Brewers Discuss The Pros and Cons of Cellaring

Like book lovers with towering bookshelves full of the classics, or hunters with heads o’ plenty adorning their walls, some beer nerds maintain extensive bottle collections. Indeed, aficionados of fermented malt and hops often engage in the art of cellaring beer. But not all of them agree with the idea of saving beer for later.

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The Weekly Buzz | February 10 – 16

Valentine’s Day fell this week, and I have reaffirmed my love for beer. It is the sun to my moon and the surf to my turf. I mean my kids and lady are great, too, but have you tried beer? They should write a romantic comedy about me and beer. It would be a smash hit. Any Hollywood producers want to get that green-lit for me?  Well, anyway, I was on Twitter this week, and this is The Weekly Buzz.

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Founders Brewing 20th Anniversary Release Calendar Announced

How does one of America’s most iconic craft breweries celebrate 20 years of Midwest liquid gold? Founders Brewing’s 20th Anniversary will be commemorated by dropping a special line of barrel-aged beers to bolster an already impressive overall portfolio.

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Founders Brewing Co. | Mosaic Promise

Craft beer has always been about the story. If you can make oatmeal, you can probably make beer. That’s the easy part. Beer comes in different shades of colors and styles. Yet, despite the basics of brewing being so simple, we are still drawn to drinking and discovering all the different styles and interpretations brewers put on our favorite liquid courage.

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What We’re Drinking | April 8th, 2016

Hidey-ho, neighbors! How are we holdin’ up? I don’t know about you, but the world seemed a little off-kilter to me this week. Something in the stars, something in the … Read More

New Zealand Founders | 1981 Pale Ale

Quietly perched on the north side of the south island of New Zealand, a lesser-known Founders Brewery company sits 8,500 miles from everyone’s favorite Founders out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and 143 years its senior. As a close disciple of the American Founders, I was implored to experience its far removed Kiwi cousin. With over a century more brewing experience and a reputation that precedes them, I had high expectations.

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College Football Playoff Beers

The College Football Playoffs are here for only the second time in history! If you are a fan of the Clemson Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Michigan State Spartans, or the Oklahoma Sooners, congratulations, your team made it to the final four. We cannot think of any better way to ring in this prestigious competition then by enjoying delicious, even local, craft beer. Below is a list of favorites for all the teams still vying for the National Championship. Let us know what you had while watching the games!

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Ultimate 6er | Beer Pairings for Your Holiday Dinner Party

The holidays are the time to enjoy exceptional food, delicious beers and your favorite people – so why not combine all three this year? We’ve compiled the Ultimate 6er for holiday dinner party beer pairings, so break out your tastiest recipes and throw a party!

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Ultimate 6er | Summer Treat Beers

We may be 2 weeks away from the official start of summer. But for a majority of the country, there’s already been at least a couple days of some back sweat and sunburned noses. Which of course means it’s more than appropriate to break out the summer treats. Instead of getting sticky with melting snow cones or the sadness of losing a scoop of vanilla to the ants, grab one of these summer inspired beers instead. Or even throw them in the freezer for a frozen beer treat!

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Founders Brewing Company | Big Lushious

ABV: 7.8%

This Friday we will celebrate one of the worst holidays, Valentine’s Day. If you’re in a relationship, it is almost impossible to make any kind of unique romantic plans that 100 other couples won’t be doing. If you’re single, it’s a 2 week build up engineered to make you feel like a loser. The one positive is that no one judges you for buying ridiculously expensive chocolates. This year I decided to try to find the beer equivalent of romantic, fancy chocolate. With the cartoon Rihanna-circa-Umbrella on its label, Founders’ Big Lushious was the clear choice.

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Ultimate 6er | Robert Burns Night

Photo Credit: http://www.robertburns.org.uk

Next Sunday is the late, great Robert Burns’s birthday. For those who are not familiar with Burns, he was a well-known Scottish poet from the 18th century, considered the national poet of that fair land. Most people know about one of his many poems titled Auld Lang Syne, a little song we all sing tipsily around the New Year. Apart from that small element of Hogmanay, there are others who commemorate his life and his poetry by celebrating his birthdate every January 25. Robert Burns Night dinners have been popular events for many years now: parties that are not wanting in scotch, bagpipers, poetry readings, haggis, neaps, and tatties. In my experience, festival-goers will most likely find themselves at a brewery where there is a fresh tapping of a scotch ale, or more than one! Therefore, what better way to commemorate our dear friend Robbie than with a few of the best scotch ales out there*? Read More

