We are pumped to announce the third annual KBS Week, in honor of the release of Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) this year! KBS Week will be taking place from Monday, March 7 through Saturday, March 12 with the taproom KBS release party capping off the week on March 12 from 11am-2am. KBS will be released across the rest of our distribution footprint beginning on April 1, 2016.
KBS Week is one of our favorite events of the year because we get to share the excitement surrounding this juggernaut of a beer with our devoted West Michigan community. 15 Founders-supporting bars and restaurants in and around Grand Rapids will receive a keg of KBS and will tap them at various times throughout the week, making KBS more accessible than ever.
Tickets for bottle sales of KBS will go on sale on Saturday, February 13 through Eventbrite. They sell out fast and are limited, but hopefully the ability to get KBS on draft and as close to the source as possible will alleviate some of the pain of possibly not getting KBS in bottles. There really is something to be said for enjoying it right out of the tap surrounded by people who love it just as much as you do.
Please keep in mind that this is a limited release. While we try to spread the love as much as possible, demand continues to surpass supply.
Please see below for a comprehensive list of relevant questions and answers. See you there!
When are KBS bottle sale tickets available for purchase?
Saturday, February 13 at 11am EST.
Where can I purchase tickets?
All tickets are sold via Eventbrite. You can purchase them here.
How many tickets can I buy?
1 ticket per person, regardless of day. There are 5 days available but you can only purchase 1 ticket total.
How quickly will tickets sell out?
Smooth like silk but complex and rich in body, our Imperial Stout is a powerhouse on its own – but, served with the right foods, it’s undeniable. From a rare porterhouse steak to stinky cheese, Mike from our education team has a few pairing ideas for you to try.
Mike’s thoughts on the perfect foods to pair with Imperial Stout:
Imperial Stout is one of those beers that makes me glad to be alive. It’s unapologetically in-your-face and it has a robustness that is undeniably Founders. It’s beautiful by itself in a snifter, perhaps enjoyed by the fire with a loved one – but served alongside the right dish…ooh wee! It’s an experience.
Imperial Stout is a study in balancing a variety of complex malts. The malt bill brings many flavors, each skipping lazily over your palate. It’s hard to know where to begin. I pick up everything from warm grain to stone fruit, chocolate, leather and even tobacco.
These bold flavors can impose some limitations on the food you can pair this beer with – but, don’t fret, the pairings I’ve chosen are going to be downright sexy.
Case in point… Upon my first sip I’m immediately envisioning sitting in a rough-hewn smoky room. On the table in front of me, a massive rare porterhouse steak, a marble ashtray with a cigar and a snifter of Imperial Stout. I can’t think of a better pairing, period. Like I said, sexy.
Almost any beef dish would pair nicely but a juicy steak is my top choice. An appropriately seasoned pork chop or leg of lamb would also be phenomenal.
Let’s talk cheese. I’ll come right out and say it: look for the stinky cheeses! If has a bit of a smell to it, or oozes – it’s perfect to pair with Imperial Stout. Camembert, brie and anything that says “triple cream” are my picks. Avoid anything sharp, as it will wrestle aggressively with the beer (and will surely lose).
As for desserts, the dark malts to hold up nicely next to anything rich and chocolate. I don’t mean cake type rich – I mean flowerless cake type rich, tort type rich, truffle type rich. Usually-eaten-with-a-gallon-of-milk type rich. If you want to step away from chocolate, try it with a cobbler hot out of the oven drenched with French vanilla ice cream.
Here in our taproom, I often pair the deli’s decadent Cheesy Does It sandwich with Imperial Stout. I choose to use creamy provologne and smoked gouda as they are a great compliment to a stout. My favorite, though? The Hot Italian Beef. It’s simple, hearty and delicious. Sometimes you find a pairing that allows both the dish and the beer to share the spotlight and this is definitely one of those pairings. You really can’t go wrong.
