that were used to make this beer.  As you could probably guess, this brew did it's job, at 10.2% ABV, when warming the throat for sure!

Update - I could probably do a flavor profile as it warmed in 5 degree increments and it would be different each time.  The vanilla ended up jumping all over the place, from being stronger in the finish as the beer was cold to being the first thing I tasted as it got warmer. 

To sip, or not to sip...Well, I didn't have that option since my wife stole most of the glass from me "helping with my review."  Both her and I came to a consensus for the rating of this beer.

Backwoods Bastard?  Ol' Dirty Bastard?  I think this is more fun! 4.5 out of 5!

Speaking of bastards...Ben decided to forgo building the rest of his snowman to eye up my beer.  Think again...

December 21

 December 21 - Rogue Santa's Private Reserve

 

Taking things down a notch tonight after a Christmas party last night (Mad Elf last night was enough for me!).  A new beer for me, Rogue's Santa's Private Reserve, is a double-hopped red ale that pours with a nice head to it. 

 

I got very little from the aroma of this beer.  There is a mild amount of spiciness and maybe a biscuit aroma, but other than that, I got nothing.  The mouth feel of this beer is roasted and very malty.  The maltiness stays with you as you drink it while it finishes with a mild hop bitterness at the end.  As I continued to drink this beer, the hop finish got thicker and thicker on my palate.

 

Overall, if this is Santa's Private Reserve that he saves for this time of year, he clearly isn't a connoisseur of beer.  There really isn't anything that stands out here.  At 6% ABV, he must have a few and still manage to get and the work done for all of the good little girls and boys.  I guess he wouldn't want to be stumbling all over the place while managing those elves.  They'd probably run amuck and actually start doing those things that parents stage for the Elf on the Shelf pictures they throw on Facebook (you have way too much time on your hands by the way...).

 

  I'll let Frosty rate this one accordingly (he looks thirsty in the background, doesn't he?) with a Ho Ho Ho! out of a possible Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho! (3 out of 5 if you don't see what I did there).

 

 

Frosty says, "mmmm..."