Founders Backwoods Bastard

The Object of my Affection
(with Mrs. Beer also pictured 
n the Background)

Beer:  Backwoods Bastard (BWB)

Brewery:  Founders

Date:  November 17th, 2013

Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

ABV: 10.2%

Similar To: Bells Eccentric Ale, Three Floyds Robert the Bruce

Description:
The search for a great beer can be both delightful and exasperating.  I've gotten geared up to try a well-reviewed beer only to find that I was disappointed by some part of the experience, whether it was the taste, the odor, or even the setting in which I drank it.  Does it make me fickle to base my enjoyment on more than just a beer's own merits?  Maybe, but I'm comfortable with that.  If I try a previously reviewed beer again and find that my opinion of it has changed, then I'll update that review accordingly. On the positive side, this review isn't about disappointment, it's about finding a beer that I've been looking for, completely by accident.  

Mrs. Beer and I had taken a night away to enjoy a couple of drinks out, followed by a quiet dinner at a local BBQ staple, whose cheesy grits must be experienced to be believed.  We arrived fairly late and since it was Mrs B's first time, we ordered a pretty broad swath of the menu and sent the waitress scurrying away to fetch appetizers.  Since we knew the tri-tip would take a while and our restaurant carries an impressively diverse range of drafts listed on a chalkboard above their cozy bar, we decided to order a final pre-dinner drink.  Mrs B. picked a local draft and I was about to do the same, when almost as an afterthought, I decided to peruse the list of bottles.  I can only thank whatever impulse it was that drove me to it, because buried in the middle was the subject of this post:  Founders Backwoods Bastard.

Despite the basket of fried pickles that showed up in the meantime, the 5 or so minutes between when the waitress took our drink order and when they arrived may have been the longest of my sober life.  Until I saw the bottle on the table in front of me, I was waiting for her to tell me that they were out, as has happened frustratingly frequently with beers I've ordered this year.

First Impression: 
I love the artwork.  I can't tell you the number of times that either a beer's label or its description have swayed me into trying it, only to find that "bold hoppiness", "intense floral aroma", or "rich caramel overtones" all translate to "another ****ing dime a dozen IPA" in plain English.  Despite my wariness, there was something about the simple concept-art feel of the mountain man cum-Packers fan that made me warm to this bottle immediately.  Subsequent signs didn't disappoint either.

Smell: 
Three words:  Single Malt Scotch. The first drag off the mason jar (see above pic) was sweet and almost toffee-like.  Think Glenmorangie or Glenfiddich rather than the peaty end of the spectrum like Talisker.  Even Mrs. Beer, who's never been a big fan of the stuff, had to admit it was pretty special.   Robust and complex, similar to barley wine, my closest comparison would be Bell's Eccentric Ale.  I understand that the BWB is usually compared to bourbon, but being a Scotch person, I prefer that analogy.

Taste: 
Wow, it gets better.  Sweet, surprisingly (strong) vanilla but not overwhelming or syrupy.  At 10% I expected to taste that in the swallow but found nothing but smoothness. Rich, warm, and very drinkable, it paired well with BBQ but would also work with similarly hearty fare like chicken, cheese, potatoes, or even as an after dinner drink.  I'd pick something else if your dish of choice is vinegary or tart.
In Closing...:
As one of the 250 beers on my Beer Odyssey List, the BWB not only didn't disappoint me, it was one of the best I've tried this year.  I've always had a soft spot for Scotch ales and for pretty much anything produced by Founders Brewery and this was a fine example of both.  Highly recommended for a cold winter evening by the fire.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (out of 5)

Lakefront Brewery Fixed Gear

Beer:  Fixed Gear (FG)

Brewery:  Lakefront

Date:  November 16th, 2013

Style: Red Ale

ABV: 6.5%

Similar To:  A better version of Smithwick's, Amber Ale.

