Pints And Steins

In a massive west-coast sales expansion, Founders Brewing, the Michigan-based brewery, will start selling their ales at Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Founders is best known for All Day IPA, a session IPA that’s perfect for summer grilling or camping sessions. It packs a nice flavor profile and is only 4.5% ABV.

Based in Grand Rapids, MI, Founders was established in 1997 and ranks amongst the top 20 largest craft breweries in the US and the brand has been expanding aggressively in the last few years.

General Distributors, based in Oregon City, Oregon will handle distribution here in Oregon and I was lucky enough to taste three beers from Founders, thanks to a General sales rep that invited me.

The ales will be on sale in retailers such as Safeway, Albertson’s and Roth’s starting on February 6. They’ll also be available in finer taphouses in the state.

Azacca IPA

Of the beers I tasted from Founders, Azacca was my favorite. This beer pours a clear dark yellow with a sizable head and wonderful lacing on the glass. It smells of fruit, orange and lemons with mild floral notes. This beer is quite sticky in your mouth, with a high amount of carbonation which kind of burns at the end of the sip. It’s a nice bite that finishes off a floral, tasty IPA with a unique taste.

Azacca IPA is highly recommended – I suspect that even picky PNW hop heads will find Azacca to be a welcome entry into their fridges and ultimately their pint glasses.

All Day IPA

In my experience, session ales are ones that pack most, if not all of the flavor, of a ‘regular’ ale into one that’s lower in alcohol. All Day IPA pours a golden color and smells of grass, a little orange and a mild hoppy scent. Tasting it though – it’s more like a pale ale with a bit if citrus and a milt malt flavor.

Don’t buy this beer expecting IPA flavors – buy it because you want a tasty beer when you want to take it easy and enjoy a less alcohol-intensive brew.

Centennial IPA

Centennial IPA pours a murky orange color and smells of piney/citrusy hops and a hint of coffee. When you taste it, Centennial tastes malty at first with hints of caramel, with a noticeable burst of floral and citrus hop flavor that kicks in.

This beer is good, but not great – and in an area of the country where we love IPAs, Centennial is forgettable.