Founders Frootwood

I have been writing this blog for 3 years now. In that time, I do not think I have been asked about a beer more than I have about Founders' Frootwood. Whether it's a face to face conversation, a phone call, a text message, an email or a carrier pigeon letter, it seems like everyone wants to know how this maple syrup bourbon barrel aged cherry ale is. I think there are multiple reasons for this, the first being that Founders is a great brewery that makes some wonderful beer. The second being, Lizard of Koz was a surprisingly disappointing barrel aged offering from the makers of CBS, KBS and Backwoods Bastard. The final reason is a maple syrup bourbon barrel aged cherry ale sounds crazy. My initial reaction when Frootwood was announced was a mixture of excitement, confusion and curiosity. Since I was not the only one feeling that way, I picked up a 4 pack and made Founders Frootwood the subject of this week's blog.

I am glad I picked up a four pack of Frootwood because trying to figure this beer out with just twelve fluid ounces was not happening. The aroma was interesting. The cherry is tart, not sweet and significantly scaled back behind oak, bourbon, vanilla, bread and a hint of maple sweetness. I honestly did not know what to think from the aroma. It seemed like whatever expectation I had for this beer was out the window. Then from the first sip of my first bottle to my last sip of my third bottle, I found Frootwood to be one of the strangest flavor combinations I have ever experienced in a beer. The barrel is out front and center. Oak, vanilla, spice and bourbon are on full display initially before giving way to tart cherry and bready malt. The finish is where the maple syrup sweetness comes into play, providing balance to the tartness of the cherry. This might sound very strange and it was, but I liked it. These flavors may not work in perfect harmony together but they do work. I think it was smart to feature the barrel more than anything else here. In Lizard of Koz, the barrel took a backseat to the big sweet flavor of chocolate. That proved to be a costly mistake as I assume you will find 2016 Lizard of Koz bottles on shelves until at least 2020.  Frootwood works because the flavor of the cherry ale is pleasantly subdued allowing the barrel to shine. This is definitely one of the most unique beers I have tried. Founders is off to a great start with their new Founders Barrel Aged series. I am now looking forward to seeing what else they have in store for 2017.

Overall I would rate Frootwood a 4/5. Strange, unique and a lot of fun. A really nice showcase for barrel aging.

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