Draught @ Fox & Hounds, Sønderborg. Pours cloudy very dark brown with stable dark tan head. Clear aroma of maple syrup, fudge and yeast, with touches of malt. Bitter, roasty and hoppy flavour with notes of barrel, fudge, maple syrup, malt and yeast. Bitter, roasty and burning aftertaste with estery and malty touches. Warming alcohol presence. Yummy.

Bottled 10/2/20, drunk 4/6/22. Felt bad buying this, but it's rated so highly and I am curious as I haven't had a Founders stout in SO long, so what the hell. Undetermined clarity in this dark mahogany-ebony. Lighter tan head is small, showing moderate retention. Cookie, fudge, espresso bean, vanilla and sweet caramel give a comforting, if somewhat concerningly sweet nose. Surprisingly free of any alcohol sharpness or character whatsoever. Mild and easy with pleasant aromatics. Wow, that's honestly not bad. The chocolate is on the darker side but not hugely bitter, as the coffee bean-like character helps keep balance. No big acidity, yet no big sweetness, though the fudge character is soft, succulent and comforting. Barrel aging adds some roundness and dryness on the finish, also contributing to balance, but is otherwise tastefully done. Wow, I have to admit, this is pretty god damned balanced with no sign of booze, syrup, cloying sweetness or over barreled character. Some black licorice-like bitterness, maybe alcohol-driven, persists strongly on the finish, more and more with warming, disrupting the softness and flavor somewhat. Still, this is so far above my expectations, it's incredible.

Bottle from Fin, thanks! Dark as midnight, brown tan head that lasts, fantastic nose of coffee and dark chocolate fudge. The flavor is a richly layered caramel turtle of chocolate, complex sugar flavors, and coffee - with a little dab of bitterness at the end. Smooth fat mouthfeel. Warm blended alcohol notes from the bourbon barrel aging. Holy deliciousness, Batman!

2020 bottle, many thanks Fin! Black color with beige head. Aroma is intensely aromatic coffee ground without going into the bell pepper territorry, chocolate, and well-integrated Bourbon fudge & a touch vanilla, no maple for me really. Taste is super balanced big good coffee, bourbon, and delicate chocolate, not too sweet, unlike some others of the series. Very smooth chewy-velvety body, fine-bubbled carbonation. Lovely beer, winning by elegance rather than in-your-face-ness.

Bottle, thanks Fin! Black, dark brown dissipating cream. Sweet chocolate and coffee, light fudge aroma. Medium full chewy creamy body. Vanilla, cocoa & coffee, condensed milk caramel, broad coffee drink notes, vanilla, spicy caramel finish. Lovely balanced sweet stout.

12 oz. bottle, pours jet black with a small light brown head. Aroma is intense, with loads of chocolate fudge, followed by maple syrup, and some mocha coffee -- not getting the barrels. Flavour is decadent and intense, with loads of chocolate fudge, mocha, and some maple syrup, accentuated by moderate bourbon barrel presence. So much intense chocolate fudge and mocha character, with medium-high sweetness. Yeah, that's intense and delicious. Excellent.

Dark black body medium creamy light brown head. Roast coffee fudge chocolate aroma. Coffee chocolate fudge roast toffee flavor. Medium full body moderately low carbonation. 8/5/9/4/17 4.3