Founders Brewing Company’s taproom // Photo courtesy of Founders Brewing
Michigan’s Founders Brewing Company will celebrate 20 years in 2017 and has some big plans in store for the milestone.
Label art courtesy of Founders Brewing
First up, a new series of barrel-aged beers joining Founders’ hugely-popular Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) and Backwoods Bastard.
The first release in the series will be Frootwood, which according to the brewery is a crisp, light-bodied cherry ale aged oak barrels that have held both bourbon and maple syrup. The beer carries notes of warm vanilla and an earthy sweetness. The wood-aging adds depth and tames the tart cherry while the maple imposes a velvety texture that lingers briefly after each sip.
Frootwood will be available in some states as early as January, with remaining states seeing it by February, at a suggested retail price of $14.99/four-pack and $11.99/750mL bottle. It will be released in Founders’ Grand Rapids taproom on January 25, 2017.
Three other barrel-aged beers will be released throughout the year, but Founders is keeping details on them close to the vest for the time being. They’re scheduled for release in the May-June, August-September, and December timeframes, respectively, and will all come out in four-packs of 12 oz. bottles and 750ml bottles. KBS will be released in Michigan in March and everywhere else in April. Backwoods Bastard is due out in the October-November timeframe.
Doing a 180° from big, barrel-aged beers, Founders also announced that their sessionable All Day IPA will be coming to 19.2 oz. cans in early January.
Graphic courtesy of Founders Brewing
All Day IPA was the first craft beer to be offered in 15-packs, according to Founders, and holds the title of the largest-selling craft can package in the U.S. All Day is also the third largest-selling IPA of any kind, Founders said in a press release.
Lastly, seasonals Azacca IPA, PC Pils, and Mosaic Promise will be joining All Day in 15-packs of 12 oz. cans when they come out in the January-March, April-August, and September-December timeframes, respectively. They’ll also still be available in six-packs of 12oz. bottles.
Graphic courtesy of Founders Brewing
To make room for some of these new beers, Founders will be retiring Pale Ale (first seen in 2002) and Devil Dancer Imperial IPA, which was first introduced as a seasonal in 2004. See below for Founders’ full 2017 release calendar.
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