Over the last few years, finding Backwoods Bastard has been a difficult feat to the point that this eedition is the first time we’ve been able to procure a bottle. Backwoods Bastard is Founders’ Dirty Bastard (a Scotch ale) that has been placed into oak barrels for a year. The time spent in these barrels boosts the overall ABV from 8.5% to 11.2%. Backwoods Bastard pours with a rich, deep mahogany and leaves only a small amount of off-white head.
The beer itself is a sipper; it has bold flavors of whiskey, oak, tobacco, and a good hop presence that continues to shine through. Founders’ current seasonal gradually shifts into notes of dark fruits, spices (nutmeg, cinnamon) and sweeter tastes of brown sugar and caramel. I feel that the beer’s ability to continually match together different elements is something that will keep one coming back to the brew. Where a great many brews tend to do one thing well, Founders’ Backwoods Bastard has enough sides to appease fans of a high-ABV efforts, stouts, porters, and even English efforts (ESBs / “traditional” India Pale Ales).
Backwoods Bastard is the perfect warming effort, one that is able to stave off the chill after working outside during an autumn night. It has enough of a body to match quite nicely with strongly-flavored fare including lamb and beef dishes, along with cuisines like Thai, Greek, and Indian. The depth of flavors to this brew is such that it contributes nicely to a party or other communal / sharing sort of experience.
Check out our prior coverage of Founders’ Dirty Bastard and Breakfast Stout. Look at Founders’ main domain and social media profiles for new product announcements and events.
Backwoods Bastard is available in 12 and 22 ounce bottles.
Rating: 9.8/10
Backwoods Bastard (Founders) / 11.2% ABV / 50 IBU / Barrel-Aged Ale / http://foundersbrewing.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/foundersbrewing / http://twitter.com/foundersbrewing /
[…] the last decade or so, we’ve covered Founders’ CBS (2017), Backwoods Bastard, Breakfast Stout, and Dirty […]