

Founders Porter - Founders Brewing Company

Founders PorterFounders Porter

Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse.

4,404 Ratings

(view ratings)
Ratings: 4404
Reviews: 1267
rAvg: 4.26
pDev: 9.39%

Brewed by:
Founders Brewing Company visit their website
Michigan, United States

Style | ABV
American Porter |  6.50% ABV

Availability: Year-round

Notes/Commercial Description:

45 IBU

Beer: Ratings & Reviews
Ratings: 4,404 | Reviews: 1,267 | Show All Ratings:
Photo of ehammond1

3.98/5  rDev -6.6%

Bottle (2011)

Acquired via trade
Thanks sendsilk!

Dark brown with a thin light brown head. Not a huge amount of stick to the glass.

Simple yet classic aroma of roasted malt and mild coffee. Welcoming and pleasant, though not extraordinary.

Moderate bitterness, lots of roast, and mild coffee character make for a classic, incredibly drinkable porter.

Medium to thick mouthfeel.

A delicious, classic porter, though I slightly prefer Bell's Porter to this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 17:44:30 | More by ehammond1
Photo of uawildcat


3.98/5  rDev -6.6%

Pours nice and thick with a dark cream colored head.

Smells like coffee and molasses sweetness bundled into one nice package

Taste is pretty strong for a porter. For an american porter it is pretty heavy and thick. It is a nice taste though, much like the smell. Perhaps with a touch of chocolate bitterness and earthy hops not present in the smell.

Overall, a strange porter. It is very thick and very flavorful. Not something I could have more than one of, which is disappointing for the style. This is more like an american stout in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 20:14:09 | More by uawildcat
Photo of Pintofbrown


3.98/5  rDev -6.6%

I served this one in a shaker pint.

Appearance- This porter has a menacing black body with no highlights. Almost one-finger of khaki cap that has lots of bubbles. It dies quickly to the always unimpressive ring of fizzy stuff.

Smell- This porter has a very sweet nose. It suggests milk chocolate and lots of roasted malt, but I do not detect coffee roast. There is also a little brown sugar hanging around that just adds to the appealing nature.

Taste- The drink loses some of the chocolate and picks up with the roast, and coffee is now coming through. Chocolate is here, but not until mid-drink, and is a little buried.

There is also an earthy taste that must be coming from either the hops or the yeast. This porter is not nearly as sweet as the nose suggested. Even a little grassy hop flavor is here, and it is still a good drink.

Mouth feel- This has a pretty good body, medium bordering on light. Carbonation is handled well as it refuses to be anything but creamy as it glides over the tongue. Not as dry as you expect a porter to be.

Overall- This is a solid porter. Only minor gripes are that it could be as sweet as the nose suggested with a little bump in the milk chocolate flavor department. And the body could be bigger.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 21:02:48 | More by Pintofbrown
Photo of ThisWangsChung


3.98/5  rDev -6.6%

Bottle poured into a Sam Smith pint glass.

A: Pours a very dark (not quite pitch black) reddish black color. There's a one finger tan colored head, and it doesn't have much retention, or lacing. Still looks nice, though.

S: This has a lot of chocolate on the nose. There's some roasty coffee as well, but it almost smells like a melted chocolate bar to me.

T: There's more coffee in the taste than there is on the nose; likewise, it isn't as chocolaty as the nose would suggest. Lots of coffee (not too much), hints of smoke and chocolate, roastiness, and a hint of a hoppy finish. It does a good job of not being overtly vegetal in its texture (usually my least favorite part of a porter), and has some nice complexity to it, as well.

M: Medium bodied, dry finish, low carbonation, smooth, hint of astringent coffee on the back end - basically, everything a good porter should feel like.

