Founders Brewing Co.

Regional Brewery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸
Owned by Mahou San Miguel
Associated with 2 Venues

Established in 1997

Contact
235 Grandville Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, United States
Description
Our beers are crafted for a chosen few, a small cadre of renegades and rebels who enjoy a beer that pushes the limits of what is commonly accepted as taste. In short, we make beer for people like us.

Our taproom experience was born in 1997 in downtown Grand Rapids, MI, when our Co-Founders decided to start a brewery and realized immediately that the only way they could earn some cash (the brewery was losing money during those first years) was through bartending. With its super-casual vibe, gritty feel and amazing beer, the taproom quickly became a haven for many misfits, artists, musicians and more in Grand Rapids, outgrowing its tiny space quickly. The good news was, so did the brewery. Our entire operation moved to its current downtown Grand Rapids location 10 years ago to accommodate this growth and has since maintained the relaxed atmosphere and “all are welcome” approach to those who walk through the door. What’s next for our taproom? A second one, of course! We’re headed to Motown and hope to bring our Founders feel to the heart of the Cass Corridor in downtown Detroit.

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7.8
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 7.5

Pours clear deep gold with a small off white head. Smells of coffee, vanilla, and bourbon. It tastes sweet with coffee, bourbon, oak, chocolate, and vanilla. Interesting. It’s very good but for me it’s not on the level of the classic KBS.

Tried from Draft at Dicky's 21 Taps on 13 Aug 2025 at 04:55


8

Keg at first draft. Pours golden amber, nose is roasted coffee, caramel, vanilla, coconut, taste is similar, creamy. 7/8/8/8/8

Tried from Draft on 09 Aug 2025 at 17:28


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6.8
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6.5

12 oz can, 8/9/25. Lemon-lime over some light pale malts. Not a ton here. Slightly thin. Light and crushable. Fine, but unexciting.
7/7/6.5/7/6.5

Tried from Can on 09 Aug 2025 at 16:50


7
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Another hazy IPA apparently, not high on my list but maybe Founders can do it better. 12 oz can found at the nearby big supermarket that does offer up singles that I would not otherwise buy. Cowtown snifter ready, I make the pour. I determine a surprisingly clear yellow-gold liquid with a stick-to-it top of completely white foam. Persistent carbonation must be noted. I smell a decent combination of citrus and ripe yellow fruit. The drink, well, an improvement over my expectation. Some west coast effect, a bit more of the NE style. Apricots, honey, a hint of floral, more bitterness than anticipated, white bread, enough lemon to register and malt. An interesting enough beer.

Tried from Can on 09 Aug 2025 at 00:51


7.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6.5

Can. Pineapple aroma with notes of mango, grapefruit, tangerine, orange, floral and some pine resiny hops. Pours clear golden colored with a large white head that has excellent retention and little lacing. Starts with juicy pineapple, mango, floral hops and tangerine flavors. Finishes smooth but a touch dry with orange, grapefruit and pine resiny hops. Crisp, refreshing session iPA.

Tried from Can from Powers Liquor Mart on 04 Aug 2025 at 03:24


7.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5

Bottle shared by Andrew, thanks! Pours a clear brown with a gold hue and a white head that dissipates to the edges. Aroma has a good amount of coffee and dark grains with bourbon and blueberry backing. Flavor has blueberry and dark grains with roast and light bourbon backing.

Tried from Bottle on 02 Aug 2025 at 22:00


7
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Taster showing pale straw with a finger of clean white foam.

The nose shows moderately intense tart notes of lime with lighter notes of lemon zest.

The palate is well carbonated and medium bodied. Light notes of zesty lemon with rounded lime and a mild bitterness followed by light malt on the finish.

Tried from Can on 23 Jul 2025 at 11:37


8.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Drinking this beer in 2015 or 2016, finding it at the bootlegger, Paris, not remembering this ipa but it was a good one and rather an old school ipa with a generous resinous note and a good bitterness

Tried from Bottle from Bootlegger on 22 Jul 2025 at 12:21


7.5
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Taster showing pale gold with half a finger of clean white foam.

The nose shows moderately intense notes of mango and passionfruit.

The palate is well carbonated and light bodied. Light to moderate sweetness with moderately intense flavors of red apple with a very mild sharp bitterness followed by a little more apple on the end.

Tried from Can at Antenna America Tokyo on 22 Jul 2025 at 11:52


8.5
Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Aroma: Dark roasted malt with ripe dark berries and some alcohol. Flavour: Roasted malt and fruity sweetness with coffee and chocolate. Aftertaste is malt, oaky with some bitterness. Colour: Black with a brown head. From: Bottle @ Voldby Købmandsgaard out of business sale

Tried from Bottle on 10 Jul 2025 at 18:07