Description:
I remember my first experiences with red ales in my late teens and early 20's when Killian's took the US college bar scene by storm, or at least my small corner of it.  The rich amber color and distinctive barley taste were a welcome change in a time where imports generally consisted of Beck's, Heineken, and if you were really lucky, Grolsch (whose most noteworthy quality was its ability to taste skunked right out of the bottle).  As with many beers whose main selling point is their slight differences from most of what else is currently on offer, Killian's popularity waned for me with the introduction of the first big wave of "microbrews", such as Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Red Hook ESB, into the Midwest.  Over the years I tried a few more red ales (or Irish reds), like Caffrey's, Kilkenny, Leinenkugel's, Smithwick's, and Goose Island's malty Kilgubbin, but never really took to the style.

Fast forward to 11/16/13 and I happened to stumble upon Lakefront's Fixed Gear in the oddest of places - the glass in my hand.  Mrs. Beer and I were visiting a coworker and her family out in the Chicago 'burbs and they had a fridge full of this and hard cider.  In the spirit of open-mindedness (and because my earliest experience with cider dates from my 16th birthday and involved 3 liter bottles of the stuff, a rave in a metal barn, and waking up in a bathtub in the middle of a cow field), I opted for the Fixed Gear and was quite pleasantly surprised. 

Taste:
Perhaps it was because I hadn't had a red for so long or maybe it was because most of what I've been drinking recently is on the other side of 10%, but I found FG to be smooth, slightly sweet, and eminently drinkable.  Scrutinizing the bottle more closely, I discovered that what I had thought was a "Trader Joe's" style generic lager, was actually produced by Lakefront Brewery, a place Mrs. B and I had tried to visit on a few of occasions, all in vain, when passing through Milwaukee on other business.  Based on the evidence from the two bottles I enjoyed that afternoon, we may have to dedicate a trip to the land of cheese and quarterbacks to try more of their offerings sooner rather than later.

Rating: 3 Stars (out of 5)

Bell's Wheat Love Ale

Beer:  Wheat Love Ale (WLA)

Brewery:  Bell's

Date:  November 15th, 2013

Style: Wheatwine

ABV: 8%

Similar To:  Strong hefeweizen, Hoegaarden Grand Cru.

Description:
It's no secret to anyone who's spent any time drinking with me that I'm a fan of pretty much everything put out by the Bell's Brewery headquartered in Galesburg, MI.  Since I discovered their beers about a decade ago, I've been consistently impressed by the quality and variety of their offerings, even the more widely available ones such as their Third Coast Ale, Oberon, and my wife's favorite Two Hearted Ale.  I recall with great chagrin when Bell's was temporarily unavailable in Illinois starting in late 2006 due a long-standing feud with their distributor.  Thankfully, this drought only lasted for about a year and in 2007, Bells was back with a vengeance and a much wider distribution than it had previously within the Chicago area (at least to the best of my recollection).  The best way I've found to experience the best of what Bell's has to offer is by visiting their Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo, MI, for an evening of enjoyment and brews which you won't find anywhere else.  What their food menu lacks in glamor, it more than makes up for in affordability and heartiness.  Mrs. Beer and I have even spent a couple of her birthdays there, making a night of it with good friends from the Chicago area.

It was with this considerable personal pedigree that I obtained a bottle of Bell's Wheat Love Ale from West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, and enjoyed it at home this evening, served chilled in my favorite style-agnostic vessel, the New Glarus tasting glass. 

Taste:
My first impression was how smooth it was for an 8% beer of a style which invites comparison to barley wine.  Surprisingly light and drinkable, I suspect that a pint or two of this could easily sneak up on me unawares.  Nice, light effervescence, with no noticeable fruity taste or smell.  Overall a very pleasant experience, and one that I'd recommend if you like either wheat beers or strong ales, or both.  The closest similarity I could recall was to Hoegaarden Grand Cru, though without any of that beer's floral or fruity qualities.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (out of 5)