For those of us who enjoy creative craft stouts and porters, you’ll recognize the name Founders Brewing Company, which is one of the largest craft breweries specializing in these beer styles.
Established in 1997 by Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers, the company is famous for its bold, complex beers like KBS, CBS, Founders Porter, Centennial and All Day IPAs.
Like many startups, it was a tough go for the pair.
Their brand struggles out of the gates and Stevens and Engers are on the brink of closing their doors.
Their “aha” moment was when they decided to brew beers that they wanted to drink, marking a turning point for the brewery in philosophy. Complex, flavorful ales are the result and the rest, as they say, is history.
Founders now has in excess of 500 employees and reached distribution in all 50 US states. In 2023, Founders announced its formal integration with Boulder, Colorado-based Avery Brewing Company and Madrid-based Mahou Imports.
Founders Brewing Co.’s main headquarters and main taproom are located in downtown Grand Rapids, and their main production facility and warehouse operations are located in Comstock Park, Michigan.
- Taproom Info:
- Monday – Thursday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM.
- Friday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM.
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM.
- Atmosphere: A former trucking depot modeled after a German beer hall, featuring a large patio, beer garden, and views of the brewing floor.
- Food: A recently renovated kitchen serves a full menu beyond its original pizza offerings, including handcrafted sandwiches and beer-inspired dishes like Bourbon Barrel-Smoked Chicken Wings.
About Founders Scotch Style Ale
- Style: Scotch Ale is a strong and rich beer known for their super malty, rich caramel flavors and boozy.
- ABV: 8.5%
- IBU: 50
- Appearance: Dark ruby or chestnut brown and a beige-colored head.
- Flavor Profile: Rich notes of caramel, toffee, and molasses.
- Aroma: Prominent notes of caramel, toasted bread.
- Ingredients: Brewed with seven varieties of imported malts including Abbey and Crystal.
- Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and velvety smooth with a creamy texture.
- Food Paring: Pairs well with barbecue (smoked brisket or pulled pork), bratwurst, honey-baked ham, and rich desserts like pecan pie.
Overall Impression: We’ve always been fans of Founders and tend to imbibe mainly in their Stout and Porter styles and not their IPA and Session beers. We drank this Scotch Ale at nearly room temperature and highly recommend that you try one bottle in this fashion. You’ll be surprised how much more your tastebuds will pick up from this Dirty Bastard of a Scotch Ale.
Hopinionated Rating 4.0/5.0
Sip or Skip – Sip
Community Reviews & Comments
- DraftMonger: Flavor is sweet at first – caramel and drops – a little boozy alcohol. Some whisky in the aftertaste. Nice brown, boozy sensation – and pretty good for Americans imitating the Scots.
- Kygolfer: Aroma is raisin and Carmel. Taste is dates, almost some oak. On the finish is more hops than I like but some may lie it. I’m just not a hops person.
- BeerEssentials96: Taste is well balanced with notes of oats, barley malt, some caramel sweetness, chocolate, and espresso. Finished a little sticky but hides the booze well. Great brew overall.
- CBlack85: The flavor, like the aroma, is caramel, toffee, raisins, and brown sugar, with some chocolate and a hint of smokiness. Medium bodied and moderately carbonated with a chewy mouthfeel. Overall this is a really nice beer.
- Billy64: Nice dark robust flavor. Good bitterness that fades into a slight sweetness, perhaps a rich malty taste. Moderate carbonation that feels correct. Very nice relaxing beer. Quite enjoyable for those that like dark lagers and scotch ales. Well done indeed.
- DDiFran: As advertised. Strong Carmel with a slight raisin or date flavor. There’s a sharp bitterness that mellows as the beer warms. Head lingers and leaves a lot of lace. Great Scotch Ale.
- TheBrewAdventures: The complexity is fantastic, with an almost deceptive caramel and spice in the aroma that give way to resiny and floral hop bitterness, tobacco, and dried fruit flavors that go down in a full and smooth sip. Dirty Bastard is an icon for a reason, and fits its namesake like a tailored kilt.
- Darwin’s Beer Reviews
Explore Similar Beers to Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale
- Oskar Blues Old Chub: Often considered the closest alternatives to Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale, offering a slightly mellower profile with hints of molasses and smoke.
- AleSmith Wee Heavy: Highly regarded for being rich and robust, considered one of the best in the style.
- Real Ale Real Heavy: A richer, denser, and sometimes slightly syrupy alternative.
- Great Divide Claymore: A consistent, high-quality US-year-round option.
- Skull Splitter (Orkney Brewery): A traditional Scottish import often recommended to fans of the style.
Have you tried Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale? If so, let us know what you think about it and we’ll include your comment in our Community Reviews and Comments section.
Send us an email at justabeerblogger@gmail.com.
Cheers!
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