Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Founders Sweet Repute

On tap at Rattle and Hum NYC

This was the first wheatwine style of beer I've ever had. Founders has an outstanding reputation regardless of the type of beer so I figured I'd give it a try. Founders Breakfast Stout is one of my favorite beers after all.

Pours a beautiful dark amber - about halfway between amber and maple syrup. Delicate white lacing for the head, very little of it. Smells of maple sweetness with a bit of caramel and apple. Strong wheat presence in the nose as well.

Nice sweetness on first taste - strong maple and bourbon presences. The bourbon aging adds a really nice, balanced vanilla component. There's some apple in there as well, maybe some other faint fruity traces as well. Wheat presence is definitely palpable - it is a wheatwine after all (part of which is aged in maple syrup barrels and another part of which is aged in bourbon barrels and then blended). Very balanced beer overall - the more delicate flavors like wheat and fruit don't get consumed or drowned out by the bourbon aging or maple sweetness which is really nice.

This wheatwine finishes with a bit of wheat bitterness and lingering maple/vanilla sweetness. Alcohol taste is moderately pleasant - you can tell this is a "high gravity" beer from the start - though the 12.6% doesn't detract from the overall experience. Moderate to low carbonation.

Overall a solid showing from Founders Barrel Series.

Overall Rating: 4/5

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