There’s always something comforting about drinking a gorgeous beer while gazing on the tanks that once housed it. It’s nice to tip a cheers through the window to the brewers who put their heart and soul into producing that pint of wonder, so I encourage you to visit our taproom at least once.
At the end of the day, we each have a unique palate. There is nothing I like more than learning about a new pairing idea I hadn’t thought of. Let us know when you taste something that knocks your socks off! Share your pairings with us on Twitter or Instagram by tagging #brewedforus.
Much love.
USA Today is looking to name the Best Brewpub in the U.S. and, darnit, we’d like to be on the receiving end of that award! The award will go to the best establishment that brews their own beers and serves them alongside a stellar menu.
If you’ve ever looked around our taproom while enjoying a beer, deli sandwich or live show and thought to yourself “This place is magical!” then we’re hoping you’ll cast your vote here.
Planning a trip to the brewery? Check out our deli menu, current draft list, upcoming live shows and tour/class schedule.
Our Breakfast Stout label is also in the running for Best Beer Label! You can vote here.
And, if that wasn’t enough, Grand Rapids is in the running for Best Beer Scene! We are sittin’ pretty at #1 but we need you all to keep us there!
You can vote every day until February, 29!
We are happy to introduce our first Backstage Series beer of 2016: Mango Magnifico con Calor! The release of Mango Magnifico will mark the 15th installment in our popular Backstage Series and it will be the second time Mango Magnifico has graced the stage, the first time being in 2013.
Mango Magnifico is a high-gravity fruit beer brewed with mango and a touch of habaneros to add just the right amount of heat. The delicate flavors imparted by the sweet richness of the mango are punctuated perfectly by the subtle heat of the habaneros, proving that fruit beers do not have to be one-note. Each 750mL bottle of this 10% ABV ale is both sophisticated and refreshing, making it the perfect beer to share… or to keep all to yourself. Mango Magnifico will have a suggested retail price of $10.99 and will be available across our distribution footprint beginning March 1, 2016.
When we first released Mango Magnifico back in 2013, it proved to be somewhat of an enigma to our fans. A high-gravity mango beer brewed with habaneros? What the heck? It took some time to catch fire (pun intended), but once it did, the beer enthusiast community was very vocal about it returning. So, we listened and are so thrilled to bring it back!
Mango Magnifico is part of a long lineage of Founders’ fruit beers, including Rubaeus, Cerise, Blushing Monk and Big Lushious.
Our Backstage Series is made up of boundary-pushing, experimental beers. We affectionately call it “the brewers’ playground,” where intent is to take the diehard Founders fan experience to a wider audience—though all of the beers are released in limited batches. Since its introduction in the summer of 2011, our Backstage Series beers have quickly become some of the most sought-after releases in the industry.
Wake the Sun crafted their sound not for the masses or to fit into any genre or category, but for themselves. In the second installment of our Founders Presents series, catch some of their live performance in the Founders Taproom and find out more about their musical influences. To watch previous videos and to stay up-to-date with our taproom music video series, visit the playlist here: Founders Presents
We’re excited to announce that we’re expanding…again! We’ve been expanding our current 235 Grandville location for years, but we’ve grown to fill a full city block and have no more space to grow into. This time, we’re adding an additional building, located just a mile south of our current taproom and brewing facility.
So, what’s happening at this new facility? Well, a little bit of everything. The building, located at 900 Hynes St. SW near downtown Grand Rapids, is intended to fulfill our growing warehousing and distribution needs. It will also be home to our second brewery, which will focus exclusively on the barrel-aged, experimental, high-gravity, and specialty beers that we’ve become known for. This means many of the limited, speciality, and Backstage Series beers will be brewed and packaged in this facility. We’re beyond excited to have additional space to design and brew the beers that are the foundation of who we are.
As our Co-Founder, Mike Stevens, puts it:
“This is the foundation of our company and what we are known for. It represents the very essence of Founders and it feels great to know that the very roots of our success will always have a primary focus.”
