First Posted: 3/18/2014
Beer: Founders Porter
Brewer: Founders Brewing Company
Style: American Porter
ABV: 6.50%
Description: Founders Porter pours a deep dark brown color with a thick tan head that recedes fairly quickly and leaves behind very little lacing. The aroma explodes forth with notes of chocolate and coffee from the roasted malts, with a slight hint of piney hops in the background. The bittersweet chocolate and coffee flavors hit up front, followed by a pleasant yet very subtle hop bite before finishing nice and dry. The medium-full body and low carbonation certainly give this beer the feeling of a stout, but it does have a bit less of the filling feeling that stouts can give off. This incredibly smooth and easy-drinking porter is easily one of the best American porters available on the market today.
Food pairing: A good porter is a very versatile beer and can work with dinners and desserts just the same, which is certainly the case with Founders Porter. Try pairing this brew with roasted pig, pork chops, or even roasted pork barbecue; the malt bill will highlight the wonderful caramel flavors that are given off from well-roasted pork, while the subtle hop background adds an extra flavor depth to an already delicious pairing. If you are looking for something a little less involved, try pairing with a burger. Don’t go overboard with the toppings or you can dissipate the wonderful match-up between the beef and the beer. Sticking around for a while? There is no need to switch beers as you move to dessert, as this porter has it handled! Pair this beer with chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies, or even coffee cake. This porter is definitely a workhorse and will add a ton of flavor to any dish without being too heavy on the palate.
The final word: Simply stated, Founders is a brewery that brews incredible beers and one should expect nothing less from it; this porter is yet another incredible beer. The popularity explosion that has occurred in the craft beer realm with IPAs seems to have left many fantastic styles behind in the minds of the casual beer drinker, with porter being one of those styles. However, if someone unfamiliar with the style were given a Founders Porter, there is no doubt that they would quickly realize the incredible beer that they are pushing off to the side to have yet another hoppy beer. The body and fullness of this porter is one that walks the thin line between porters and stouts, but walks it with confidence.
Rating: W W W W W
Where can I get it? Currently available in 12-ounce bottles at J & H Beer, Plains Township; Krugel’s Georgetown Deli & Beer, Wilkes-Barre; Exit 190 Beer Deli, Dickson City; and Arena Bar & Grill, Wilkes-Barre. Available on draft at Jack’s Draft House, Scranton. This beer will be available at the Beer Geek Festival on April 12 at the Slocum Hollow Lodge at Montage Mountain in Scranton.
Remember, enjoy responsibly! Cheers!
-Derek Warren is a beer fanatic, avid homebrewer, and beer historian. Derek can be heard weekly on the Beer Geeks Radio Hour on 102.3 FM Saturdays at 10 a.m.
