Rating |
94
|
Style |
Barrel-Aged Ale |
Produced In |
Grand Rapids, Michigan United States |
ABV |
12.7% |
Availability |
Limited |
Reviewed By |
Cat Wolinski |
Reviewed |
2018-09-27
|
Perfect For
Cold Weather Hibernation, End of Day Sipping, Sweet Tooth Cravings, Treat Yo'self, Wine And Cheese Night
Review: Founders Curmudgeon's Better Half
Review
Barrels that once held bourbon, then maple syrup, then finally, ale could be considered the matchmakers for this beer and your palate. Curmudgeon's Better Half is an old ale — a term used to describe English-style dark beers that lean boozy and sweet — brewed with molasses and aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels. In this mahogany-tinted tropical storm of aromas and flavors, dextrous dextrin takes center stage. Notes of brandy-washed cheese, salted caramel, pumpernickel, and German chocolate cake swim together, lightly funky, umami, and brown sugar-sweet. Herbal notes, perhaps from the Kent Golding hops, cut what might become saccharine, as this beer closes with a pleasant period of bitterness at the end of a slow, syrupy sentence. This close-to-13 percent ABV brew leaves the lips sticky sweet, a sensual companion for any curmudgeon, be they at a campfire or on a couch. Wherever you are when you sip this beer, take it slow; and be ready to let your ire melt away.
As of 2024, VinePair no longer participates in any affiliate programs. All links included in our content are as a convenience to our readers, not for earning commission — we receive no monetary value from them. Learn more about our tastings & review department here!
Review: Founders Curmudgeon's Better Half
Barrels that once held bourbon, then maple syrup, then finally, ale could be considered the matchmakers for this beer and your palate. Curmudgeon's Better Half is an old ale — a term used to describe English-style dark beers that lean boozy and sweet — brewed with molasses and aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels. In this mahogany-tinted tropical storm of aromas and flavors, dextrous dextrin takes center stage. Notes of brandy-washed cheese, salted caramel, pumpernickel, and German chocolate cake swim together, lightly funky, umami, and brown sugar-sweet. Herbal notes, perhaps from the Kent Golding hops, cut what might become saccharine, as this beer closes with a pleasant period of bitterness at the end of a slow, syrupy sentence. This close-to-13 percent ABV brew leaves the lips sticky sweet, a sensual companion for any curmudgeon, be they at a campfire or on a couch. Wherever you are when you sip this beer, take it slow; and be ready to let your ire melt away.
Reviewed On: 09-27-2018
Review: Founders Curmudgeon's Better Half
Barrels that once held bourbon, then maple syrup, then finally, ale could be considered the matchmakers for this beer and your palate. Curmudgeon's Better Half is an old ale — a term used to describe English-style dark beers that lean boozy and sweet — brewed with molasses and aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels. In this mahogany-tinted tropical storm of aromas and flavors, dextrous dextrin takes center stage. Notes of brandy-washed cheese, salted caramel, pumpernickel, and German chocolate cake swim together, lightly funky, umami, and brown sugar-sweet. Herbal notes, perhaps from the Kent Golding hops, cut what might become saccharine, as this beer closes with a pleasant period of bitterness at the end of a slow, syrupy sentence. This close-to-13 percent ABV brew leaves the lips sticky sweet, a sensual companion for any curmudgeon, be they at a campfire or on a couch. Wherever you are when you sip this beer, take it slow; and be ready to let your ire melt away.
Reviewed On: 09-27-2018