Old Ale Project – Founder’s Old Curmudgeon (#24)

Twelve ounce bottle poured into a tulip.  9.8% ABV.  Stored and served at 55F.  Bottled “01/21/16”.

Appearance:  The color of an aged brick building.  A building with a cellar.  Murky with a fair amount of age-chunks suspended in glass.  Poured with a decent head that has since faded into a thin ring around the edge.  The debris is being pushed around by the bubbles, which is creating a sort of hypnotic lava lamp that I can’t take my eyes off of (4/5).

Aroma:  Interesting… the aroma comes off very earthy.  Almost like a damp cellar. 

Old tobacco.  Stale wine.  Some old guy, sitting in the corner and giving you the stink eye.  What’s his problem?  Perhaps he’s the curmudgeon (4.25/5).

Taste:  The bottle says Old Ale with molasses and oak.  Molasses… check.  Oak… can’t miss it.  Both come through in spades.  It gives the impression of a very old wine.  Fruity and woody.  I’m back in the cellar with the old guy.  He’s wearing an ancient leather coat that has an extinguished pipe in one of the pockets.  His wife died twenty years ago and he comes here every night.  He sits on the same stool and eyeballs everyone who walks through the door.  You anxiously order a drink.  Perhaps Old Curmudgeon (4.5/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, light carbonation (4.5/5).

Overall:  This beer puts the “Old” in Old Ale.  It is full of rich flavors and just feels incredibly mature.  Of all of the Old Ales I’ve consumed over the past couple years, this one may be the best example of the style.  Not my favorite per se, but in the future if someone asks me what an Old Ale is, this is likely the direction I will recommend they take.  When Michael Jackson talked about his half a glass by the fire, I imagine this is what he was looking for.  Awesome job, Founders (4.5/5).

-Matt