Pick Your Poison: Founder's Backwoods Bastard

Given that it's a new year, I think it is time to expand my horizons a bit on the type of beer I drink. As I mentioned last time, I'm a fan of stouts. A big fan actually. It used to be those powerful double or triple IPAs that caught my fancy, but there is something about a stout that I believe makes it special. No, it's not just the ridiculously high alcohol content... well, maybe it is, but stouts are far more complex and have more flavor and dark notes than a lager or ale.

Every winter, Founder's, which just happens to be my favorite brewery, comes out with Backwoods Bastard, a cousin of one of my favorite beers, Dirty Bastard. Both are scotch ales, or a "Wee Heavy," and scotch ales are normally known for being malty with low IBUs, which means it has very little to no hops whatsoever. These ales are so much different than your typical beers, but that's exactly what makes them so special.

Every time I stop and look at the beer section in the grocery store, I always check to see what Founder's is up to. I've always noticed Backwoods Bastard, but I always walk past and look for something different because of the price. It's hard for me to rationalize spending 15 dollars on a four-pack of beer, regardless of the quality. But Backwoods Bastard came as gift Christmas gift, so that works out for all of us.

But before we begin, what are your views on getting alcohol as a Christmas gift? In a way, I feel like it's kind of lazy. But on the other hand, it feels practical, considering that it's pretty much a guarantee that the recipient will use it (and probably quickly). Maybe it depends on the alcohol's quality and price. If it's a 50 dollar bottle of Ketel One Vodka, or 100 dollar bottle of scotch, that's one thing. But if anyone is considering giving me a 30 pack of Keystone Light, just keep that to yourself.

Anyway, that's a discussion for a different time. On to the review.
                           
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• Bourbon-barrel aged Scotch Ale
• ABV: 11.6%
• IBUs: 50
• Availability: November/December
• $14.99/4-pack

As mentioned above, this beer has always been one that intrigued me, but I never pulled the trigger on it. It wasn't until I got that Christmas gift that I realized how incredible a beer it was.

It's definitely not one for those new to the craft beer scene, and it definitely isn't a beer that those who don't enjoy a nice glass of whiskey or bourbon. It's a specialty beer to me. It's for family get-togethers, holidays, and other similar events. It's a beer that is meant to be sipped. Anything more will make it quite unpalatable. Trust me on that... I tried.

Anyway, I poured the 12 oz bottle into the snifter, and almost immediately, the smell of the beer was intoxicating. No lie, this was perhaps the best smelling beer I've ever had. It's almost to the point where I'd like to bottle it up and use it as an air freshener in my car. It was aged in bourbon barrels, and you get that sense immediately as the bourbon works its way through the vanilla, caramel notes, and the roasted malt.

Outside of the smell, the color was a deep brown, almost caramel color with very little head. It's sort of how I expected it to look, except for its viscosity. It wasn't thick at all. In fact, it was almost transparent at times, which is unusual for scotch ales, but I would suppose that can be attributed to the bourbon barrels.

The taste mostly follows the nose. It's heavy on the bourbon early, but you don't quite get all the complexities of the beer until it warms up. That was a mistake on my part. I should've let stand a little bit after I took it out of the refrigerator in order to get the full effect. Because while the bourbon flavor is clear, the dark fruits, such as plums and maybe some prunes, as well as the vanilla really stand out.

At 11.6%, you'd expect this beer to be a little difficult to put down. But unlike bourbon, you don't get that burn at the back end. The beer's actually rather sweet as it goes down. The alcohol is clear. It's obviously there, but it doesn't have much of an impact on the beer. 

Overall, it's an enjoyable sipping beer. Would I drink it again? Absolutely. Would I buy it on a regular occasion? Probably not. It's a fantastic beer that, like most things, needs to be enjoyed every so often to get a real feel of what it's all about.