O: All things told, it's quite good. Not my absolute favorite dark beer of all time, but it's an excellent choice in the future when I feel like a dark beer that isn't a stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 01:21:41 | More by ThisWangsChung
Photo of StonedTrippin


3.98/5  rDev -6.6%

this is a good porter, if a tad over-hyped. pours a rich coffee color into a pint glass with a dark brown head ony half an inch tall. smells like coffee and chocolate, but not overly intense. more sort of blended in with all the roasted malts. flavor is very well balanced with only a touch of sweetness at the end. i also pick up some vanilla in this beer and some tea-like flavors, a little hard to place actually. mouthfeel is nice, plenty of body, more like a stout. i really liked the heavier feel of this one. the bold flavors demand it. carbonation is about average, works just fine. overall this is a delicious porter worthy of high praise, but i dont think its in my top five. i will have to revisit this one soon.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2012 15:16:42 | More by StonedTrippin
Photo of BeerDawgs


3.98/5  rDev -6.6%

A - Pitch black, decent amount of head and lace on the glass. Love the pitch black chocolate cover

S - Burnt toast, sweet chocolate, and hints of alcohol.

T - Like the smell, burnt biscuit up front, but sweet chocolate towards the end and a nice hop kick for good measure. A damn tasty porter with a lot going on

M - Full body, nice bite at the end.

O - An excellent Porter. I wouldn't expect anything less in a "dark" beer from Founders, who seems to do it better than anyone

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 00:35:23 | More by BeerDawgs
Photo of thain709


3.98/5  rDev -6.6%

A - Pours with a nearly pitch black body...the only other color, burgundy, appears around the edges when held to the light...a bubbly, yet creamy, tan head forms and stands two fingers tall...nice retention leads to great lacing

S - Huge roasted malt presence...it takes it to the edge of being burnt/charred...dark chocolate, fresh brewed coffee...vanilla and caramel to sweeten things up

T - Everything that was displayed in the nose comes together for big flavors...the roasted aspect is present throughout the entire beer...it does take a turn towards the end of the glass as it wears down your palate and becomes burnt...the chocolate and coffee are dark and pair well with each other...the vanilla and caramel come in to provide some sweetness as the roasted and dark flavors start to overpower everything...there is a punch of hops towards the finish...paired with the roastiness, they both provide a long lasting bitterness

M - Medium bodied...not quite full, roasty, bitter...wears down the palate

O - This was a well done robust porter...it kind of reminded me as a Breakfast Stout Light...bold flavors, but my only complaint was the degree of roasted malts

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 19:12:14 | More by thain709
Photo of gmfessen


3.98/5  rDev -6.6%

Poured from the bottle into a pint glass, Founders Porter is nearly black in the glass with only the slightest dark brown hues around the edge when held to the light. The head is thick and heavy - slow to subside, mocha in color and leaves nice gobs of sticky lacing on the glass as the beer is consumed. The nose is all roasty malt; coffee, chocolate, caramel and black patent are all present - slightly burnt and acrid smelling. The flavor is much the same with the little bit of caramel(y) sweetness coming through slightly and quickly on the onset, quickly followed by the darker roasted flavors of coffee and chocolate and then finally finishes with the acrid, burnt bitterness that leaves the mouth dry. Mouthfeel is medium to full in body with a adequate yet thin head; finish is very dry as previously noted. Overall a good beer but not on my list of beers I'd buy from Founders.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 01:18:04 | More by gmfessen
Photo of Fastmedic


3.98/5  rDev -6.6%


Serving type: bottle

10-08-2013 02:11:50 | More by Fastmedic
Photo of MattSweatshirt


3.98/5  rDev -6.6%

Pours almost black. A thick light brown head develops and settles to a thin topping that laces the glass.

A rich chocolatey nose with some light roastiness.

Medium body and hop bitterness to balance the sweetness. The inviting malts in the aroma come through in the taste delivering the chocolate and coffee roastiness.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2013 02:13:19 | More by MattSweatshirt
Photo of CRJMellor


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

Pours a dark brown/black with some minor red highlights. Relatively big dark tan head with large carbonation bubbles and great lace on teh pint glass.
Aroma of bitter coffee grinds, chocolate and some caramel/toffee are most notable. almost a nutty type of profile in the background.
Flavor is bitter coffee smoothed somewhat by a hint of sweet chocolate up front and then finished with a little bit of sweet malt.
Mouthfeel is smooth and pleasant although the transition from bitter to sweet is a little clumsy.
Drinakability is fairly high and once the palate adjusts to the heavy bitter start it really goes down easily. Serve cold to assure that the bitterness does not overpower.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2004 17:40:36 | More by CRJMellor
Photo of Wildman


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

This beer poured as black as the night and formed a nice dark tan foamy head that left cirular lace as it subsided. An aroma of malt, chocolate and coffee are present, with an emphasis on the coffee, but not thwarting the chocolate aroma. It had a flavor of malt, coffee and chocolate, with more of a chocolate note in the finish. The body was fairly light and the finish was bitterswett like a bittersweet chocolate. Not a bad porter, but with the over the top ones lately, I think it suffers. As a standard example of style, I think it is fine.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2004 01:29:11 | More by Wildman
Photo of david131


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

Says 6.5% ABV on the bottle.

