Founders Curmudgeon
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with dark dried fruit — figs, raisins, prunes — layered over brown sugar, molasses, and a hint of oak. On the palate, it's full-bodied and warming, with flavors of toffee, dark caramel, and a mild earthy hop bitterness that keeps the sweetness from going flat. The malt backbone is rich without being cloying, and the finish lingers with a boozy warmth that reflects its unusually robust ABV for the style. Aged with maple syrup in the brewing process, it carries a subtle woody sweetness that distinguishes it from a standard old ale.
About the Brewery
Founders Brewing Co. is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has been operating since 1997. They built their reputation on high-gravity, boldly flavored beers and have a devoted following for their barrel-aged and specialty releases, including the widely celebrated Kentucky Breakfast Stout. Their core and seasonal lineup skews toward rich, malt-forward styles, though they also produce well-regarded IPAs. They distribute broadly across the United States and have significant shelf presence in the craft beer market.
Food Pairings
Curmudgeon pairs well with aged cheddar or Gouda because the beer's caramel malt mirrors the nutty, crystalline qualities in the cheese. Braised short ribs or beef stew work naturally here since the dark fruit and molasses notes complement slow-cooked, fatty meat. A slice of pecan pie or bread pudding with whiskey sauce echoes the maple and toffee character without competing with it. Strong blue cheeses like Roquefort find a match in the beer's sweetness cutting through the funk and salt.
Style Guide
Old Ale is a traditional British style characterized by rich malt complexity, dark fruit esters, low to moderate hop bitterness, and a warming alcohol presence typically ranging from roughly 6% to 11% ABV. The style traces back to 18th-century England, where stronger beers were stored and blended with fresher batches over time, developing vinous, oxidative notes in the process. It sits close to barleywine in strength and malt depth but tends to be less hop-forward and more openly malty and rustic in character. American craft interpretations sometimes incorporate adjuncts like maple syrup, molasses, or barrel aging, pushing the style toward dessert-like complexity.