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Winter is coming, and with it comes a variety of rich, complex beers to try. From pitch black and highly alcoholic stouts to spiced winter warmers, winter beer is full of creativity and bold flavors. Join us as we trek through a variety of offerings this season!
Founder's Porter - Founder's Brewing Company - Grand Rapids, MI - 6.5% ABV
When the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, it's time to break out the dark beer. This week, we'll be starting out the winter Brew Review series with a staple dark beer: porter. Originating in London in the nineteenth century, modern porters are often indistinguishable from their stylistic cousins. Nowadays, "porter" typically connotes a dark, rich ale with plenty of kilned malt flavor.
Founder's pours a rich, pitch black color with a thick viscosity. 
Unlike some of their other beers, Founder's Porter is a pretty straightforward rendition of the style. And it's really, really well done.
Out of the pint glass, this brew's aroma is an indicator of great things to come. Hearty, rich dark bread scents (a lot like malt loaf) are covered with waves of mocha, baker's chocolate, and roastiness. On the palate, Founder's Porter first presents its drinker with dark chocolate, muted toffee and dark fruit flavors, sweet malty caramel, and finishes with a combination of coffee beans and a bitter, earthy hop finish. It's rich and complex all the way through.
One of the best features of this particular porter is its viscosity and "mouthfeel." Its low carbonation and high level of residual sugars makes it a thick, velvety drink to be sipped. Warming alcohol notes on the way down make this offering a great pick for cold winter nights.
Overall, Founder's Porter is a fantastic, straightforward, no-frills porter from a brewery known for it's nontraditional beer.
Cheers!
Score: 4.5 out of 5 pints.
As always, Gavel Media reminds its readers to drink legally and responsibly.
Business crew and beer review.