The new facility will be production-only and will not have a taproom. We’ll begin operations at the new facility on January 29, 2016 and anticipate to start production this summer.
Of course, with the addition of this new brewery comes the opportunity to bring new employees into the Founders Family. You can find more information on job openings here.
Cheers to continuing to grow our operation within the beautiful city we love so much!
Named for the Haitian god of agriculture, our Azacca IPA boasts intense, tropical fruit aroma and a flavor profile that includes citrus, mango and orchard fruits. This beer was designed to give the unique and experimental Azacca hop the opportunity to shine – and in turn, it can do the same to foods it is paired with.
Mike from our education team has put together a few ideas for foods that would make a perfect partner to our latest seasonal, Azacca IPA.
Here’s Mike’s take on things:
IPAs are fun to pair with because they present a bit of a challenge. They rarely work in perfect harmony with anything. Sometimes they serve a supporting role, working to amplify flavors in bold foods. Other times they are undeniably the star of the show as they have the power to overshadow simple dishes.
Our latest seasonal beer, Azacca IPA, is a little different, though. This is a super fun beer to pair with. Azacca IPA features a pleasing aroma of mango, citrus, and even some orchard fruit. At Founders, its our style to make sure that the malt bill is as much a part of the experience as the hops – even in super hop-forward beers like Azacca IPA. The unique malt bill is designed specifically to allow single-hope beers like this one to shine. Because of this emphasis on malt, our IPAs can tend to play outside of typical IPA pairing suggestions.
We are happy to announce the spring run of Brewed for Film: A Film Series.
The series will now be showing at:
This ten-week series, for those ages 21 and older, is on Wednesdays at 8pm and tickets are just $2 per movie. Multiple Founders beers will be on tap at the in-theatre cash bar. Each film will have an official beer pairing for connoisseurs seeking the full experience.
Our brewery and taproom is nestled in an area of downtown Grand Rapids just a few steps from a large Polish neighborhood where the kielbasa is magical and sauerkraut is king. In a nod to our hometown, culinary genius Justin Golinski, has prepared a kielbasa and Dirty Bastard sauerkraut recipe for you guys to try out at home.
From Justin:
“So, this one requires a little bit of legwork. The first step is finding a reputable source for kielbasa. Here in Grand Rapids, we have many authentic meat counters to choose from; my personal favorite is Frank’s. Fritz runs the place and he’s a real sweetheart. If you aren’t local, head to your nearest trusty butcher or at least splurge on something decent at your grocery store. This recipe is a real banger – enjoy!”
Kielbasa with Dirty Bastard Sauerkraut
Ingredients you’ll need:
-
1lb smoked kielbasa-1 pound (sliced to bite-size)
-
2lbs rinsed sauerkraut
-
1 large julienned sweet yellow onion
-
1 stick of butter
-
2 or 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
-
1 Dirty Bastard-12 oz. bottle (find it locally using our beer finder tool)
-
Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
Cooking Instructions:
Just in time for the holidays, our head chef, Justin, is sharing one of his favorite dessert recipes, a velvety chocolate tart cooked with our Porter. Like the beer, it’s dark, rich and sexy – and the perfect addition to your holiday table.
From Justin:
“I know this time of year can be stressful. And for some, the kitchen can be the most intimidating room of the house. Let’s change all that. This recipe is super easy, and forgiving (we’re talking chocolate here, people). Take your time, reacquaint yourself with your kitchen, chill out and have a beer. You deserve to be happy!”
Chocolate Founders Porter Tart
Ingredients you’ll need:
For the crust:
- 1 cup crushed graham crackers
- 1 tbls brown sugar
- 4 tbls melted butter
For the filling:
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 sticks of butter
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup Founders Porter
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
For the Porter whipped cream:
Cooking instructions:
Apparently, he needed a few months to “figure out some stuff” and “find out who he really is.” Either way, we’re just happy our boy is home and back where he belongs: on the Breakfast Stout label.
