When we released Curmudgeon’s Better Half in February 2012, it was a re-branding of the beer formerly known as Kaiser’s Curmudgeon, which had only been served at our taproom and in extremely limited draft distribution. Curmudgeon is an old ale brewed with molasses and aged on oak; it becomes Better Half after aging—for 254 days—in bourbon barrels that have more recently been aging Michigan maple syrup. As a result, Curmudgeon’s Better Half is a bit sweeter than her miserly counterpart. Appropriately, the beer label depicts her holding a pitcher of syrup for the Curmudgeon’s breakfast.

We released it on Valentine’s Day, the perfect time of year for beer enthusiasts to share one with the Better Half in his/her life. We enjoyed seeing pictures of beer lovers using this beer to celebrate anniversaries and even propose marriage.