Founders Beer Tasting
Big Beers, Bold Taste
Restaurants around Kansas City have hosted beer and food pairings all summer, and Flying Saucer Draught Emporium in the Power and Light District recently hosted its own. On Monday, September 28, they featured six beers from Founders Brewing Company with selected foods to complement each one.
As I entered the restaurant, I was directed toward one side where the tasting was to take place. Each table was set with small plates containing the food pairings and tasting sheets for each guest, as well as a free keychain bottle opener – cleverly appropriate, as just this year Founders transitioned from screw-off caps to pop-offs.
Founders Tasting Plate
Our first beer was Dirty Bastard, a strong Scotch ale. The initial aroma was sweet malt and burnt sugar, and the beer’s flavor suggested caramel and a touch of smokiness. The beer had a moderate level of carbonation and was paired with a Gruyere cheese. The earthiness of the cheese contrasted with the sweetness of the Dirty Bastard to show how different flavors and textures can complement each other well.
Michael Bell
Michael Bell, Founders’ Director of Sales, spoke extensively at the beer tasting and welcomed several questions. After being asked about the Dirty Bastard name, he explained that each of the Founders beer is named by the brewers that developed its recipe. To further emphasize the role the brewers play, they also develop most of the label concepts for their beers.
Following Dirty Bastard was Old Curmudgeon, an oak-aged American barleywine. Barleywine is a style of English strong ale dating back to the nineteenth century that is still brewed today. As we remarked on the depth in flavor of the beer, Bell recommended selecting food “as big and complex as the beer is, and that beer will completely change... If it’s a big beer, get a big food.” Appropriately, an aromatic slice of Stilton cheese was paired with this solid American barleywine.
Founders Old Curmudgeon
Next on the menu was the Centennial IPA, a hoppy and flavorful dry-hopped American IPA. While it fabulously highlighted the citrusy bitterness of the Centennial hop, there was enough of a sweet malt profile to round out the beer. The IPA was paired with Cotswald cheese that contains onions and chives. Again, a bold food for a bold beer.
Our hosts next brought out Cerise to go with chocolate-covered cherries. Brewed with tart Michigan cherries, Cerise is a sweet fruit beer with a strong aroma and flavor of the featured fruit. After one chocolate-covered cherry, however, the flavor of the beer completely changed from sweet to tart. This was probably the most remarkable of all food pairings, where my impression of the beer substantially changed.
Red’s Rye Ale was next on the list and created a loud buzz of interest due to the uniqueness of its flavor. The malt used in this beer was about 10% rye, lending a bit of spiciness as well as grapefruit flavor and aroma. This beer was well-suited to the pepper-crusted salami we ate with it.
Founders Red's Rye Ale
Founders Breakfast Stout
Finally, the last beer on the menu was the Breakfast Stout, so-called because it was brewed with oatmeal and coffee. This was a serious stout for all the senses: dark as molasses, smelling of earthy rich coffee, tasting of coffee beans and dark bitter chocolate, and soft on the tongue. It was paired with soft, creamy Fromager d’Affinois that smoothed out the bitterness of the beer. The only better pairing would have been a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Throughout the evening, Bell hinted at a “very special” beer for the end of the evening. As the group finished the Breakfast Stout, the special beer arrived: Canadian Breakfast Stout. This beer was aged in barrels first used by Heaven Hills Kentucky Distillery, then by a small Canadian syrup manufacturer. As a result, the beer carries smoky flavors from the charred barrels, vanilla notes from the bourbon, and a prominent douse of maple sweetness. This beer has a very limited release due to the small number of maple syrup barrels Founders is able to acquire each year. Though there was no food pairing with this beer, one of my table mates suggested pancakes and everyone at the table agreed it would have been a perfect match. Pancakes and beer? Absolutely! Besides, as Bell quipped at one point in the evening, “You can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning.”
Started by two college friends, Founders Brewing Company has been making craft beer since 1990. Although the Grand Rapids operation started out brewing a standard lineup including brown and pale ales, Founders now sticks solely to “big beers” including those featured at the Fall Tasting. Founders Brewing Company continues to encourage innovation among its brewers and push the boundaries of craft brewing.
Amy Satterlund is the author of the Wort Hog Beer Blog (www.kcworthog.com), a homebrewer, and avid beer enthusiast.
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