While he was away, he left a note inviting those who missed him to call and let him know just how much they were pining for him. 1,800+ voicemails later (some touching, some a little odd), he’s feelin’ the love and happy to be back on the iconic label. Listen to a few of the messages that were left for him:
Spot the baby on shelves here in Michigan? Share a photo with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Thanks to our friends at the MLCC for helping us bring the lil’ guy home!
Please join us in welcoming our 2016 availability calendar to the world:
There are some exciting changes introduced in this one, such as:
- Rubaeus is now a year-round offering!
- Azacca IPA has taken the place of Black Rye as our first seasonal offering of 2016.
- Mosaic Promise also joins our seasonal line-up.
- reDANKulous will be available in 4-packs from July-August as it is now part of the specialty series!
- Breakfast Stout has transitioned from a seasonal offering to a specialty. Congratulations, Breakfast Stout!
- We now offer three year-round offerings in our nitro draft series: Nitro Pale Ale, Nitro Rubaeus and Nitro Oatmeal Stout.
- Along with our 750mL Backstage releases, we will have a new seasonal and a new specialty to announce. Stay tuned!
Now go forth and plan the rest of your year!
We are thrilled to announce that with the help of Reyes Beverage Group and Pacific Beverage Company, we will be distributing in Southern California as of January 1, thereby securing our presence in the entire state! Southern Californians can expect to find Founders year-round and seasonal beers in bottles, cans (as applicable) and kegs in retailers throughout the area, with select limited release beers also available after the launch.
“Southern California is home to some phenomenal brewers who have cultivated one of the most passionate beer enthusiast regions in the United States,” said Co-Founder and President Mike Stevens. “We’re confident that the Reyes Beverage Group and Pacific Beverage Group will be a strong and dedicated partner for the Founders brand and we’re excited to introduce our entire portfolio of products to a new audience.”
The following distributors will represent Founders in their respective markets:
- Harbor Distributing: East LA and Orange counties
- Crest Beverage: San Diego county
- Gate City Beverage Distributors: San Bernardino and Riverside counties
- Unique Craft Solutions: West LA and downtown LA
- Allied Beverages-Sylmar: LA
- Pacific Beverage Company: Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo
Stay tuned to Founders website and Twitter handle @foundersbrewing for launch event information. Fans in California can visit foundersbrewing.com/california for information on launch events and more.
In an effort to provide more viable parking options for our brewery and Taproom visitors, as well as protect our lot from non-Founders parkers, we have installed some gates to our parking lot located between Goodrich and Bartlett (just south of our facility).
Beginning Wednesday, December 9 we will validate parking for all Taproom and Company Store visitors for up to five hours, free of charge.
To ensure that your parking is validated, please present your ticket to your bartender/server when cashing out. You’ll receive up to five hours free of charge, after which a $2.00/half hour fee will apply. There is no charge between 11pm-8am so any cars left overnight (safety first!) will not incur any additional charges.
The entrance to this lot is off Goodrich and the pay station and exit are just off Bartlett St. This is a cashless system that accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover cards. Here’s a handy map:
Questions? Leave us a comment and we’ll be sure to address them.
‘Tis the season to shower your favorite Founders fan with the latest gear from our online store. From flannel jammies to bottle sweaters, here’s a round-up of our favorite gift ideas this year.
The best part? We’re offering free shipping on orders over $100 and $8 flat-rate shipping on all others. Just make sure you place your order by December 19 to get it under the tree in time.
Backwoods Bastard snifter glass – $9
BLiS bourbon barrel matured maple syrup – $25
Bottle sweater – $9
Flannel pajama pants – $30-32
Stonewear mug – $25
Retro pom beanie – $15
Dirty Bastard stone ground mustard – $8
Handmade beer soap by Brickyard Farms – $8
Snifter set – $30
Home bar set – $80
Our friends in the Brooklyn-based soul band Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds have a passion for music that has made them one of the best acts to ever grace our Taproom stage. Since our beginnings in the Brassworks Building, the taproom has nurtured the growth of local, national and international artists alike, along with being our testing ground for new, experimental beers. Over the years, we’ve realized those two things are not mutually exclusive and, in fact, the creative energy that captivates an audience during a live set in our taproom is the same energy that keeps us brewing the best beer in the world. In the first installment in our Founders Presents series, watch Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds in action and listen as we talk about what motivates musicians and brewers alike.