A- Absolutely pitch black with a creamy but thin brown head. Very dark, looks like a really big stout.

S- Very roasty with a nice rye aspect to it. Very smoky smelling and very aromatic. A little rough smelling. Not as much smooth milk chocolate as I would have liked.

T- Smoke, coffee, chocolate, oats. A lot better blended together than the aroma would lead you to believe. Very nice.

M- Pretty creamy, but the carbonation keeps things pretty active.

D- Almost a bit on the heavy side for an American Porter. It is very enjoyable though and worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2008 03:49:30 | More by david131
Photo of ATLbeerDog


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

Bottle label says 6.5% ABV - Pours a beautiful pitch black with just a twinge of red highlights and a thick frothy caramel colored one inch head. Thick heavy lacing paints the glass. Smells of coocolate, coffee and rich dark roasted malts rule the nose. First sip is mostly coffee and chocolate combined with a prevalent nuttiness. The coffee bitterness is from start to finish. A creamy mouthfeel is welcomed but it does seem a little to the thin side.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 21:26:30 | More by ATLbeerDog
Photo of drtth


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%


Appearance: The beer pours out a dark brown and is almost black in the glass with no light getting through. The creamy brown head recedes quickly to a small ring of foam with a few irregular patches on the surface of the liquid. Sipping initially eaves a small ring of foam with some legs trailing down that become small patches of lacing that cling to the side of the glass. Later on there is still minimal patchy lacing.

Smell: While the aroma has a faint floral character the dominant parts of it are coffee, sweet dark chocolate and dark toffee from the roasted malts.

Taste: The flavor is full and combines sweet chocolate, coffee and bitter dark roasted malt with some unsweetened dark chocolate. There is some sweetness but it never dominates the character of the flavor. It just seems to modulate the bitterness so that it is not too intense.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and smooth. There is minimal carbonation. By the end of the beer the carbonation only shows as a light soft prickly sensation. The finish is long and is mostly the bitter of the dark roasted malt turning dry and fading away, but it seems to go on a bit too long and have a faint burnt character to it.

Drinkability: This is reasonably drinkable and I could easily have a second but I'd probably not because of the intensity of the flavors. This is one I could return and return to again sometime but there are one or two on my list that are as good as or just a bit higher on my list.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2009 01:30:18 | More by drtth
Photo of projectflam86


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

A- Pours a dark brown almost black color with a creamy beige foam head. A tiny bit of lacing.

S- Smokey with a decent amount of roasted malt in the nose. A bit of hazelnut and toasted grains.

T- Smokey bitterness upfront with a nice roasted malt sweetness in the finish. Alcohol is more apparent that I thought it would be.

M- Medium body with ok carbonation. Smokey aftertaste.

D- Pretty decent porter with a nice flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2009 03:36:36 | More by projectflam86
Photo of tylernim

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

A - Dark and foreboding. Tan head about two fingers tall, webs the entire glass as you go.

S - Huge burnt chocolate notes hit you right away.

T - Follows the smell, although a bit more subdued. Chocolate, coffee, burnt malts.

M - Carbonation on the tongue. Medium.

D - Good for such a dark one.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 16:29:59 | More by tylernim
Photo of xnicknj


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

Pours an almost midnight black with a layer of coffee colored head, fading into some nice film, leaving a bit of lacing around the glass.

A nice flair of coffee in the nose with hints of mocha, chocolate, molasses, and a light touch of smoke.

Begins with some roasted malts and robust mocha coffee flavor. Semi-sweet chocolate and a light splash of vanilla hide underneath. A bit of molasses, hop bitterness, and more robust dark malt towards the end. Finishes with some sweetness, hops, and a faint warmth.

