Founders says:
“Pours silky black with a creamy tan head. The nose is sweet with strong chocolate and caramel malt presence. No absence of hops gives Founders’ robust porter the full flavor you deserve and expect. Cozy like velvet. It’s a lover, not a fighter.
Founders Porter
Porter, 6.5% ABV
“I could drink only Founders Porter for the rest of my life and be a happy man.”
I sent that exact text to Karl while sipping on two of these at Dusty’s Tap Room in Okemos, MI. It was the first real day of fall. The temperature was a little brisk, definitely jacket weather, and leaves on the trees along I-94 were starting to show some subtle changes. Which meant as quickly as the weather changed so did my beer tastes. I am very much a seasonal beer drinker. Once the temperature dips below 60 or 65 I am rendered incapable of drinking any and all wheat beers and kolschs. Sometimes I’m even hard pressed to drink an IPA. The colder it gets the darker, heavier and more complex my beers must get. That day, it was porter weather and I had my heart set on one as soon as I walked through the door. To my dismay, the tap handles showed almost all summer beers – except for one.
Delivered in a pint glass, Founders Porter is black – almost opaque in color – with a khaki tan head that dances its way down your glass with each sip leaving some gorgeous lacing behind. This is a really great looking beer. The nose is full of roasted, malty goodness. There’s also some milk chocolate, coffee and even just the faintest hint of vanilla in the aroma.
Take a sip and you get those roasted malts up front followed by some dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans and a hint of hop bitterness to balance things out. Founders Porter finishes bitter with some lingering french roast coffee flavor. This goes down amazingly smooth and is easily sessionable at 6.5% ABV.
Drink it when it’s chilly. Drink it when it’s warm. Just drink it. This may very well be the standard for Porters.