To check out upcoming taproom events, visit our website.
Please join us in welcoming Azacca IPA, an IPA brewed with just one, relatively new, experimental hop as our first seasonal offering of 2016! Azacca IPA will be available across our entire distribution footprint on draft and in 12oz. bottles beginning in January 2016 through March with a suggested retail price of $9.99/six-pack.
Azacca IPA is brewed with Azacca hops, a special variety created by Yakima-based Roy Farms. Named for the Haitian god of agriculture, the Azacca hop boasts intense, tropical fruit notes. Azacca IPA includes a touch of caramel malt to provide a sweet backbone to the citrus, mango and orchard fruit notes in this 7% ABV, 70 IBUs beer. The label artwork symbolizes the god of agriculture watching over a field where the ingredients used to make the beer are being grown.
“It’s no secret that hops inspire us,” notes Brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki. “I love to design beers that showcase the profile of new varieties. One of my favorite things about Azacca IPA is how versatile it is throughout the brewing process; it’s great for bittering, flavoring, aroma and dry-hopping, and the citrus and tropical fruit characteristics make it ideal for an American-style IPA.”
Azacca IPA is the newest addition to our esteemed IPA lineage that includes Centennial IPA, All Day IPA, Red’s Rye IPA, Devil Dancer, reDANKulous and Double Trouble.
Azacca IPA kicks off our seasonal calendar starting in 2016, with availability from January 2016 through March, dependent on distributor shipments. Our entire 2016 availability calendar will be announced later this month.
Thanksgiving is here and we’re ready to gather around the table to feast on our favorite dishes. But, what to drink? Mike Willcox from our education team is here to breakdown which beers from our line-up will pair perfectly with the classic Thanksgiving dishes, from the “diva” of the table, cranberry sauce, to the creamy closer, pumpkin pie. Enjoy!
Turkey
- Turkey is the main dish and, thus, deserves special attention. Pale Ale is a nice pairing for roasted turkey, and if you go the deep-fried route it would be even better. The light hop bitterness will do wonders to cleanse your palate between each bite.
- Porter is another great option. The toasty notes and hints of bitter chocolate would resonate well with the bird and the rich poultry will pair well with the velvet mouth feel.
- If you happen to be cellaring any Curmudgeon Old Ale, now may be the time to crack it open. Something with a bit more substance and a little mellow sweetness night be a nice contrast and Curmudgeon Old Ale has both in spades. The caramel malts and the residual sweetness from the molasses will contrast nicely with the savory turkey – the flavors will play together deliciously.
- The herbaceousness and coy sweetness of Spectra Trifecta is going to slip right behind the savory turkey and make that umami just absolutely pop. Spectra Trifecta is an amazing food beer, but when it comes to savory meats with a little salt to them, it really gets the chance to shine. Spectra Trifecta would be ideal for most of the items on the list.
Ham
- Dirty Bastard is almost tailor made for pairing with pork, especially a glazed ham. The punchy caramel and toffee notes of the Dirty Bastard malt bill will roll right into a glazed ham and allow the salty, savory aspects of the meat to mellow and chuckle their way to the background – still there to play – but not stealing the show.
Stuffing
- A nice hearty stuffing is just begging to be served alongside Porter. If you use mushrooms in your stuffing (like my bubby used to) then even better! Stuffing is all about umami and richness with an occasional bright twinkle of sweet or sharp from the carrots, celery, and onions. Porter will roll right in with the umami and contrast with the sweet and sharp, pushing them to the front of the palate.