Medium bodied, feels a little thinner than it should, higher carbonation. Nice flavor and solid drinking, alcohol is masked well too.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2010 21:37:19 | More by xnicknj
Photo of FanofHefe


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

No bottle or label date that I can find. Poured into a Duvel tulip. One finger mocha head that dissipates fairly quickly, leaving some minor lacing. The body is dark brown, nearly black, with some light red hue around the edges.

Good, rich aroma. Dark fruit, primarily raisin, with light amounts of chocolate, toffee, roasted malt, and a hint of tangy hops. Very nice.

The dominant flavors follow the aroma, but I was pleasantly surprised by the hop bitterness which is muted but definitely present.

The mouthfeel is smooth, but thin. Very drinkable. One of the better porters I've had.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 00:51:27 | More by FanofHefe
Photo of HuskyinPDX


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

12oz bottle poured into my HotD tulip.
Bottled 2.15.11 Damn black ink!!!

A- Deep brown, almost not head at all. Some dark tan on the edges.

S- Malts and coffee.

T- Coffee, Chocolates, burnt sugars.

D- Mild, no bitterness.

O- Nicely smooth for a Porter. I would say this is a good example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 04:33:34 | More by HuskyinPDX
Photo of Alieniloquium


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

12 oz. bottle poured into a goblet.

Appearance - Pours pitch black with no head at all. A slight ring of tan foam encircles a body with slight, whispy lace that comes and goes as you drink it.

Smell - Nice aroma. Heavy on the roasted malts. It smells as if coffee was added, really. Dark chocolate behind the coffee. Nary a hint of sweetness.

Taste - Not far behind the aroma, but a bit lacking. Not a lot of flavor in the front of the sip. The flavor comes as a roasted malt bitterness and a slight hop bitterness. A few flavors going on, but all at the end. It doesn't really develop through the drink.

Mouthfeel - This is where I think I just don't like porters. I'm not looking for a stout "lite" but that's always what porters seem to be for me. It's got good carbonation, but a thin body that doesn't hold the rich flavors for long. It's there, then it's gone, with only a hint of lasting flavor.

Overall - Good flavor, if not a bit uninspired in its development through the drink. Not enough body to make me think it's a really great beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 01:47:40 | More by Alieniloquium
Photo of JTSbeerislife


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%


Poured into a Dogfish Head Snifter.






Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 01:37:27 | More by JTSbeerislife
Photo of soju6


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

A: Pours a virtual black color with a off-white head and nice lacing.

S: Aroma of roasted malt with coffee and a hint of caramel.

T: Taste of roasted malt and coffee with some bittersweet chocolate. Nice bitterness and a clean finish.

F: Medium body, smooth and somewhat creamy.

O: Good porter nice example of the style. Could put a few of these away with no trouble.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 12:11:18 | More by soju6
Photo of MoreThanWine


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

Poured an eighth inch chocolate malt head which vanished almost immediately. The body is a dark burnt umber brown, almost coffee. Smells of cocoa, coffee, and roasted malt. The taste matches the smell but is actually far milder than I was expecting. Finish is quite long featuring the roasted malt. Certainly a very good porter, but not necessarily the king of them all.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 09:29:25 | More by MoreThanWine
Photo of RuckusDu


3.95/5  rDev -7.3%

A - A vigorous pour revealed only a 1/8th finger head of dark tan head. This slowly melted away. Body is black and needs about 4mm or less to see light through. Trace of head sticks around for a while and lacing is perfect.

S - Just a great aroma for a porter. Spot on to what you would expect. Chocolate and licorice to go with some prunes and slight nutty aroma. I can't pinpoint the exact smell though.

T - Very dark malty/nutty flavors. Definitely some coffee and chocolate. Only slight vanilla. Very roasty, like a roasted espresso bean.

M - Maybe a bit overcarbonated for a porter, but still nice. Just gives it a more refreshing feel to it. Body is medium but lighter than the look.

O - A very good beer at a good price. Wish I lived somewhere this was distributed. Probably couldn't drink more than one though.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 03:18:20 | More by RuckusDu
Founders Porter from Founders Brewing Company
95 out of 100 based on 4,404 ratings.