Founders Brewing Co. | Porter

ABV: 6.5%
IBU: 45

If you’ve been to the Founders taproom – particularly on a Monday for $3 pint night – in Grand Rapids, MI, you know it’s a lively, friendly place. Chalkboard beer lists hang over the long wooden bar that’s almost always packed with people jostling to get closer to the rotating taps. Outside on the deck, tables and benches are organized around large fire pits that enable guests to enjoy their beer outdoors even during harsh Michigan winters. The Founders taproom is, in fact, my favorite place to visit and catch up with friends and family when I return to my hometown for the holidays. On a typical trip, I spend at least one night each weekend in the comforting arms of my favorite brews like the namesake of this article, the Founders Porter. It’s a plan that works well, as it enables me to combine my favorite people with my favorite brewery.

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Ultimate 6er | Koozie Doozies

Yeah, a nice craft beer sipped from a fancy glass is great, but sometimes a little neoprene sleeve around a classic can of suds is even better. The koozie keeps your beer from getting warm and your hand from getting cold. More importantly though, it gets you out of the house, out of the bar, just drinking good beer with good friends with a fun bit of squishy love between your hand and the can. I give you my Ultimate 6er, the beers and the best places to drink them, Koozie Doozies: Read More

Founders Brewing Co. | Dark Penance

Imperial Black IPA

ABV: 8.9%

IBU: 100

October is finally here! And half gone at that! But, there is still plenty of time to drink some of the best seasonal beer selections breweries have to offer. Now, it is no surprise that pumpkin beers have been taking over the market selection for seasonal brews this year. However, there are a ton of other great beer styles to drink this October, such as Harvest Ales, Brown Ales, Black Ales, really any full-bodied dark beer with toasty notes to keep you warm by a fire. Founders Brewing Co. introduced one such brew to their autumn line-up, a bold new speciality beer, Dark Penance Imperial Black IPA. From appearance all the way to flavor, Dark Penance sets a fresh new tone for beers this season, capturing all the right characteristics of fall. Read More

Ultimate 6er | 6 Delicious Dark Beers

As a fan of dark beers, I’ve taken it upon myself to share an Ultimate 6er featuring only such beers. To keep it local, I’ve selected three beers native to North Carolina. Those from NC are Green Man Porter, Highland Oatmeal Porter and Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout. The others are Founders Porter, Boulevard Dark Truth Stout and Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro. Read More

Rivertowne Brewing | Hala Kahiki Pineapple Beer

Rivertowne Brewing Hala Kahiki Pineapple Beer – 4.8%ABV

Picture this…It is a b-e-a-u-tiful sunny day, let’s say 80 degrees or so, and you are floating down a river on the device … Read More

Founders | Kentucky Breakfast Stout

I haven’t had this beer before.

I figured I would try Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout eventually, but I didn’t know when. I’ve heard stories of lines, of drives, of cases purloined from delivery vehicles. No beer should have a story this big. It’s almost unfair for a product’s reputation to balloon like the KBS brand has. Wouldn’t it be too much, almost inherently?

On April 1st, my home-brewing friend sent me a text: “You may want to swing by Liquor Barn on lunch. It’s Founders KBS day.” I looked at my phone, and I dismissed the idea out of hand.

But then I looked again.

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Barclay’s Premier League Ultimate 6er

As a longtime Liverpool supporter (circa 2000 when European soccer began getting some airplay on American sports television), mid-August marks the beginning of the grueling10-month endeavor known as the Barclay’s Premier League (BPL, formerly the English Premier League, EPL) season. Now much has been made of this upcoming season as NBC Sports has obtained rights to show all BPL games this season, and with that new contract NBC has ramped up their marketing.

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Founders Brewing | Breakfast Stout

ABV: 8.3% | IBU: 60

I used to think this brew was best poured into a wide base tulip on a cool summer’s evening. I have changed my mind. This breakfast beer is best served with breakfast. It’s a big beer but not too big. Grab a mug, pour a Founders Brewing Breakfast Stout and grab a slice of coffee cake. Take a seat on your front/back porch with the morning paper. It’s time for breakfast the way it was intended.

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Centennial IPA – Founder’s Brewing Co.

ABV: 7.2%

IBUs: 65

My latest trip home was dominated by delicious drinks. Is that enough alliteration for ya? But, seriously, I had some ridiculously good stuff while I was back in Louisville, KY for the holidays. One of my first beers of the trip was the Centennial IPA from Founder’s Brewing Co. Read More