- The sweet malt flavors of Dirty Bastard and the savory bread will make for a completely different experience. Worth trying!
Cranberry Sauce
- Cranberry sauce is hard because it has SUCH a presence. It’s a bit of a diva and if you aren’t careful with who you set it up with its going to get pouty and ruin the night for everybody. All Day IPA isn’t a bad idea, it’s light and refreshing and the bitterness from the hops might have an interesting time dancing with all of that tart, and the bright sour sweetness of the cranberries might take those citrus notes from the beer and end up in the guest room groping away on top of the coats.
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
- Porter all the way. I won’t even suggest anything else. The earthy potatoes and the toast of the Porter will resonate gorgeously.
Sweet Potatoes
- The mellow sweet malts of the Dirty Bastard and the earthy sweet of the sweet potatoes will stroll across your palate hand in hand leaving you thankful you cracked open that bottle.
Dinner Rolls
- Any beer will go well with dinner rolls. Dinner rolls are at every dinner because they go with… well… everything.
Roasted Vegetables
- Unless you’re serving something with a lot of flavor like brussel sprouts (in which case go with Porter, baby) then you should be good with whatever you are pouring with the rest of the meal.
Salad
- I don’t know if this is customary for everybody, but my family usually has a light salad with tomatoes and cucumbers lightly dosed with vinaigrette. The slight hop bitterness of All Day IPA is fantastic with the fresh refreshing flavors of the salad and the citrus notes of the beer add a little zing to the vinaigrette.
Green Bean Casserole
- The flavors of the beans and the hop bitterness of All Day IPA should meld well and bring out some of the citrus of the beer. Mosaic Promise, if you can find it in your area, may be another one to consider with this dish.
Corn
- Pale Ale all the way. Corn is a simple, filling side dish with a hint of sweet and a lot of vegetal character. Any beer with a lot of weight is going to eclipse the corn. Pale Ale has enough character with its light citrus and slight hint of bitter, but for the most part it is going to let the corn be the star of the show. It’s a great option to clean the palate and have the stage ready for the next act.
Pecan Pie
- Pecan Pie has a flavor all of its own – sweet and nutty and just touch of bready from the crust. The chocolate and coffee notes of Porter are just waiting to enhance the nutty flavors, and the sweet of the pie will take that bitter chocolate and get it blushing.
Pumpkin Pie
- What’s a better way to cap off the night than a slice of pumpkin pie and the bourbon barrel-aged deliciousness that is Backwoods Bastard? Backwoods has a rich, malty sweetness with notes of vanilla and a hint of bourbon burn from its time in the barrel. Add a slowly melting dollop of vanilla ice cream and this is a match made in heaven.
That’s all, folks! Cheers to a enjoying Thanksgiving with family, friends, great food and even better beer.
This month The Bastards of Founders take center-stage in celebration of the return of the elusive, bourbon barrel-aged Backwoods Bastard and the arrival of the “Dirty Dozen,” a 12-pack of Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale cans. We’ve partnered with Untappd to reward anyone who checks-in either of these bad attitude beers between November 16 and December 16 with The Bastards badge. Check-in both and earn a special place in our hearts and admiration from your craft beer-loving friends.
Dirty Bastard consistently ranks among the top Scotch Ales and is available year-round on draft, 6-pack bottles and now in 12-pack cans. Think of Backwoods Bastard as the bourbon barrel-aged uncle of Dirty Bastard. It features warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts and is available for a limited time on draft and in 4-pack bottles.
In honor of the Backwoods Bastard himself, we’ve compiled a Spotify playlist of our favorite down-home country tunes. From Dolly “it takes a lot of money to look this cheap” Parton to Johnny “The Man in Black” Cash, we think this is the perfect list to sit on your porch and tip back a beer to. Cheers!
For a direct link to this playlist, click here. To follow Founders on Spotify, click here.
Page 20 of 30« First«...10...1819202122...30...»Last »