Founders Features

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:45 pm

Thought I'd bring the discussion over here, about the different beers, so the other thread can be kept for discussing where to find them.

And just to start off the discussion...

I think this porter wins head over heals if put up against Deshutes, but maybe I'm missing something here. I feel like I could drink this all night. Rich, chocolatey, balanced. Crazy drinkable. I'd like to taste it against Harry Porter, but this is probably the best porter I've ever had.

Probably sounds crazy, but I think I like it more than the BS.

heebes · Post by **heebes** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:54 pm

The Porter is a step above Deschutes to be sure.

Buy cases of the Breakfast Stout. Just an amazingly complex beer that is relatively fresh with biiter coffee flavours up front that will mellow over time and still be a great oatmeal/choc stout.

Pale ale is servicable but agreed its not going to be a restocked 6er in the fridge too often.

Backwoods is great. Dirty too if you're a scoth ale fan.

Good thread jeff!

Kekumba · Post by **Kekumba** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 6:21 pm

Had a bottle of Dirty Bastard earlier. Smooth, sweet caramel butterscoth, went down fast and got none of the 8.5%. Not super complex, but for someone who generally dislikes scotch ales I quite enjoyed it (though it seemed quite tame compared to some of the others I've had...sounds like Backwoods is the opposite).

Looking forward to the rest should I find them.

MatttthewGeorge · Post by **MatttthewGeorge** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 7:24 pm

I prefer the Deschutes, however they are entirely different porters. Deschutes is more of a plain porter, and absolutely flawless. Founders is boarding on a robust porter, and while great, HFS Everett is better.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 7:30 pm

MatttthewGeorge wrote: HFS Everett is better.

Everett is one of the best porters out there. Period.

I haven't picked up any of the Founders release bottles yet, but I've had the porter many times and I absolutely love it. I definitely think that it drinks like a robust porter, so a comparison to Black Butte really isn't an apples to apples comparison.

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:49 pm

I did forget about the "robust" element with Founders as opposed to Decshutes. It is a much bigger beer. But, man - it seems to do so much more with just over a 1% difference.

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:03 am

heebes wrote:The Porter is a step above Deschutes to be sure.

Buy cases of the Breakfast Stout. Just an amazingly complex beer that is relatively fresh with bitter coffee flavours up front that will mellow over time and still be a great oatmeal/choc stout.

Pale ale is serviceable but agreed its not going to be a restocked 6er in the fridge too often.

Backwoods is great. Dirty too if you're a scotch ale fan.

^ What he said. ^

Also, I generally hate scotch ales but the Dirty Bastard is a doozy. The cherry aromas and higher-than-usual bitterness perfectly compliment the earthy-peaty notes, toffee sweetness, and toasty malt flavours. Mouthfeel is smooth as silk too. Just a great beer all around.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 3:37 am

JeffPorter wrote:I think this porter wins head over heals -

Probably sounds crazy, but I think I like it more than the BS.

At least you can keap your BT name which still seams appropriate.

Porters rock dude. No crazy there.

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:37 am

Count me as another huge fan of the Founders Porter. Gorgeous stuff.

Picked up a case of the Breakfast at King & Spadina this morning. They've been showing 66 units (11 cases) in stock for a few days now, but there was none on the shelf. Guy found it in the back for me, so if anyone is there looking for it later, you might have to do the same unless he drags some more out.

Now, I just have to hope the wife will let me drink some, what with it being her favourite beer in the world...

schomberger · Post by **schomberger** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 11:21 am

Loving the porter, wishing it could be a permanent listing or that an Ontario brewer could take up the challenge and brew something similar or, god forbid, better--if that's possible in Ontario..(?)

The Backwoods is the pleasant surprise of the release for me, as the thought of scotch ale didn't really excite me too much, but WOW! Massive flavour really blew me away; I even prefer it to the outstanding Breakfast stout.

Random thought: What kind of brewery releases a 8.5% scotch ale as their flagship brew? Self confident, ballsy, risk taking innovators? I think this attitude is really what's been lacking in Ontario, which relates back to my porter comment.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 4:49 pm

The Porter is quite nice. It is very smooth and quaffable. I do wish it was a little less than 6.5% abv, because it is very sessionable otherwise. Great Lakes has proved beyond any doubt, to me at least, that an outstanding Porter can also be a low abv one.

I must say I don't understand the love for the Breakfast Stout at all. Sweet start, astringent finish. Meh. Give me a Tempest any day.

Maybe I'm a contrarian, but I feel exactly the same way about this brewery as I did when the Centennial was released here in the summer - good stuff, quite nice, but completely inaccurate to say it is head and shoulders above what we have in Ontario.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 5:25 pm

I'm enjoying the Breakfast Stout right now, I agree slightly astringent (at first) but beautiful full balanced double-chocolate malt sweetness rounds it out. Really nice. I like it better than the aged bottle Matt gave me, and my advice would be do not have to age, necessarily. Those of you with access to Péché Mortél are not missing much.

Now if I can find some damn Porter I will buy that and be in seventh heaven... by the sounds of it.

schomberger · Post by **schomberger** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 5:36 pm

Great Lakes brews some excellent beers but many / most of those are seasonal or only available at the brewery or in select downtown TO pubs; for example, Harry Porter which i'd love to try and would be right there buying a sixer at the LCBO if i could...my point on Founders is that their robust porter, impy stout, ipa and scotch ales are their everyday offerings.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 9:36 am

Yes, fair enough, and the Porter is excellent, agreed. I tried it beside a Nutcracker yesterday and they were close, but the Founders is superior. I haven't tried the Impy Stout so can't comment. IPA (All Day IPA?) I sampled at the ballpark in Detroit this summer and it was fine but no better than 10BY, Cameron's IPA, various offerings from GLB or Bellwoods, IMO (I concede your point that the latter two aren't widely distributed). Is the Scotch Ale the Backwoods Bastard? If so I look forward to trying that still.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 9:41 am

Belgian wrote:Now if I can find some damn Porter I will buy that and be in seventh heaven... by the sounds of it.

There was still a fair bit at Yonge and Eglinton on Saturday.

The Bar Towel

Founders Features

Founders Features

i salute jeff for he is brethren to the porters clan